I've been eaten alive!

It is insane how many mosquito bites I have on my legs. At least 30. It's hard to count.

Aside from the traumas of tropical insects, things continue to go well...

Sunday was a celebratory feast at church, which meant my first experience of the Sunday service was incredibly lively and enthusiastic, and was followed by more Dominican food. I had no idea what I was eating but some of it tasted good!

I have started work at Pioneer Prep, and have been placed in Kindergarden. The kids are adorable, of course - and intrigued by England. Today I was reading them a book, in which it started to snow - Bryce exclaimed that he loved snow (having never actually seen it in real life), they were all shocked that it snowed in England and laughed at that fact that England is currently freezing!! They're also teaching me more about interesting Dominican food- at snack time Zayne was drinking from a coconut and Kyron taught me all about sugar cane.

Kids in general, not just at Pioneer, are extremely disciplined and very polite. The majority of preschools, held in people's houses, are incredibly strict - children wear smart uniforms and have regular routines. Ben, the son of the family I am staying with, goes to a Catholic school, where the headmaster has a belt in his office for naughty children!

I'm starting to realise the true meaning of 'developing' - Dominica is not necessarily poverty stricken or 3rd world but it is most certainly still a developing country and a long way behind the UK in terms of buildings, education, health & safety, political correctness and morality... For example: men, famously the policemen, are incredibly polygamous, and no-one seems to care; the roads are in terrible condition and the drivers are mental; limbs are often amputated because it's the quicker, cheaper option; children are provided with next to nothing in terms of school equipment (books etc) and there are no free, state funded schools.

Apologies for the lack of photos - my camera is incredibly temperamental and is currently having a bad spell. I will attempt to revive him and if not a new one shall be purchased - somehow!