Kumo-chan
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Kumo-chan Monday September 5
Japan may be small, but there's one thing that's consistently bigger here: insects.
A few nights ago, Riho (the girl I'm currently staying with until I get my apartment set up) was sitting on the couch smoking, and she cocked her head up to exhale -- and then promptly walked across the room and sat down on the bed. All she said was, "ceiling". I didn't get it at first, because in context, I didn't realize that was the word she was saying. Then she pointed.
Look at this image. (This isn't for the sqeamish, that's why I didn't include it directly)
A big spider. About 4-5" in diameter. We're talking a legspan a little larger than a tarantula. On the ceiling in the room where I sleep.
Riho becomes useless just laying on her bed in the other room saying that it's so gross and that as the guy, I need to take care of it. Personally, I hate spiders. I wouldn't have minded leaving it if I hadn't been staying in the same room. I considered just climbing into Riho's bed and just hoping it'd be gone in the morning, but I reconsidered my ability to explain clearly what I do and do not want from her. Plus, if the spider was gone in the morning, how could I know it was truly gone?
I still couldn't figure out how the damn thing got in in the first place. All the windows are screened, and the door was shut.
Eventually, I enclosed it on the ceiling with a small trash can, and then slid a piece of cardboard in between the ceiling and the top of the trash can. Contained, I took it outside. There was no stepping on or killing this spider...
The cicadas -- that Japan is famous for -- are even bigger than our seven-year ones. For someone who hates these kinds of insects, it's a bit of a rude awakening.
