While in Europe, Stay Healthy!

Europe would remember 2018 as the worst year, weather wise. As we’re approaching spring time, it’s still snowing in many parts and the temperatures are still below zero in others.

Malaga is no better. Since I arrived here 2 weeks back, it’s been like a menu of two choices: rain, cold weather and freezing wind OR sun, cold weather and freezing wind. The screens on bus stops keep changing their minds about the current temperature. One minute it’s 16 and the next it’s 13. People are still in their winter gear, while shops are displaying their primavera collection.

Due to these extreme conditions, many people are falling ill with a weird virus that starts as a normal flu and ends with a strong cough and loss of voice. My Hungarian flatmate, Sophie, had the same three weeks back. It worsened after participating in an excursion to Ronda — an hour away from Malaga.

In Ronda the weather was foul, torrential rain and wind. She came back soaking wet and with no voice. When her fever broke the following day, our flatmates suggested that I accompany her to a medical centre that is close by (she speaks very little Spanish). But Sophie had one little problem: she had forgotten her European Union card back home, which meant that she couldn’t get a free treatment.

Nevertheless, she took her passport with her as an evidence of being a European citizen. We both entered the health centre smiling and were met with a frowning receptionist. Sophie waved her passport and spoke in English while I translated, insisting that she was European citizen (the passport cover was in Hungarian, which didn’t help at all).

The lady replied coolly: no