Pepto Bismol is not sold in Chile. Normally this is not something I would rant about, but considering I haven't been able to keep solid food down for the past 24 hours, I could really go for some of that stomach-settling pink stuff. When I woke up this morning, and not much had improved since yesterday morning, I knew I needed something to help my troubled estómago. I made it to the pharmacy without passing out, which was quite the accomplishment, but then I found out that they don't sell any medicine in the general area of the store here. This discovery occurred when a nice older gentleman said that if I needed any medicine, I needed to take a number and the next pharmacist available would help me. One of the pharmacists who had just become free apparently noticed how confused and pale I looked, because she called me up, and said something along the lines of, "Here, let me help you really quickly, you look very confused and sick." She proceeded to let me skip about five people in front of me, and asked what I needed. I told her, "Necesito algo para la indigestión," (I need something for indigestion). She then looked at me confused, apparently unable to understand my accent or pronunciation, and so I said, "Necesito algo para mi estomago, tiene la indigestión," (I need something for my stomach, it has indigestion) and all the while I'm pointing at my stomach and looking rather sick, as she apparently already knew. Mind you, there are quite a few people standing around, and explaining this in Spanish while feeling like I'm going to pass out isn't the most fun thing in the world. The pharmacist then goes to say, "Ahh....la diarrea!"... Don't think I need to translate that one. I kept trying to explain to her, no, no, just something for indigestion, but she had already decided what I needed, and proceeded to give it to me and sell it to me. Needless to say, for those who wish to travel to Chile in the future, bring Pepto Bismol with you, because if the occasion arises, you will definitely be wishing you had some!
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