Puppies & Shelters

And now, my first post after returning back to the mainland. It's been a busy week and a half settling back in, what with the extremely hot weather here in London which did make me feel like as though I never left the Caribbean at all! My last few days in Montserrat now seem like a bit of a surreal blur to me - though I do remember lots of frantic packing, lots of rum, and lots of karaoke.

I will still keep this blog up and running for a bit - there were so many delightful experiences in Montserrat that I still have yet to write about, so I reckon this will be a nice sort of retrospective take on what was a completely brilliant and unforgettable experience for me. Having settled back into the big city life has been easier than I thought, though - guess I do miss my creature comforts such as well-stocked supermarkets and lightning fast broadband after all.

During my time in Montserrat, I came into contact with and met plenty of people, local or otherwise, who constantly strive hard to contribute and better the community of this tiny island. One such person was Emmy Aston, who along with her partner Andrew Myers, have been working endlessly to keep the local animal shelter MAPS - Montserrat Animal Protection Society - running. (You can read more about my first visit to MAPS early on during my time in Montserrat here.)

Their tireless effort towards looking after lost, abandoned and mistreated animals have inspired Montserratians and expats alike to help out in the responsible adopting and fostering of animals in need, providing a safe and comfortable environment for them. About a month before I left, MAPS came upon a litter of five puppies which had to fostered (along with their mum) at private residences, away from the shelter, as they were still too little.

Meet the enthusiastic lot.

Puppy playtime.

Looking for a home.

Quickest chow time ever.

You can follow MAPS for all their updated canine and feline ongoings on Facebook at http://is.gd/pOvpAU. They still have puppies looking for loving, caring homes. If you're interested you can contact Emmy at +1 (664) 491-7807 or +1 (664) 496-7807.

Islands & Treks

Having now almost completed my stint here in Montserrat, I have been recently reading up more about the other British Overseas Territories and trying to get a feel of the infrastructure of music education in other OTs. My work here has been, if not inspiring for the students, then very much so for myself. And one of the long-term ideas that I've allowed to fester in my mind has been one that involves collaboration amongst music students in all the different OTs around the world.

Of course, I am certain the potential groundwork seems massive - but having lived in a small(ish) island community, leading and supporting music education schemes, I must admit it is very relentless but rewarding work. Montserrat is only but one of the 14 OTs around the world, ranging from large, populated islands like Bermuda and the Cayman Islands - both well known for tourism and the occasional tax evasion - to smaller, isolated islands such as the Falkland Islands and Pitcairn Islands.

At pop. 67 (2011 est.), Pitcairn is the least populous jurisdiction in the world. The main island is the only inhabited one, with three other small islands making up the group of Pitcairn Islands. With no airstrip and a nearly-perpetually tumultuous bay, the only access to the island is an overnight journey by sea from the other nearest landmass, Mangareva, French Polynesia - 300 miles away. The regular ship that services the island (bringing island stores and occasionally, tourists) makes only two return trips every three months.

There is only one school on the island (pre-school and primary), with what I guess appears to be between 5-7 pupils overseen by a qualified teacher appointed from New Zealand. Each teaching contract in Pitcairn lasts for two years, and other duties include editing the Pitcairn Miscellany, a monthly newsletter filled with island happenings, ship arrivals and local gossip.

And it's this newsletter that I have been rather absorbed with recently - it's like reading a local newspaper about a family living in a somewhat Swiss Family Robinson-esque fashion. Add that to Pitcairn's somewhat illustrious history - Pitcairners are mostly descendants of the Bounty mutineers and the Tahitians who accompanied them - and charming isolation, I have been quite fascinated with the inner workings of such a close-knit community. Which brings me back to the idea of possibly setting up some form of collaborative project with the students on Pitcairn, perhaps starting with my new students in my upcoming job at St John's next academic year.

For those who might be interested in a glimpse of a country populated by only (approx.) 67 people, sharing a newly-upgraded 1 Mbps satellite internet connection and living with 14-hour electricity cycle per day and only one privately-owned car on the island, you can read the latest copy of the Pitcairn Miscellany which I have uploaded here. Regular subscription costs US$15 per year. Pitcairn is now trying to expand tourism to the island, reaching out to the numerous cruise ships that sometimes call whilst traversing the Atlantic. However, access to the bay is extremely weather-dependant and it's never a guarantee that you will be able to set foot on the island after your lengthy journey.

Of course, if you think the work gossip in your office building was bad enough, think again. Pitcairn is also no stranger to controversy, having come into the spotlight for the 2004 sexual assault trials where charges were laid against seven men living on the island and six living abroad, including the island's mayor at that time. All but one of the defendants were found guilty, some with multiple counts of sexual attacks of children, and were housed in a converted prison set up by the British government. Particular consideration in sentencing had to be given due to the fact that if too many able-bodied men were incarcerated for too long, the island would essentially cease to function properly. Talk about a serious case of cabin fever.

The beguiling charm of Pitcairn still holds steadfast, however, and short of obtaining my own sailing yacht and traipse across the Atlantic, I shall content myself to the role of couch traveller and perhaps get to work on seeing that collaborative project through. Who knows, if this is successful, the next step could be Ascension Island (pop. 1,122) or Tristan da Cunha (pop. 264). Interestingly, Tristan da Cunha, while being the most isolated inhabited island in the world, already has an ongoing music collaborative project between the island's school and amateur composers in England, led by a certain music teacher named Tony Triggs.

In other more local news, I have been doing a bit more trekking around Monty, doing some last-minute exploration of nature before I leave. Last Sunday, Sonja kindly agreed to take me on the trail to the dry waterfall, with Pepper tagging along. It was a mildly easy, 3-hour return trek which culminated with the dry waterfall looming over a the wide and rocky Soldier Ghaut - most impressive. A few photos from the morning.

An exceptionally clear day: Redonda out at sea, with Nevis just faintly beyond.

Sonja ducking under the two 'kissing' trees.

Arrival at the dry 100-ft waterfall.

This Friday, Em, Gerren & I are attempting to trek up Katy Hill, the tallest peak in the Centre Hills. Trés bien.

Dash & Splash

My last two weeks here in Montserrat have been proving to be just as busy, starting with the final assembly for Montserrat Secondary School held at the cultural centre on Tuesday the 3rd, followed by the graduation ceremony for the Form 5s the day after. It was a formal enough affair, with the MSS cadet corps doing a procession with an inspection of the graduands. The choir sang, along with a MSS dance ensemble and of course, lots of speeches. The valedictorian Tiffannie Skerritt - it was quite an American-styled graduation - also got awarded an iPad for her hard work. A pretty good deal if you ask me!

MSS end-of-year assembly at the Montserrat Cultural Centre.

Form 5 graduands getting ready for inspection.

The Montserrat Secondary School cadet corps.

Putting on the final touches with a bit of help.

The Montserrat Youth Choir in their final performance with me.

Over the weekend just past was the inaugural Belham Valley Dash 'n' Splash, organized by the Montserrat Running Club. A 1.8km dash down the Belham Valley, navigating past obstacles such as pyroclastic hills and scattered brush, before approaching the Old Road Bay and crossing the finishing line by placing any part of your body in the sea. Of course, stylistic 'splashdowns' were encouraged, and also rewarded.

Oh, and all of this done in fancy dress (of course)!

And so, in the spirit of Montserrat Secondary School and as a reflection of my work there, I decided to dress up in a MSS student uniform. Given the logic that long trousers would impede my performance, I therefore made the strategic decision to wear a female uniform instead. I came in 6th out of twenty-five, so I guess it paid off. Unfortunately, however, I was just ahead of the winner who made (and subsequently won the prize for) the best entry into the sea. As such I had the privilege of turning back, only to see him thrashing butt naked into the Caribbean sea towards my face. Thanks Andy.

All decked out and ready to go.

"If you get injured, then it's your fault."

The wide variety of fancy dress everyone turned up in.

The remainder of the photos can be found on my Facebook album at http://is.gd/RCVxi0. Be sure to take a look at some of the hilarious finishes!

Tips & Tricks

That's it - school is now out. Well, apart from the final assembly on Tuesday and graduation on Wednesday, that is. So now it's two weeks' of wrapping up before the 15th, which loosely translates to packing and beach time. This weekend has been a quite a physical exertion on myself, if not for the 13-hour Alan Partridge marathon yesterday then the ankle sprain which caught me out during a quick 30-minute footie session yesterday afternoon. So that meant a lot of icing and elevating today on the couch, watching Spain ride their way to victory at the Euro finals.

So now I'm housebound for a bit, and I suppose now is a better time than any. The sprain seems minor enough, so I hope I'll be able to hop around without the need for a crutch in a day or two. Having enjoyed my time here on Montserrat very much, I recently stopped to think about things that I won't be missing about this place. Always good to keep a bit of perspective from both sides, I guess? So here's the (slightly candid) list of things I probably won't miss when I leave.

1) The high number of drivers here who don't dim their headlights when they approach oncoming traffic. I can't emphasize how annoying (and potentially unsafe) that is, so this makes the top of the list.

2) The lack of British TV channels and the Beeb with their ad-free programming. The mindlessly numbing, incessantly frequent ad breaks on American TV could be easily mistaken for a mild form of waterboarding.

3) Banks that shut at 2pm. C'mon, really? It's almost like a half-bank holiday everyday here.

4) The inexplicable amount of roadworks (for a small-ish island), traffic diversions and road blocks - not quite handy during peak hour or when the diversion means driving three or four times the distance on a limited set of roads. Having said that, this is probably an everyday London scenario as well anyway.

5) No sushi on the island. Whatsoever.

And of course, looking at the other side of things, here's a list of the top 5 (slightly irrelevant but yet so charming) things I'll miss about Montserrat. Apart from the obvious things like the weather, beaches and steel pans.

1) The causality of strolling into a rum shop, ordering a drink and liming out by the roadside while spectating a game of dominoes.

2) Getting on the small seven-seater Britten-Norman Islander to and from Antigua and admiring the island by air.

3) Understanding how to work around a restaurant system here where the à la carte selection in a Montserrat restaurant is smaller and more unpredictable than a table d'hôte selection at Strada.

4) Not having to lock my car or remove the car key whenever I park.

5) The tastiness that is goat water.

Photos from the jubilee recital are now ready, and they all look pretty brilliant. All photos posted below are taken by Wayne Fenton.

Leading the newly-formed MSS steel pan ensemble.

Pan player Essalene M., Form 3.

Jo headlining the recital with her first-half performance.

The steel pan players performing Hold My Hand.

Filipe performing some self-written works.

Filipe & myself doing some free improvisation.

Reminiscent of our SEZENYŪM days.

Performing our collaborative piece written for Montserrat.

Leading the Montserrat Youth Choir.

The finale of the evening.

I've just received word that response for this project placement next year has been very positive, and I am excited to see who will be taking my place come September. We'll find out soon enough!