Nits.

Before I came to India I was warned of the well-known issue of head lice and ordered to 'wear your babushka!' and tie my hair back. Only now am I realizing just how bad it actually is. What I thought in the beginning were large chunks of dandruff standing out from the dark strands of the children's hair, I have come to find out have been nits. It is not unusual to see crouching children picking through each others hair pulling out 'things' (that you are really hoping aren't what you know they are) like little monkeys looking for a snack.

We had purchased several rounds of lice shampoo at the town chemist and were waiting for an opportune time to sterilize our girls (and Nithin.) When yesterday little Nishmitha pulled a tiny black bug from her head and handed it to me, I thought we have no time to waste! Luckily today was a school holiday and a perfect opportunity. You'd think the kids would be bummed to hear, 'No school! Now lets spend the day stripping you of lice!' but they were actually excited. I guess when you live everyday with bugs in your hair, the chance to get rid of them is a celebration. So while I bathed and lathered them with anti-lice treatment in the bathroom, Nina sat outside with a bucket and comb picking out lice and nits one by one. Fortunately for us, most of the girls have short hair as a bad bout of lice a few months ago warranted a head shaving all around. Angel on the other hand has longer hair and is completely infested. We soon realized that it's going to take a few rounds of this. On the bright side, since lice is just a part of life around here, the kids don't really get embarrassed when they are on display getting the once over (or twice, or three times) with a fine toothed comb.

Needless to say, I have been paranoid about my own long locks being contaminated by these nasty little creatures. Though I have had Nina check my head repeatedly and she assures me I am clean, I still have the phantom itch. We have instituted the 'no children in our room' policy and will probably treat ourselves with the parasite poison just to be on the safe side.

Bucket-O-Lice