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May 16th and 17th
If we were asked Nicky and I would say that undoubtedly the highlight of the trip has been the boys and how proud we have been of their adaptability, development and all round lovely wonderfulness. Jake’s eating is becoming less and less fussy - today he did not even comment on a mustard sauce on a cheese sandwich where not so long ago he’d have turned his nose up at the sight of it and refused. They have settled into school happily and confidently and it has been a thrill to see them helping in lessons. At tea last night in a bustling café Jake went up to order fishburgers and vegetable fried rice, not easy with the staff having definite second language English, and then went to another counter to pay for it with Elliot, before then buying water - this from a boy who not so long ago would not buy stamps in a local post office. They have taken sleep deprivation, mozzie bites, mild illness and utter confusion in their stride along with other challenges that many adults would balk at.
In recognition of this and partly inspired by Big Alan who
did something similar with my cousins and I one holiday years ago Nicky and I have put them in charge for Saturday. We have given them some options and a budget and told them they need to manage the whole day. I woke early to hear Jake whispering Elliot “We are in charge today.” Thankfully we both settled back to sleep, but at 7 they got up and declared they were off to get breakfast ready. We got to the table to find everything out and a kettle boiling and were told it was help yourself - surely the best kind of breakfast. Jake, fascinated with the spreadsheet we have drawn up to manage the accounts for the trip has asked for one for today, and loved setting it up and working out the costs of various things and the ramifications of decisions made in the long term (they know they can keep any surplus for today!) If nothing else they now seem to have an increased understanding of why we walk many places rather than just taking tuk tuks and why we do not have ice creams every 5 minutes!
It was no great surprise to discover that
the boys decided to spend the day at the Queens hotel swimming pool in Kandy, withdinner at a restaurant that we were taken to during the week by the MD of the school I am teaching at. She treated us to a fascinating and delicious evening, with her and an American born man who is the Norwegian and Finnish Armenian consulate (clearly a story there) but at the age of 52 is jacking that in to work with Sandra. As well as managing the school she manages a company making fair-trade textile products and promoting women’s working. Some of the proceeds also feed back into the school. We were enthralled by her work and have arranged to visit.
Jake and Elliot managed brilliantly. Elliot struggled a little in the melee of getting on the bus, but paid for the tickets successfully and was thrilled to discover that they were considerably cheaper than had been budgeted. Jake arranged the swim, and then asked us if we wanted drinks as we lay by the pool- charming. After a while swimming we had drinks and lunch in the hotel, which took us slightly over the money saved on the bus. Again the
boys got menus, and after found a waiter from whom to get the bill which they settled. Nicky and I relaxed sometimes in and sometimes out of the pool, reading, and also planning tomorrows workshop, but mostly just chatting. The boys spent the afternoon swimming until they decreed it was time to get out - they had worked out what time we had to leave to get to the restaurant between 6:30 and 7pm. It was funny to see Elliot call Jake out of the pool, and then Jake remind Elliot to shower - both done with far less resistance than when we ask them things! They bought themselves ice creams on the way back to the bus, and people all around were amused when the conductor was referred from me to Jake, who took out his wallet and carefully counted the required amount.
From our house we took a tuk tuk to the restaurant where we were disgusted to be given a menu at twice the price we had seen the other evening. When I took issue, they offered us local prices but we got smaller portions than the other night. The boys had done well but all
the budget was spent, so no pudding! We were strict and not bailing them out, BUT at Nicky’s prompting I complained about the treatment to the manager, and procured free ice creams for the boys which were just reward for their efforts. When we got home the boys got quickly ready for bed and declared themselves exhausted. They enjoyed being in charge, but went to bed looking forward to just being children again.
On Sunday we had more cause to be impressed by them as they assisted in delivering a spoken English workshop confidently and clearly. We then headed off to the elephant orphanage arriving in time to watch them bathe in the river. We were entranced by the huge pachyderms and got very close. As they left the river a couple of them touched me with their trunks. Again the dilemmas abounded, and we hope yet to see them in the wild. There were again aspects of being ripped off (they tried to charge 150 rupees for a bottle of water which outside was only 40) yet there was at least a positive cause here, and we did buy elephant dung paper souvenirs.
Sunday was of note
too because the president has declared victory in the war with the LTTE. We woke to firecrackers (odd to celebrate peace with the sound of gunfire) and flags everywhere. In the evening when we went into town there were more flags, and vans full of cheering youths, and yet for the first time we felt nervous. Town seemed edgy and slightly agitated. Unless genuine political concessions are made this may again prove to be a gap in hostilities rather than the genuine end. At one stage in the evening I took a photo of the buntings that were up and was challenged for the first time “Hey who are you? Camera - who for?” Drums flags and cheering suggest many here are ready to celebrate the longed for end.
Meanwhile we attempt to do what we can for the casualties some of whom have been displaced here. While I head off to school with the boys tomorrow, Nicky will be bound for the hospital. The church seem to be the only organisation doing anything to help, and they do it slowly. They are requesting packets - food, water, simple male/female/child clothing to be put together. We will do as
much as we can and have already received some money from home which we will use to that effect.
Our permanent absence from the cathedral (well weekends were always for playing weren’t they?) has been noticed and drawn comment - via a fellow English worker who was asked where the English family were this morning. “Are they atheists?” she was asked? It was odd to comment today when we were delivering a programme to a church sponsored group in the countryside for young people without work. Our efforts were to improve their confidence and skills although clearly some were looking for a path out to the west - not something we can help with.
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Mary etc
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Any support we can give
Soooo lovely to get your updates...we rush to the computer each morning to see whether there is anything new from you lot. You're clearly experiending life 'full on'. We have contacted one or two organisations and are hopeful of a positive response for some aid to assist in the hospital situation out there. I will contact Gigmill, OSHS and Pedmore schools today. Edward has arranged for a 'bucket collection ' to take place at the end of the church services at St Mary's for the next three weeks and Greville will try and make contact with 'your' bishop. Me? I'm going to have a coffee morning ....if I can find any friends to come?????!!!! I seem to recall that, when in charge of food for the day with BA, one AJY spent his day's money on Mars Bars, so "Well done Jake and Elliot". I hope that Nicky and Elliot are fully well again now. Much love, Us.