Wow I have had an eventful few weeks since I last spoke to you dear readers. I finally killed the mouse who was harassing me. That felt nice to finally get rid of it. What I didn't know is I killed two and the other was inside my ceiling rotting away...... Hence the title.
I finally returned after a week of being sick in the capital and then had some school tests to give. I just watch kids for 2 hours to make sure they don't cheat it's actually nice, but gets boring. Every morning I went to class and came home and slept because I'm so tired. I suddenly woke up to see something weird on my bug net that thankfully covers my entire bed. A squiggling maggot. I was so disgusted I just watched it and then flung it off. I saw two and swept them away, but I was on alert. I couldn't find anything attracting them. Nothing smelled bad, I couldn't find the source. For two days I had nightmares that maggots were crawling all over me.
I went to school Friday, and returned to find not one, but 30 in my bedroom. So I did something that I'm not good at. I asked for help, actually I yelled for help. My neighbor who is my lifesaver came over and cleaned them all up and helped me figure out the course of action. I called peace corps, my principal, the landlord, and my tutor. Everyone came to my house to view. That was not fun, but thankfully I removed everything from my bedroom including my queen bed, and put them in the living room. I completely cleaned everything with the help of many, but maggots kept falling from the ceiling, albeit at a slower rate. The landlord said he would come the next day but I had to sleep in my living room waking up every hour making sure maggots were not in fact eating me. That was one of the worst sleeps I have had in my life.
My landlord arrived and completely doused my house in insecticide and it still smells weirdly sweet now. I was told to not be inside so I stayed the night at a hotel where I took for first shower in a week and probably my last for a week. My landlord also found a dead rat in the ceiling, I'm not sure how he got inside but it was removed and all is now cleaned at my house!!
When I returned the kids greeted me happily, we had a dance party to my fav African songs and now I am waiting to sleep and hopefully not find a single maggot. I did reclean the entire house again so if I do. Oh gosh.
Weekly language lesson for you yovos!!
French -
Je suis occupée - I am busy
J'ai un problème - I have a problem
Merci pour M'aider - thank you for helping me
WEME -
Nemu Missa Doquin - how much are the sweet potatoes
Chi Tay - stand up!
Mi Hwe - go home!
Also if you read this far, I will include my address for if you would like to send me a letter or package. PLEASE use only USPS some other places have really high fees. Of course you don't need to but if you are interested in sending anything letters aren't expensive (just one international stamp from post office around $1.50)!!
I'd love to get a note to help me through the hard times (like maggot infestations)...
Emma VACEK PCV
Corps de la Paix Americain 01 B.P. 971 Cotonou, Benin Afrique de l'Ouest (West Africa)
Wishlist (:
Mac and cheese !!!!!! Or even just cheese powder
Batteries
Nice smelling things!!!
Small games for children
Coloring books
Coloring pencils
Any nonperishable heatproof food
Pictures!!
Anything to keep bugs away
Mouse traps