My First Rat

I just saw my first rat! And hey- I say it’s pretty good that I’ve been in this country for a couple of months and I made it this long without seeing one!

So I was lying in my bed getting ready to blog, when I heard a funny rustling noise. I thought, No! Could it be?... I heard more rustling. Grabbed my head lamp and pointed it in the direction of the sound. There was a suitcase in the corner that belongs to my host family. The movement was definitely coming from there. Oh my, I really do have a visitor! I thought as I noticed the whole in the top of the suitcase and saw the flap of it moving. Holy crap... what do I do?! was my next thought. I have never in my life dealt with rats. So i began to contemplate the dilemma- Should I just ignore him and go to bed? I’m pretty sure it can’t hurt me... No I should probably get him out of here. But how do I do that? Do I want to kill him? I can’t kill a rat! That would be gross, rat guts on my floor!

My decision was made. I called on the rat experts. I flicked on the light in the living room then stood outside the curtain of my host parent’s cuarto and whispered “Cristina...” to see if she was awake, to which she immediately replied, “Qué pasó Amy?” -Hay algo en moviendo en mi cuarto... (there is something moving in my room). She comes to check things out. Ok, yes I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to creepy animals, as was witnessed with the Rooster saga. But ya know, really it wasn’t a bad idea to ask a local to show me how to show a rat who’s boss. The natives now how to handle the Salvadoran rats better than anyone.... Plus it’s their house and well- ok, i would have woken them up anyways with my screams when I tried to deal with it on my own.

Cristina took the suitcase toward the door to take it outside and get the rat out of the house. It only made it as far at the chair in the living room when the rat made a run for it out the hole and onto the the floor, which of course brought me to shrieking. And it was a BIG one! Fast too... it quickly fled out the door and Oso, the family dog went on the attack... a little too late, because the Rat made it into hiding under some shelves on the patio right outside my window. So now.... he could just come right back in I guess. Because houses here are not closed off to the outside here, there’s a big gap between the walls of the house and the roof, and that means many creature are able to visit whenever they want.

Anyway, I’m glad I had help with the situation tonight. When I am living in my new place next week- I will be in a little house separate from my host families... So I will have no one around to get the rats out for me. It will be all me! It’s ok though... I will be a stronger woman for it. Orrrrrr.... I will just depend on my cat. Yes! I am adopting a cat! My host family I am with now has the sweetest little kitten named Princesa... we spend much of the day together here, she’s always on my lap or by my side. So the family offered her to me and I could not turn the offer down. She will be great company and a great help with bugs and rats.