hi how is everyone. ive come to Madurai this weekend to buy a camera. Im on my own for the first time in India, and the city is so different to my little villages im use to. i just got charged 3 times the normal price for bananas grrr!!

on monday this week, we got invited to a friends house. this day was probably one of the funniest ever! the chain of events were just so bizarre, you had to be there but to give you an idea... when we arrived at the house, his mother made us wear her big nighties! she made my friend wear her underwear as well but i refused. we visited his gym, which was just a clearing in some trees with metal bars and weights. it looked like it was from the flintstones. his master was there who is 87 and the funniest looking man ive seen. very wrinkly but then with very toned muscles underneath as he is a body builder. he did some poses for the camera, so we have some pretty funny looking photos!

i visited some waterfalls that day too. that was the main purpose of the trip.

the rest of the week has been normal, for indian standards. still teaching and i spend nearly all my time at the deaf and dumb school. ive made some great friends with some of the older boys there.

yesterday 3 other volunteers from a nearby orphanage paid us a visit, now this is the first time i have seen any other white people since i arrived nearly a month ago (except the one girl i live with). it was so strange for me. i could easily have a conversation with them as they obviously spoke english, i was just really shocked for some reason. i kind of didnt like it. i was happy being cut off from the world in my little orphanage. its going to be so weird when i get home. i havent suffered from culture shock yet but now i think i might suffer when i get to england!hopefully not, we shall see.

the monsoon has definately arrived, it rains everyday nearly all day, extremely windy etc. you will all be having far better weather than me, so enjoy it!

take care lots of love em xxx