1,2,3,4...I Declare an Ant War!

I've had it!!  I am hereby officially declaring WAR against anyone and anything that tries to invade my classroom and/or apartment.

I'm sure you've noticed my frustration/annoyance with dust from my previous posts.  But, I will NOT let it take over!  I have been a cleaning machine in my apartment since I moved it and most days it feels like a losing battle.

I am not by any means a clean freak, nor will I ever be (just ask my parents).  But, this apartment is like my safe haven.  It is so clean, safe, comfortable, and nice and I want it to stay that way.  Haiti is a smelly, dirty place to live so it is especially wonderful to have a beautiful little place to come home to.  So, I'm doing my best to keep it that way.  I clean the apartment from top to bottom several times a week, and I sweep everyday.  The amount of dirt that I clean up each time amazes me!

I've also determined that the ants in Haiti are as desperate, poverty stricken, and starving as all of the people in this country.  Keeping the ants at bay feels like a losing battle.  Every time I turn around I find another trail of ants making a beeline for a miniscule speck of food or dirt.  I have not really been cooking much since I moved in here.  The extent of my time in the kitchen is to make noodles, a sandwich, a salad, or to grab a granola bar (yes, I realize that is not very healthy eating, but food is extremely expensive here so I've gotta keep it simple...plus its no fun to cook a big meal just for one person to eat alone).  Every single time I use the counters, I wipe them down with clorox afterwards.  And yet, somehow a swarm of ants will appear later and find a tiny itty bitty crumb to converge upon.  I am beginning to think that my apartment is situated on top of the world's largest anthill full of the world's most annoying and painfully biting ants (yes, they bite and leave itchy stinging welts).

To better explain to you just how desperate these ants are I will give you this example: This morning I was cleaning my bathroom when I noticed a train of ants filing in through my window in a very orderly fashion, down the wall, and onto my little shelf of toiletries.  Curious (and quite annoyed) as to what they were doing, I explored the situation (armed with clorox spray in hand).  I found them gathered on top of a bottle of hand sanitizer.  I was pretty confused (and still annoyed).  Upon further investigation, I saw that the hand sanitizer was scented, "Jelly Doughnut".  I'm telling you, the ants in Haiti are REALLY desperate...they have resorted to eating HAND SANITIZER!

I just might go crazy trying to rid my apartment of all ants...actually scratch that...I think I already have gone crazy.  I caught myself today telling an ant, "Go tell your friends!" after killing a pile of other ants that were swarmed on my counter.

Never give up...never surrender.