Yes indeed, I cannot lie. It cannot be avoided, the fact that I have lost my American “Jennifer smell”, whatever that was.
This fact reaches beyond my not wearing perfume. Since arriving in Vanuatu I have traded the sweet scent of Jo Malone with the odor of mosquito repellant and occasional baby powder. Here is a list (not complete) of scents you might find on me these days-
Classic B.O.: This one is surprisingly rare given the fact that I bathe (at least) once a day and wear deodorant. On days I choose to be “dirty work days”, leaving my sweaty fowl clothes on an entire day while I walkabout or do yard work, you are certain to find me proudly (or more like involuntarily) displaying B.O. to all noses silly enough to come close.
Mildew/Mold: Gotta admit, I thought I’d go at least 6 months before my clothes developed mold. I was wrong. Seeing as I live on the rainiest island in Vanuatu, and half my clothes haven’t made it to me yet, I have been forced to wear the same shirts every week. The smell started in my sports bras that never get entirely dry. Now some of my thicker skirts, t-shirts, trousers, and especially my thick towel, have a slight tangy mildew-infused odor that surfaces when I get the least but sweaty. (i.e. 7am-11pm)
Baby powder: After being doused in it for a wedding celebration I realized with joy, “Wowee! My neck has felt dry all day!” So now you may find essence of baby-bottom mingling with my tangy odored clothes. I sprinkle the stuff in my bra, on my chest and back and sometimes on my dirty clothes pile. Nic found some “nighttime, relaxing” lavendar or some such-infused powder and I am strangely addicted to it- shaking some on my body every time I walk past the bottle.
Rat Piss: This is a newer development and one I am NOT fond of for obvious reasons. It is no secret that my house (as with most kustom houses and Vanuatu houses) has a rat problem. However, I was NOT thrilled to discover that several of my shirts smelled of piss-piss as I went to put them on. Despite not smelling especially “good” these days, I do draw a line at smelling like any form of excrement. I’m currently brainstorming ways to end this problem, as I’ve discovered the rats have begun munching on some of my clothes as well. No Bueno.
Smoke: Nope, not cigarette. Anytime I cook or sit in my mama’s kitchen, my clothes soak up the woody aroma of smoke. I welcome with open arms this odor, as it beautifully masks most B.O., mildew, or smell of piss-piss.
Note: I do have 3 tiny bottles of perfume, but choose not to wear any because
a) I immediately start seating it off
b) It doesn’t smell good to mix with mosquito spray
c) I don’t want to later associate my favorite smells with B.O. and rat piss
So if you are thinking of gift ideas, try sticking to things like baby powder or lavender dryer sheets to stick in my clothes. ☺
