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.

Canines & Sunsets

This morning I found myself at the Montserrat Animal Protection Society (MAPS), along with Emily who took me along to one of her regular volunteering duties. MAPS does an admirable job looking after neglected and abused animals on the island, providing them shelter, food and attention until they can be fostered out. It is entirely staffed by volunteers who operate wholly on the goodwill of donors and sponsors.

I have been looking to adopt a dog myself, and hence Emily suggested I head down to the MAPS shelter to get to know the dogs better before making a decision. We had a brilliant morning and I found myself growing quite fond of an active canine named Jack.

The MAPS canine shelter.

Greeting the new visitor.

Em hosing down the kennels while the dogs enjoy a run.

The weather recently has been rather chilly - now those of you reading from Europe (how's the snow?) might think me mad, but Montserrat does experience 'winter' too. The coldest months are from December to February; with an average daily temperature of about 24 deg C, this is a few slight notches below summer temperatures which soar up to about 33 deg C. There have been plenty of gales lately, but also quite a few stunning sunsets.

View of the sunset from my apartment.

In other music-related news, rehearsals for the Montserrat Secondary School choir have started, and I have started a peripatetic teaching programme for students wanting to learn the piano. Currently I am running it single-handedly, but I will be starting to find out if anyone on the island might be willing to give instrumental lessons to students after school as well. I will be working on more contemporary songs with the choir - I don't think the young ones will quite enjoy singing about Irish immigrants getting off at Ellis Island to carve out a future in the New World!