Don't look up.

I remember reading one Micronesian Volunteer’s blog some months ago and her writing that it’s best not to look up when you’re in the bathroom or in the bedroom. Why? So you don’t see all the insects crawling above your head, of course! And boy is that true.

Around 4am last night, I woke with a dying urge to pee. I lay in my bed weighing the pros and cons for a few minutes of leaving my mosquito-free room, but eventually came to the conclusion that I’d rather face the unknown of the dark bathroom rather than deal with a UTI for the next few days. I grabbed my headlamp, took a breath, and quickly walked outside and into the bathroom a few doors down (we’re staying in dorms for the first two weeks of training, and even though my room is closest to the bathroom, I still feel accomplished every time I venture in there at night). As I was doing my business I made the mistake of looking up and shinning my headlamp on a spider two inches from my face. Lovely.

You think I would have learned my lesson after that, but I guess not. As I was getting ready to turn the water on for my shower this morning (yes, we’re fortunate enough to have over-head showers at the dorms!) I saw something move near the showerhead. And you know what I did? I looked up. And there, gazing at me was another lovely spider. This time bigger and much less friendly looking. Luckily there was another shower available, spider-free, but let’s just say that was the quickest shower of my life. My roommate Lisa even noted my speed when I returned to our room.

Later at breakfast another Trainee mentioned that they saw a giant crab in the shower as well. I’d take a crab over a spider any day.

I hope you all are enjoying your clean, animal-free bathrooms back home.

Rachel