Running in the Dark

So the other day I was at the gym off in my own world listening to music. All of a sudden the loudest noise I've ever heard in my life made my heart stutter for a moment as I watched grown men jump off the treadmill and duck out of fear. There was sparks, a flash of light and then the entire place went black! Turns out the storm outside, which I'd just walked through myself, was roaring to life and the thunder was so close it created such a monstrous noise. I never did see the lightning flash but I"m assuming it was there because that evening the entire street lights were out as well. I waited a moment for them to say sorry, we're closing due to no power. However, once people realized it was simply thunder and not someone shooting like a crazed person, they hopped back on the machines that were running off a separate generator and continued. There I was, on the machine in the dark.

Since cultural integration is so crucial while I'm in Peace Corps here, I figure, do what they do. So, I as well stayed and continued my workout. I have to say there was something hysterical about working out in the dark. Never experienced that before. Upstairs where there are windows, it was fine for a bit since daylight was still poking through. However, downstairs, there are no windows and it was quite dark. As I sat there lifting weights, I found myself biting my tongue to keep from laughing at how ridiculous we all must look, sitting there in the dark, determined to be fit at whatever cost. It was a moment in time where I took a deep breath and thought, "Shit, this is worth staying for. I'm sure this will never happen again."

That night I got home to electricity and a nice warm bath. As I was going to bed, I figured, why not leave the window open. Mosquitos are gone because it's pouring outside and it's so cool here. As I was thinking this, an enormous cockroach type beetle larger than my entire hand flew threw my window, landed on my pillow adn crawled under the cover. I sat there watching, thinking, no way am I touching that thing. So, for the next twenty minutes I gathered up my neighbors and tore my bed apart searching for the disappeared giant animal in my bed. Certain I would not sleep there until I found this thing, we threw everything we could out of my room. After several minutes of standing around amused that such a large thing could literally disappear, there he came, crawling out of the closet and ran into the hallway. I slammed my door shut, closed the window and proceeded to take another bath simply because I couldn't get the chills out of my arms. Never seen whatever it was before and I feel I'll be okay if I never do again. You know, being a person who hated bugs and dirt as a young child, I'm beginning to wonder if I didn't think thruogh this whole idea of coming to Africa. If I survive this place, I'm certain there will be nothing I can't do!