Creepy Crawlies

If you've travelled, or listened to traveller stories, you know that bugs (along with food and bodily functions) are one of the mainstay conversation topics. I'm going to regale you with a few tales.

Along with bats (not really creepy crawlies) and ants (tiny microscopic ones and regular ones that are EVERYWHERE), this past week has seen the emergence of cockroaches in our room. We are in a 400+ year old church in the tropics so I think they were lurking around anyway but we started to see them in the past few days. Along with the normal creepy crawly ones there are big a** flying ones. In North America, if you live a relatively comfortable life, you probably have not run into these creatures. Those living in poverty and other conditions know well of what I speak.

Here, the ones I have seen are about the size of a tablespoon or bigger (described later), brown, with antennae and move quickly. The quick movements are part of the reason I personally don't like them. And the flying ones. I don't like anything that can land on my head. (big shudder)

My way of dealing with bugs is to always use a mosquito net. That way, I will always get a good nights rest knowing the creepy crawlies are only circling my bed and are not IN my bed. Once I am awake, I can deal. Usually I just absent myself from where they are, if at all possible.

In Vietnam, I had two that lived under the stairs. In the morning, I used to stomp, loudly, down the stairs and then stomp loudly nearby. They respond to vibrations and since they don't much want to be around humans, I figured that I was giving fair warning. Given my upbringing and belief in karma, I hate killing bugs unless there is no other choice or if I am completely freaked out. This happened the other night.

For someone who loves sleeping with a mosquito net, I don't have my own. I had planned to buy one but ended up borrowing one from one of the other women until she needed it and then borrowed one from another until everyone needed their nets and I was without one. With a plan to buy one the following day, I was being brave and hoping for the best. Until the TWO-tablespoon-sized flying cockroach landed across from my bed. In a few short minutes I was covered up, cowering (bravely, of course) under my sheets as one of the other women tracked and killed it (with many high pitched screams - HIT it again!!! It's still moving! Oh no, it's over there - QUICK!!!! I slept well knowing I was safe for the night (or so I told myself).

Another way to deal with them is to block up where they might live or come from. Duct tape works well (thank you Red Green!). My first night in Luena (Moxico, Angola) I got up to use the bathroom, flashlight in hand as the generator was off, I opened the door to my room and there were FIVE cockroaches on my door! (amazing what you can see in a split second) I shut the door, none too quietly, all need to relieve myself gone, tucked myself into my mosquito net and went to bed. The next morning I learned they might live in my door as there were several large (fist-sized?) holes in my door. So I did what all good Canadian girls do - I taped over all the holes with industrial duct tape! Never again did I repeat that exact experience. Of course I saw them elsewhere....

Last night two of the other women hunted several down with Death-in-a-Can. Considering we can quote chapter and verse about sustainability and environmental protection and the evils of aerosols and using chemicals, etc. it was slightly ironic :)

This morning I woke with the teeny tiny ants in my bed. Not sure how to deal with them. I make sure there is no eating in my bed space but who knows what I bring to bed. or is blown onto my bed If anyone has an idea of how to gently get rid of them, I'd appreciate it!