When I was younger I had tarantula and a snake and I loved them, I’d let them crawl all over me and I was never afraid. But as I’ve gotten older my bug phobia, specifically with spiders and cockroaches has grown exponentially. The other night I stumbled upon a massive spider in my bathroom, I was so paranoid that I avoided the bathroom for the remainder of the night and brushed my teeth in the kitchen sink before I went to bed.

When I woke up the next day something had changed. I told my friend about the spider the night before and whatever he said about changing your energy field and developing an understanding for the bug really helped. I named the spider Mr. Stealthy Pants because he’s so fast, and I’ve been talking to him ever since. Every time that I’ve gone into the bathroom since I’ve announced myself and let him know I’m coming first so he has time to hide. In fact, I think Mr. Stealthy is here to help me because I have these two large roaches that keep coming out at night and well I’d rather they’d relocate, but if that doesn’t happen, I think Stealthy’s gonna take ’em down.

Later that morning while I was having breakfast at Taboon, a middle eastern restaurant in Surathani, I also met this little guy.

I’m glad I’ve gotten rid of my fear of bugs and other four legged animals, because I now have an iguana who lives with me, as well as one that keeps crawling into my bathroom. I also have two resident roaches, each the size of my thumb (at almost 6″ tall, I have unusually large thumbs haha) and although I find roaches to be pretty gross, I don’t want to kill them. I’ve definitely screamed a few times when I’ve sighted them in the bathroom late at night, but now I just turn the lights on a few seconds before I go in and let them know I’m approaching and that it’s time to hide.

 

There are hens and roosters all over the island roaming about willy nilly, but they’re pretty cute and I’m sure I’ve had an egg or two from a couple of them. They seem much taller than the ones we have in California, but it could just be because they are so skinny!