Back to Nature

When I got the packing list for Cambodia it was stressed multiple times that this is not a two year camping trip and we should not pack for one. Ok I get that it’s good that I didn’t pack for a camping trip but shoot! You could fool me that I’m not camping. Some similarities:

• Tent = mosquito net – I have to prepare my sleeping area every night, if I don’t do it properly I risk being eaten alive
• Camping stove = Cambodian kitchen – the kitchen my host mom uses to prepare all of our food is really just two gas burners. There is no refrigeration so anything I am eating here could just as easily be prepared on a camping trip
• Bathroom = yeahhh – While my family has a nice tiled bathroom where I can use the restroom and shower in the comfort of 4 walls next to it is the outhouse squatter that was used before the bathroom was built. Additionally, almost none of my neighbors have bathrooms or latrines of any kind, lots of people bathe in the river or at the well
• Nature = oh boy have I got it – I wake up with the roosters; I dodge the cows, and scare the chickens away. My room has more bugs, spiders, ants, and other things that fly and make weird noises than I know what to do with. My room also has lots of lizards and the occasional but still much hated and terrifying mouse.
• Bees = my new arch nemesis – There was a hive of bees living behind my house that terrified me and didn’t help with my irrational fear of being allergic to bees. These bees recently had their home disturbed by some construction going on at my house and decided to move into the roof of the house. At night they are attracted to the light and buzz around there before being stupid and falling to the ground. I have been quite vocal about my child-like fear of the bees and so for the last 10 days or so after dinner my host mom or dad has swept the bees up so the area was clear for me to tip toe back to my room. Last Tuesday I faced a pretty big fear of mine, not on purpose mind you, but I stepped on a bee. OW! My host mom immediately grabbed my foot took the stinger out and doused my foot in the oil version of tiger balm. It really hurt and I couldn’t feel the rest of my leg where the oil was slowly dripping. For the next 5 days the bottom of my foot was red and swollen and walking was not fun. I kept a steady supply of Benadryl and ibuprofen in my system to calm the excruciating itching and wore socks to bed to try and keep my scratching in check. You can only imagine my frustration when this Tuesday exactly one week (within half an hour) after stepping on the first bee I stepped on a SECOND bee. All I could do was laugh to save face in front of my host family when really all I wanted to do was cry out of frustration. Same drill with my host mom removing the stinger and numbing my lower half with tiger balm oil. I’m counting the days until my poor swollen foot returns to normal and I can stop wearing socks. But now I know that if I am allergic to bees, it’s not that bad! Fear-conquered?

Sometimes it’s nice to be living in a more organic setting, but sometimes it’s hard, creepy, crawly, and gross. All of these experiences will make clean sheets and bug free living situations back in America that much more luxurious and while I think I will be an excellent  camper please feel free to invite me on a trip to the spa first.