Attack of the Centipedes!

By Jack and Barbara Clarke, CCF Donors and Rick Falco, President and Creative Director of Vision Project

Gelina picked us up this morning so that we could go to the CCF office to use the internet and do a little shopping. It pours and pours making it a real challenge to shop, get back to CCF and then on to the bus home. Thank goodness for flip flops!

We met with a local photographer who connects us to someone who may be able to continue the class after we leave. Gelina said she will try to set up a meeting for us with him.

We are planning to hold an exhibition for the children on Jan. 23. We plan to have posters with 5x7’s of their best shots and a slide show as well. They are exploring some different locations for it, but it will hopefully be held in the village so that more of the community can come.

The school is inviting the president of Dominica to the event, who is from Grand Bay, and who challenged CCF to do a program in Grand Bay for the children.

That afternoon, our class has several children missing. We were told that there are other commitments and classes that the kids must attend. We were a little disappointed because we thought we’d have the kid’s full attention. Now some are missing technical information, assignments and cameras to take home.

The day’s lesson was based on manual applications of the camera so they could tell the camera what to do, rather than just shooting on automatic. Their assignment is to do a self-portrait, having the camera take the picture with the built in timer, and if inside, not using the flash.

Our land lady had given us a few DVD’s to watch on the computer and we watch in the bedroom as the only other option is sitting at the kitchen room table (our “furnished” apt. has no sofa or chairs, other than kitchen table, so it’s hard to find a place to stretch out other than on the bed).

Half way through the movie, Barbara and I both get up, I go into the bathroom and she goes into the kitchen. Then, at the same time, we both start screaming, not knowing why other one is screaming themselves.

Two, VERY LARGE centipedes, about 7 inches long with about 2 million legs are in the house! They’re very wiggly and move very fast.

Our neighbor Nika (former Peace Corp volunteer) has told us that the centipedes can bite and send you to the hospital, though they are not life threatening. We are also told that the severity of the sting depends on the phase of the moon (and are relieved to observe the moon is waning!)

Needless to say, we are a bit frantic. We spray them with bug killer which seems to daze them and then we sweep them out the door. None of our neighbors are around when I try to find out a bit more about them…I (Barb) do(es) not sleep too well…