Wildlife

One of the strangest things about here is, of course, the wildlife.  Animals which are completely commonplace here are new and exciting to us.  Matt loves this and will recklessly chase monkeys into the bush, where Lou tends to be more reticent.  Here are some of the things we've seen in just the few days we've been here.

Spiders - Lou does NOT like these things, and Matt fulfills his husbandly duty of checking the room every night for them after, on the second night, Lou turned around to find one nearly as big as her hand staring at her from the wall behind her.  A scream, empty cup and piece of paper later and the spider was safely outside.  Top tip: If the spider is flat against the wall, just put it outside as it's harmless; if it's legs protude so it's body is against the wall, give it a flip-flop to the head as it'll have a nasty bite.

Insects - These are really fun.  You get incredibly beautiful and colourful butterflies, millipedes, and other harmless ones.  But watch out for the ants.  We spent a good half an hour watch a few thousand army ants (each about half an inch long) travel too and from their nest, carrying bits of wood and stone.  Top tip: as long as you don't step on them, army ants will leave you alone.  Don't go near the red fire ants, however.  They like climbing up legs to more sensitive regions and instigating a co-ordinated attack on whatever they might find.

Monkeys - It's weird that the grounds of the school play host to several hundred monkeys.  We went for a walk yesterday and stopped to watch a group of Vervet monkeys playing in the trees.  As we stopped, they came for a closer look (attracted by the apples we were eating) at got within a couple of meters.  Very surreal.  Top tip: If you're near monkeys, always have a stick to hand.  They're inquisitive, but also carry rabies and so their bites can have serious issues.  Luckily, they're also cowards.

Snakes - These are genuinely scary.  Loads of different snakes, from harmless ones to spitting cobras and black mambas have been found on Amano grounds.  On Tuesday one of the students, with great glee, emerged from the bush carrying a plastic bag. Inside was a dead two-meter black mamba - one of the most poisonous snakes on the planet - which he had found whilst cycling.  So he was paraded around the dormitories until he started to smell, at which point he was fed to the ants.  Top tip: try not to step on them - they don't like that.

Today we are helping at the school's youth club.  The kids have exams starting soon, so we'll be trying to talk to the students about grace and pressure.  Some are very stressed out right now, even thought the exams are only mocks, so times like tonight are good where they can just chill out and forget about work for a few hours.

In Christ,

Matt and Lou