The Adventure Nobody Asked For
When you move abroad, you expect adventures: new food, new friends, new words you forget exactly when you need them.
You don’t expect flu.
Last winter, I woke up feeling like a boiled potato. My head was heavy, my body was weak, and my nose was blocked like a motorway at rush hour.
I whispered, “Good morning,” but my voice sounded like an old washing machine.
I thought, I’m fine, I just need tea.
While I was boiling the water, I sneezed so loudly that my neighbour’s dog barked back.
Tea Therapy (Not Working)
By the time I finished my second cup, I was sweating and shaking. Clearly, tea wasn’t enough. It was time for the doctor.
And yes — in Spain, the doctor speaks Spanish. Of course.
That’s not a problem. That’s a challenge.
Operation: Explain the Flu in Spanish
At the clinic, the nurse smiled. “¿Qué le pasa?”
I smiled back. My brain started searching for the Spanish word for flu. Nothing.
I wanted to say I felt like a confused sandwich — hot, cold, and emotional — but what came out was just, “Calor y frío.”
She nodded slowly. “¿Calor y frío?”
“Yes,” I said proudly, “International temperature.”
Diagnosis: Abroadien Chaos
The doctor arrived. Calm, kind, and completely unshocked by sick foreigners.
“So,” he said in Spanish, “you have a fever?”
“I think so,” I answered. “I was sleeping, but my body was dancing. My legs were moving, my teeth were shaking, and my cat was hiding under the bed.”
He smiled. “Typical flu,” he said.
He started writing something. While he was writing, I was reading the posters on the wall.
One said Lávate las manos. Another said Vacúnate.
I understood both! I felt like a genius with a fever.
Soup of Nothing
Then the doctor asked, “Did you eat?”
“Yes,” I said. “I was eating soup, but my nose was closed, so I didn’t taste anything. It was soup of nothing.”
He nodded seriously. “Rest. Drink water. No work.”
I smiled weakly. Best prescription ever.
The Pharmacy Olympics
At the pharmacy, my Spanish challenge continued.
The pharmacist said something I didn’t understand, so I pointed to my nose and said, “No funciona.”
She laughed so hard she had to hold the counter. Then she gave me tissues, medicine, and the look that said, You’re trying. Brave foreigner.
Recovery (Almost)
When I got home, I took the medicine and fell asleep.
When I woke up, I could finally breathe again — and my cat was sleeping on my face.
Later, my Spanish teacher called.
“How are you?” she asked.
“I’m alive,” I said. “I was dying, but now I’m fine.”
“Perfect!” she said. “Then you can do your homework.”
My fever came back instantly.
💜 Spanish Corner
(Because being abroad means learning a bit — even with the flu.)
- ¿Qué le pasa? – What’s wrong? / What’s the matter?
- calor y frío – hot and cold
- Lávate las manos – Wash your hands
- Vacúnate – Get vaccinated
📘 Phrase Glossary
| 🩺 Word / Phrase | 💬 Meaning (Simple English) |
|---|---|
| flu | illness with fever and tiredness |
| fever | when your body is too hot |
| sore throat | pain in your throat |
| blocked nose | you can’t breathe well |
| prescription | paper from the doctor for medicine |
| pharmacy | shop where you buy medicine |
| to rest | to relax and not work |
| to sneeze / to cough | sounds you make when you’re sick |
❓Quiz Time
🧠 Grammar explained – Past Simple and Past Continuous
We use the past simple to talk about things that happened and finished in the past.
👉 I sneezed. I went to the doctor. I felt terrible.
We use the past continuous to talk about actions that were in progress in the past, often interrupted by another action.
👉 I was boiling water when I sneezed.
👉 The doctor was writing while I was reading the posters.
💡Tip: The past continuous sets the scene; the past simple moves the story forward.
🤓 Time for Grammar practice
✍️ Writing Practice
Write 2 sentences about the last time you were sick abroad (real or imagined):
- Use past continuous + past simple.
- Include one funny mistake or language confusion.
Example:
👉 I was trying to say “I have a cold,” but I said “I am cold” and the waiter brought me a blanket. 🧣
Ask your AI to review it using this prompt:
“Please review my writing. Check if I used my past tents correctly
🤖Ask AI for help
Prompt for AI (to practise more conditionals)
“Please give me 10 practice sentences using the past simple and past continuous.”
📝 What You Practised in This A2 English Story
In Fluently Sick in Spain, you practised using the past simple and past continuous to talk about actions in the past — perfect grammar for A2 English learners. You also reviewed vocabulary for visiting the doctor, common health words like fever, sore throat, and flu, and learnt how to describe what was happening when something else interrupted. This short, funny English story helps you learn English naturally through context, improve your reading skills, and enjoy real-life Abroadien moments full of laughter, language, and confusion.
Head over to Hilarious Grammar Bites for quick, funny lessons on the Past Simple and Past Continuous, packed with examples, quizzes, and zero boring rules. Learn grammar the Unana Boo way — with laughter, not headaches.