Monday in Sri Lanka

Taking a walk on the beach before breakfast….there’s nothing better! And that is how I started my day at the Unawatuna Beach Resort in Galle. The sea is welcoming and warm. It’s a beautiful gemstone colored blue. The golden sand complements it well and the palm trees arch over the edge of the sand perfectly. The ocean is so tranquil and the walk cleared my mind completely. It was amazing how relaxing it was!
We headed to a preschool in the morning. The school is for ages 2 ½ - 4 ½. It was interesting. The children made paper chain garlands to give to their guests. The classroom inside was similar to classrooms in the U.S. Artwork covered the walls and hung from the ceiling. The kids sat around the room at small tables with small chairs. There were learning circles that had different focuses – drama, music, reading. But one thing was different, it was an open-air classroom (although I am sure the windows must close somehow). The kids were fun and engaging. Just like American kids, they love to see their photo when you take it. One little boy kept coming up to me. He is one of the youngest in the class – not much older than Ema. First, he ran over to tell me his name (thanks to staff standing next to me who could translate). Then he ran over to give me a leaf and returned to his seat. Finally he ran over and wanted me to take his photo. So, our staff took a photo of him and I together. I asked why he was sitting alone by the window. My first assumption was time out. But he actually wanted to sit near his grandmother who was standing at the window peering in as were most of the mothers of the kids.
Interesting thing about the school is that it was started post-tsunami in the area of a temple, which is where most people fled during the tsunami because they are built on high ground. This area served as a camp as well. One of the young mothers talked about how she had her daughter just two days before the tsunami. The young girl is now 3 and in the preschool. But the poor mother was bringing her home from the hospital when the tsunami hit and had to immediately flee to the camp. What a place to bring your newborn!
The school had a wonderful playground built with many local materials including coconut shells attached to the rope for climbing and recycled tired used in a variety of ways. It was a beautiful and inexpensive use of local resources.
Speaking of coconuts, this was the second time we were served coconuts….drinking the milk straight out of the coconut itself. I don’t find them to have much flavor and what they do have, is not all that appealing. But I don’t want to be rude. There’s no way I would ever finish one as they are huge! And, you have to use two hands to hold them which makes it really hard to take notes. And I am, after all, here to work!
We had several other activities as well. After they were done, I took another walk on the beach with my colleagues and we watched the sunset. Ah, wonderful!
Other notes: Jet lag hits me about noon every day – which is around 1:30 a.m. at home. I usually fight it off with a Diet Coke. But it hits again around 3. … I believe my house in Richmond thinks it is located somewhere tropical. I have now found three plants growing wild in Richmond that grow well at my house (and I do not have a green thumb). … I was actually COLD sleeping last night. There’s only a top sheet on the bed, no blanket. I had the AC set pretty warm, but it didn’t matter. And I was sleeping in sweat pants and a sweatshirt AND socks. I wasn’t the only one who got cold. Debating turning the AC off tonight, but it’s so humid. Such dilemmas! … I have a full phone signal here, but I can’t dial or receive calls. Others are having similar problems (ironically, someone who has the exact phone as me and it is even ghetto gold too).
Off to bed….it’s been LONG work days -- much longer than back in Richmond and much more fulfilling. We head to Matara tomorrow and then Hambantota later in the day. I’ve been told we might see elephants. I want to see a wild elephant!!