Why are there always bug stories?

It’s hard to believe I’ve been in Rwanda for almost three months. I
still have no idea what is going on (about school, and most things in
general) and I feel like an outsider. At the same time though, I’m
getting into a routine and things have been going pretty smoothly for
me lately. Classes have been good, the library is coming along quite
well, and I’ve been getting by pretty well in Nyakarambi. With exams
this coming week, and then a two-week holiday, that routine is going
to be pretty well messed up, but it’ll be a nice change as well,
especially if the Uganda trip happens.

I had a good St. Patrick’s Day, hanging out with the Irish VSO.
Funnily enough, when I talked to them, neither one remembered that it
even was St. Paddy’s Day. Of course, I had to “take the piss out of
them” to use the Irish slang. (It means I made fun of them.) We ended
up at the Ikarezi, a hotel/bar where we enjoyed some Primus/Mutzig
(neither were green, unfortunately) and a nice dinner of brochettes
and chips.

I’m back in Kigali for the second weekend in a row. I wouldn’t have
needed to, except when I went to the post office to pick up my
packages last Saturday (and apparently I have two waiting for me!), I
found out that it is only open during the week. I guess you can send
mail, but you can’t pick it up. Needless to say, I was extremely
disappointed, as the packages reportedly contain some books, DVDs
(including the first episode of this season of Lost!!!) and most
importantly: candy.

Another couple bug updates: My home has been invaded by June bug like
bugs the last couple of nights. Now, I don’t like June bugs back home
(as I’m quite certain one will fly into my ear eventually), but these
are quite a bit worse. They still aim for my head quite consistently,
but when they get into my house, they fly around the room flying into
everything. Being very loud, my evenings are often interrupted by a
“BBBZZZZZZZ THUD. BBBZZZZZZ THUD. BBBBBZZZZZZ THUD,” until I get up
and swat it out of the air with an English textbook.

The other bug incident was quite strange. Last Sunday, I woke up with
the crows as usual and I decided to stay in bed and read for a while.
So I untucked my mosquito netting, reached for my book and got a
handful of slug. Remember, this is Africa, so these aren’t your
everyday, garden-variety slugs; these things are several inches long.
The real question is how (and why) it got through my door, across the
room, up the table and onto the book. Also, it was gross.

Let’s hope I am able to post again, and that I haven’t been driven
insane by the 140-odd exams I have to grade next week…