Week 2 Volunteering & a wrap to Sri Lanka. New surroundings!

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Greetings!
Although our home stay is working out fine, we realized we miss some of the camaraderie and story sharing with the other volunteers. We also realized we pass a hotel each day on our way to the Volunteer house. A light bulb goes off!  What if we could pay the hotel the supplement we pay the home stay, eat our meals at the house with all the volunteers, and still have the privacy of a room vs dorm? Wallah!!

After "hard negotiating", we agree on rate of $13/day, including soap, towel, TP, ceiling fan and yes, even clean sheets!  We move on Sunday to the hotel. Great view, nice big room, private bath, somewhat challenged staff, smelly watch dogs and....we still aren't sure if we were the only guests paying by the day vs hour! The staff also forgot to mention the 430am Muslim call to prayer that woke us daily and didn't stop for over an hour. But, it was still a good decision in the end. We thanked our hosts, leaving their son with new books and a toy car.

Meals in the house were good, with the opportunity to sit with anyone and hear what projects they were up to, share travel stories, swap shopping tips or make weekend plans together. Many of these young volunteers blew us away with their confidence and travel savvy as well as their commitment to "do good" during their gap year. Breakfast was egg, toast, fruit and coffee. Dinners were generally fish or meat, a curry, salad and a rice or noodle dish.

The other big decision was whether I stay at my assignment or switch? After week 1, it didn't seem like the timing was good for a volunteer to be at the preschool, so early in the semester when staff and students were so new. I didn't have a sense if I was value add and at one point, my Coordinator and I thought we may not be invited back.  Well, it seems, the Coordinator wasn't invited back (seems some parents, kids and/or administration were culturally uncomfortable with a guy helping out in an all female teacher preschool). Meanwhile, the Principal wanted me to finish the week. Not being a quitter, unless I have to, I stayed.

I cannot tell you how GOOD my last week was. It was either a full moon, the kids were tired of crying, I adapted to more of a "helper" role or a combination of things, but I taught the teachers, watched them incorporate what they learned and totally enjoyed the students! It was a bit weird though, being part of their custom where the kids touch the ground by your feet in respect and thanks for your teaching. The response is to pat them on the head as a blessing and to rise. Oh well, when in Sri Lanka, do as they do.

The twins finally feed themselves... with their new friend!

What's wrong here? Missing the letter E!!?

Aaron remained with the monastery temple renovation, helping break in a new volunteer "crew" during week two. His clothes, and possibly, feet, will forever remind him of all the painting he did. Since he was working at a holy temple, no shoes are allowed, even if there to work. Check out the alternative to a ladder used to do high wall!!? OSHA, where are you? Answer: Not anywhere around! LOL. All said and done, Aaron covered lots of square feet painting school, stupa, and administration building for the Head monk. He really enjoyed the people, both locals and fellow volunteers, the view and getting so much done in 2 weeks.

What would OSHA say about
Cirque de Soleil painting?!

Yet another new skill for Aaron!

The end of the week, became the beginning of my BIG 60 birthday celebrations! Aaron totally surprised me after Thursday's dinner, with volunteers bringing in 2 cakes, with candle, to a rousing Happy Birthday from over 50 volunteers along with their good wishes before we said goodbye the next day! WOW! He planned the selection, decoration of cakes, bringing camera and pulling this off right under my nose! The night before, we "just happened" to eat dinner above the bakery where he ordered the cakes. Nice job, baby. Thanks.

The following day, I had another surprise. It was the end of month when the school celebrates birthdays. They included me along with the two 4 year olds, to be blessed in front of the school and parents, by the Head monk and then called back on stage, to receive a gift and have everyone sing Happy Birthday in ENGLISH! How absolutely touching and so very, very special! The 2 birthday students meanwhile, received gifts from both the school and parents, again, doing the ground by your feet touching custom. I passed.

As for my actual birthday, we celebrated with a long bike ride to the ancient Sacred City in Anuradhapura, having left Kandy for the North, on Saturday. The Sacred City, and former capital, covers a huge campus made up of temples, stupas, pools, gardens, lots of green trees, monkeys and spirit. At each sacred place, shoes and hats have to be removed. Of course biking, wouldn't you know, I wore socks and shoes. ugh, every stupa. We quit at # 7 or so. Aside from pics, for more history, click here.

Stupa allegedly made with
over 90 MILLION bricks?!

A quiet candlelight dinner and glass of wine followed, topped off with a SUPERBOWL WIN FOR THE PATRIOTS! Not bad. As for the game, we were able to listen clearly to 1st half on web radio and then connected by Skype with Aaron's bestie, Rich, and watched 2nd half together. Amazing technology, even more amazing game!

And it's only the beginning.....of what I hope is a celebratory year of turning 60. Thanks again to you early well wishers out there stateside who helped start my celebration even earlier, or who will join me when we return for more! You know who you are! Also, a BIG Happy Birthday to my fellow Aquarians, especially, Deni, who turns 60 with me on Feb. 1st


Our last days in Sri Lanka are spent on the West coast and beaches near Kalpitiya and Negombo. The former is a slice of paradise. We stay in a screened bungalow surrounded by palm trees and ocean. The shower opened to the skies and coconuts hanging from the trees. All meals were at the resort since there was no where else to go in this remote part of the peninsula.  Ahhhhhh. So nice. The ocean and gulf winds make this place keen for kite surfers. Kalpitiya is a 6k walk along the peninsula.  We hear ringing bells and are invited to enter a Hindu temple, celebrating the end of a 10 day holiday. A family invites us to join them that evening for the festivities. How wonderful to share. Along this one street, we see coexisting close together, Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Buddhist temples. A treat.
                                                               

                                                               

Negombo on the other hand, caused some trauma. We no sooner arrived and got on wifi, only to learn our flight out had been cancelled without notification. Not terrible, until we realized within seconds, that our visa expires and the airlines left leg 2 of the trip alone AND it was a holiday...offices were closed. So, we don't leave till the 7th but somehow arrive in Manila on the 6th?? I don't think so! Aaron was beside himself, but together,  we went into crisis mode and had the snafu resolved by the next morning. Phew! Do some laundry and off to the beach we go. Outrigger catamarans are the thing to do here, in addition to kite surfing. It is Independence Day (67 years), the day we arrive and the beach is PACKED with families and friends. The women, saris, berkas, street clothes and all, go into the water fully clothed, while kids swim in anything or nothing at all!

Our last $20 before we leave Sri Lanka

Fisherman and family sorting the catch of the day

A solo fisherman near his mosque 

What a wonderful wrap up to our Sri Lankan volunteer experience and visit to this beautiful country. Whoa! A lot to read, I know. That's a wrap for awhile, .......until the Philippines.