Having completed our second day at the school we’re now well in our swing. After some initial difficulties the first day (that were to be expected) everyone took what we learned and improved for today. That’s not to imply that our first day wasn’t a success, as it was pretty clear that the children were having a great time. The teams are split into four: art, drama, conversation and games. From life-size cut-outs of beautifully clothed children to echoing calls of “snap!” we all judged that we were doing pretty well, especially given that, for most, it was only their second day in Sri Lanka! Although we old hands reckoned we were having it pretty easy with a sky of clouds shielding us from the usually scorching sun.
No such luck today though, we set off- clutching our prescribed litre of water- leaving the lovely air-conditioning of Tropic Inn for the sauna of the Galle Road to cries of “and it’s only 8.30!”. But the sun didn’t manage to dry up our enthusiasm; rather, it spurred us on, as today’s activities ran smoothly, calmly and with great results. Going round the school on a mad plastic-fruit-finding dash it was wonderful to hear the different sounds ricocheting from the various classrooms; the conversation corner buying mothers and elephants at the market, the drama team roaring like lions because Simon Said So, the ten sausages sizzling very successfully in the pan in games and the (futile) clamour of the little ones to be allowed to splodge on the paint themselves.
The school day was rounded off with a mad parachute game (when will we learn?!) and a humiliating cricket game (when will we learn?!) that enjoyed was enjoyed by all.
A few naps, showers and short-eats later we set off again- half the team back to the school, where the decorating team have set about reviving one of the classrooms in a cheerful shade of blue and an o-level team are bonding and helping the older children to pass that all important exam.
The other half jumped in tuk tuks down to the ASHA centre in Athidiya. Here, another o-level group wrote stories in the hallway, the primary team sizzled some more sausages in (very aptly) the kitchen, and the year 7 and 8s wrote beautiful paragraphs about their grandparents, complete with portraits that all featured the apparently compulsory hair bun.
The remaining few took a trip around Athidiya town with Sister Concepta, seeing first the new houses that are waiting to be occupied and then the temporary housing that they are currently living in. Unsurprisingly, they returned a little dazed and later, in our evening meeting, spoke about their disbelief that people should be living in those sort of conditions in the twenty-first century. Jimmy poignantly relayed a conversation Sister Concepta had had with a woman whilst on their tour; she had entreated Sister for a loan of a thousand rupees (£5.50) that she was positive she could pay back with three months. As Jimmy said, everyone standing there probably had five times the amount in their pockets, without really giving it much consideration, but to that woman it could be a lifeline. Not only did he raise a good point about what we take for granted but also what we are able to do with what seems a relatively small amount; a little can mean a lot.
After most of the group took a trip to Pizza Hut (you can take the person outta the west, but you can’t take the west outta the person!) the evening was brought to a lovely close over a newly-developed game of frisbee and quick paddle in the Indian Ocean… what more could you ask for?
Katherine
No such luck today though, we set off- clutching our prescribed litre of water- leaving the lovely air-conditioning of Tropic Inn for the sauna of the Galle Road to cries of “and it’s only 8.30!”. But the sun didn’t manage to dry up our enthusiasm; rather, it spurred us on, as today’s activities ran smoothly, calmly and with great results. Going round the school on a mad plastic-fruit-finding dash it was wonderful to hear the different sounds ricocheting from the various classrooms; the conversation corner buying mothers and elephants at the market, the drama team roaring like lions because Simon Said So, the ten sausages sizzling very successfully in the pan in games and the (futile) clamour of the little ones to be allowed to splodge on the paint themselves.
The school day was rounded off with a mad parachute game (when will we learn?!) and a humiliating cricket game (when will we learn?!) that enjoyed was enjoyed by all.
A few naps, showers and short-eats later we set off again- half the team back to the school, where the decorating team have set about reviving one of the classrooms in a cheerful shade of blue and an o-level team are bonding and helping the older children to pass that all important exam.
The other half jumped in tuk tuks down to the ASHA centre in Athidiya. Here, another o-level group wrote stories in the hallway, the primary team sizzled some more sausages in (very aptly) the kitchen, and the year 7 and 8s wrote beautiful paragraphs about their grandparents, complete with portraits that all featured the apparently compulsory hair bun.
The remaining few took a trip around Athidiya town with Sister Concepta, seeing first the new houses that are waiting to be occupied and then the temporary housing that they are currently living in. Unsurprisingly, they returned a little dazed and later, in our evening meeting, spoke about their disbelief that people should be living in those sort of conditions in the twenty-first century. Jimmy poignantly relayed a conversation Sister Concepta had had with a woman whilst on their tour; she had entreated Sister for a loan of a thousand rupees (£5.50) that she was positive she could pay back with three months. As Jimmy said, everyone standing there probably had five times the amount in their pockets, without really giving it much consideration, but to that woman it could be a lifeline. Not only did he raise a good point about what we take for granted but also what we are able to do with what seems a relatively small amount; a little can mean a lot.
After most of the group took a trip to Pizza Hut (you can take the person outta the west, but you can’t take the west outta the person!) the evening was brought to a lovely close over a newly-developed game of frisbee and quick paddle in the Indian Ocean… what more could you ask for?
Katherine
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