If you can take it...

I may have just gone temporarily insane. I've had a rough go of it lately, from things just seeming to go wrong, feeling overwhelmed, and homesick for the holidays (I will admit I have let some tears out when the cabbies are playing Christmas music on my way to the school). I decided I couldn't wait any longer, so I finally busted out the book, "Unbroken". I've Had it in my kindle for a while, but I have been holding off reading it until I felt like I needed it. I am only a little way in, but things just kept piling up, so I decided to fast forward and watch the movie (I will finish the book just now). It is the TRUE story of Louie Zamperini, the US Olympian who joined WWll, floated adrift for 47 days in the pacific after his plane crashed, was rescued only to fall into a greater living hell, becoming a prisoner of war in Japan, where he was tortured, beaten and made to work in a coal mine with other POWs. After watching his story unfold, Louie's life kind of puts your life into perspective. My problems don't seem so significant anymore. I don't know if that is weird, but sometimes you just want to call it a day, and his struggles, grit and fight are an inspiration to fight another day. "If you can take it, you can make it," said Louie's brother when they were younger. This was his mantra. I like it. Not to say my Peace Corps experience is anything like his situation, but at times it can be emotionally draining, and sometimes you see and hear things that make you feel utterly helpless. It can also be overwhelming and grinding being stared at, watched and judged 24/7. Despite feeling as if you are never alone, you get to be pretty lonely... Thank god for Bora and Phoenix!

So back to the temporary insanity... After spending a few solid minutes bawling my eyes out after the movie, I let my dog in the house (shhhhh remember she isn't allowed inside), lay on the floor and let her lick the tears off my face for five minutes. Now those of you who read my blog know what happened yesterday... Lets just say it was time for a shower, and quick. So in I go... I look up, and my bathroom is swarming with mosquitos. My brain seems to shut down and, maybe because they were hunting my blood, but I see red, and something snapped inside. I can't take them anymore! So I jump out of the shower, grab the broom and go Batman meets Joker's henchmen on them. I'm talking... POW! POP! BAM! WHAM! well, pieces are flying off the broom... Maybe dust bunnies too and my cat is booking it to the other side and out the door faster than that dinosaur in Jurassic park after that goat (what is up with all the movie references?). Anyway, I grab the FISH spray (cancer causing insecticide) and I spray that stuff like there is no tomorrow. Lock the door and giggle like the evil villain I am. Victory has never felt so good. So now I am in my mosquito net, quite sure that the brothers and sisters of the fallen comrades in the bathroom are plotting to get me. It's all I can think about. They are out there. Circling. Watching. Waiting. Funny thing is, I imagine if you have done Peace Corps, or any longtime living abroad that requires a mosquito net... You have probably experienced this and are laughing your a$$ off right now. God I hope so. Otherwise, I may be truly losing it! No joke, my eye has been twitching all day long.