I have an allergy

Lots of the Peace Corps Trainees have encountered fun fun fun. Usually in the form of diarrhea, not making it to the toilet with diarrhea, parasites that cause vomiting and diarrhea, amoebas that move around inside, or fleas that eat them alive. I was considering myself particularly lucky I had not received any of these treats. Actually, I was taking pleasure in all of their stories and body displays of the circus show. It was hilarious, especially since I wasn't effected. This proved to be baaaad karma because I won bed mates. Fleas. or Pulgas in Spanish.

Fleas.

I have fleas.

When I think about it I see the Charlie Brown character with the dirt blanket and the dust billowing around him. He had fleas, he must have. Alas.
I told my family about my problem hoping they would have advice or a cure or experience with this little (literally) problem. They were horrified and claimed they have never had any fleas in their house. I felt terrible and empathized with their disgust. If someone told me they had fleas and were living in my house I'd be off put too. Gross. Right? However, my family didn't have any ideas to help me. I decided to take care of it myself, by hoping they would eventually go away. I am Peace Corps. I can handle it.

Not the most proactive approach.

After a week of being eaten alive during the night, not getting any sleep, and developing the most depressed and irritable mood I again brought up the subject of my new friends. My host mom asked to see they bites which populated my back like acne populates the face of a 16 year old boy. She then claimed I had an allergy, not fleas. She did this to take the blame off her, so I made sure to tell her I got the fleas from my friend (who is very generous with everything, including fleas.) I told my host mom that her house was very clean and that I was sorry to bring the bugs into her house. I apologized profusely and said over and over again that it was not her fault. But she still insisted I had an allergy.
Culture conflict. Awkward.
So I fumigated the room with the spray Peace Corps gave me. It made the whole house smell. Opps. Apparently you only need a little spray. I used the whole bottle. I thought I was going to die after spraying the stuff. I had visions of birthing deformed babies and was legitimately scared to go to sleep for fear I wouldn't wake up.
Finally one day she again said that I have an allergy and I said, "Yes, you are right. I have an allergy."
And then my room was cleaned and aired and all was much better.
However I did meet the volunteer that stayed with my host mother last year and she said she also had fleas... I mean an allergy.

This post is dedicated to my sister Kelly. Last year I gave her lice. We are such generous sisters, that I couldn't bare to keep them all to myself. May my fleas be gone before Kelly visits.