25th January

Yesterday I went to Karanambu which is about an hour by boat from Yupukari, I went with my room mate Sarah, Fernando the manager of Caimen house and a boy called Oswin-who sometimes helps out with the Otters over there. We spent the river trip spotting Caimen and an array of birds it was fun to have a trip out of the village and by boat this time instead of vehicle. When we first arrived at Karanambu it was very surreal to be back there, the last time I went I was with a tour group including my Dad and Grandparents. Everything still looked the same and I could picture which room everyone had had. After saying hello to everyone and introducing ourselves to guests there we settled down into a hammock with a nice cup of rum punch, we were also served lunch and for afters Sarah, Oswin and myself went to climb mango trees where we sat for some part of the afternoon. After a few more rum punches we went back to the river to leave, just before setting off we managed to see Buddy the resident otter who lives there and is looked after by Diane Mcturk, he was also a fond memory I have of my previous trip. On the way back we saw 3 different families of giant otter and plenty more Caimen!

Today has probably been the best day so far. It was the first of my adult computer lessons, which I have been working on putting together for the last two weeks with lesson plans and advertising all around the village, have been nervous all day that no one would turn up. The lesson started at 1 and to begin with only two teachers came who I have been teaching computers to every lunch time for the past week so I didn't get my hopes up that others would follow. However slowly but surely people began to arrive until we reached the point where every computer was full and some even had 2 sharing, we started them of with typing and getting to know the computer desktop and keyboard followed by a typing program called Mavis Beacon which teaches them to touch type and use the mouse pad. I have learnt 1 very important thing from my lesson is that you cannot say a specific time for something to begin or end, the lesson was planned for 1 till 3 yet people were still arriving at 2.50. Anyway I was just happen that so many people came and left on a positive note and said they were going to attend the next session.

After I attended a parent teacher meeting where the head mistress discussed her concerns with parents not encouraging their children enough to come to school and other such issues as uniform and bringing books. I was also introduced at the meeting as some parents I had not met yet and it was a good opportunity to explain what i'm doing here.

Tonight I am spending my first night in a hammock as the manager has left for the night and wants the Caimen House to be watched over so Sarah and I are going to sleep in the hammocks near by, am quite looking forward to it just not looking forward to the mosquitoes think I will be doubling up on bug spray!