Return of the Critters

As mentioned previously and something quite a few of you have commented about…but the fact remains that critters abound here in Sierra Leone…still!  In review, I mentioned that canines are universally considered the under-dogs of this country.  They are found either running or recumbent, to what they are trotting I know not…but they lounge only to dig at open sores, fleas, and things I don’t even want to think about.  But yesterday, one approached me and got a little too close for comfort.  He was literally charging straight toward me.  Now, I didn’t get a full series of rabies immunizations for nothing, but I also didn’t want to find out how well the treatment worked…which was going through my mind as the dog got closer and closer.  All at once, I remembered Halley’s advice from my Turkmenistan visit…throw a rock at them!  Hmm, I looked around, there were no rocks!  “If you don’t have a rock, bend over as IF you were picking one up and they may run anyway,” she had added.  What did I have to lose?  I bent over, acted as if I had grabbed a boulder, and immediately the thing turned tail and took off.  He might still be running.  Sadly, these dogs are used to this treatment and I felt good since I didn’t have to harm even a flea on his head!

The second wave of bugs hit my bungalow last weekend.  A roach was sitting on my kitchen drain board Saturday morning and ants had crawled out of the woodwork again.  So, I got out my trusty can of Shell-tox and sprayed away.  Upon return two hours later, little ant bodies lined the baseboards throughout the living room and Mr. Cockroach is seen below:

Smugly, I slept soundly Saturday night!  But yesterday morning I awoke to yet another outbreak of black ants; this time in my bedroom right around the corner from the last outbreak.  Here they are with their little eggs making for a safe haven:

I must add here, my can of poison supposedly good for 80 applications, was getting light but I was sure I had one more good shot left and I was going to make it count!  I aimed, sprayed, and thank the stars above, I conquered!  For now at least!  Suffice to say, I’m going to Bo soon and getting two cans; just in case!

We had an influx of two-legged critters appear last weekend, too.  Students.  Hapless students, waiting to be educated.  I am told today is our official start of the semester (three weeks late) but I have yet to know when my classes are scheduled.  I know we meet with all our English students tomorrow for the entire day and I just found out minutes ago that I have a literature class on Thursday morning from 10 – noon.  Other than that, we are flying by the seat of our pants here in Africa. 

One other fly in the ointment (this insect used figuratively) is that we are apparently closing down for two weeks beginning on November 10th due to the upcoming elections here in Sierra Leone.  There is a slight potential for danger as the campaign heats up so the university may just solve the issue by avoiding altercation altogether.  We’ll lock up and send ‘em home!  Just so you know, Peace Corps is monitoring this as well, and at the moment, we are on a low level alert stating that only a potential danger is possible but nothing is even hinted at regarding any threat of danger to us. 

Maybe I should just catch a flight to Rome for a week and solve it myself...