Spiders

Okinawa has big brown spiders. I think we have them in Florida too, but in all my time in Florida, I think I have only come across 1 or 2. Since I've been in Okinawa, I've had 3 or 4 in my apartment, and have come across a lot more in various other places. The first time I had one in my apartment, I freaked, and chased it with the vacuum cleaner (they're fast!). Now, they don't bother me as much. I heard they eat cockroaches, so the last one I had in my apartment, I trapped and let it outside. 

Here's a blog entry from Zamami Dave, however, that describes a situation that would not be cool with me. Ever.

Have you ever heard the urban myth that you swallow three spiders during your sleep each year? Well, just in case it’s true, rest assured that I took care of your quota last night. I noticed this spider in my big tatami room and was curious about that big ‘plate’ she was clutching beneath her.

It didn’t take much time to determine that plate had been holding her thousands of babies, which were now crawling all over my apartment. They were everywhere, but also small enough that I wasn’t too concerned with swallowing them.