'' Summertime, and the weather is rainyyyyyyyyyyyy!''
After a few false starts the monsoon has definitely now taken
a grip. The weather has noticeably changed for the wetter! It's still warm, it
just means a few more pit stops are necessary on 'Blue Monster' to shelter from
the warm rain. The weather conditions in the rest of the island couldn't be
more different.; very hot and dry.
It is partly because of this that we have decided to re-plan
our visits to Batticaloa & Killinochchi. There are no mainline water
supplies there. Water is sourced from wells which at the moment are very low if
not completely dry. We have decided to visit Batti & Killi later in the
year and instead go to a project in Nuwara Eliya high in the heart of the tea
plantations at the end of August. This area is very poor due to its location,
there are few roads and few public services. The climate is a lot more like the
UK, colder because of the altitude so we will have to crack out the jumpers
and.....i can't believe i'm saying this.......SOCKS!!!! We will help to support
a week-long Leadership Course for 14-16 year olds, the intensive course is
aimed at developing skills such as self esteem, decision-making and problem
solving. We are very excited to be involved in facilitating training to young
people in life skills and youth empowerment. Playing a supportive role will
enable us to understand how training is run here and it will be valuable learning
for when we take our T.E.A Training to Batti & Killi.
Before heading to Nuwara Eliya we are planning to take Kyan
and Asia-Lilly on a road trip for a week. The kids have been so patient. It has
been a complete culture shock for them and difficult at times. They have worked
really hard to adapt to the new environment and have been happy to accept the
changes to our work priorities. Kyan has performed amazingly at school and has
fitted in better than we could have hoped for. Asia-Lilly continues to test our
parenting skills; they definitely broke the mould. But she is also working hard
and is learning that she revolves around the world and not always the other way
around. They have also both been helping out at the centre a lot recently which
can be very intense and tiring for them because of all the attention they
receive. So we feel both their efforts deserve a reward. We have been offered
the use of a tent and a free beach pitch on the East coast so plan a camping
trip there to soothe our feet in the Indian Ocean. (and we might take a peek at the Batti
project).
The camping trip will lead on from our busiest time since
starting work here. We have all been at
the centre every day facilitating activities and workshops that we planned for the
month of August. August is a really busy time because of the school holidays,
the 10-day Escala Perahera Festival and staff holidays which all run
concurrently. Racheal spent many hours creating a monthly schedule with each
activity requiring a detailed description for staff and volunteers to follow
and a well stocked creative resource box; most of which we brought with us from
the UK and partly from recycled materials that we have been collecting whilst
in Sri Lanka and also donated by staff members. You can see some of the
positive results of the 'still life',
'junk people', 'sports', 'paper mache', picture frames, creative writing and 'make a wish' workshops
from photographs on our Facebook page.
We have loved facilitating the 1st week of workshops which
we have tried to focus around 'Fun & Play'. The Sri Lankan education system,
although mirrored on the UK system, is very different. Our aim has been to help
the young people to 'think outside of the box' and develop their creativity.
One thing we observed this week has been the difficulty of getting young people
to use their imaginations. They are so used to being told what to do that sadly
it seems they are lacking in the ability to think for themselves when asked to
create something original. Often we are faced with pensive faces and blank
pages during an arts workshop. We plan to help young people learn to develop
and place importance on their own ideas and creative thought and not just copy and
recite information. To help the children
to think and express themselves more freely we have banned the use of erasers as
there is no right or wrong way of doing something in our workshops. The time
taken to perform a task is set purposely short to encourage them to work fast
and think less about what they are doing. To be more instinctive, to explode
with colour, loosen up and to think BIG!!! They are rewarded with positive
feedback and encouragement for the originality of their ideas and passion. The
results have been very encouraging and we are extremely proud of what they have
produced.
Again you can see the photographic evidence of these amazingly robust
and talented young people on our Facebook page. Young people who display so much
of the same characteristics of most children their age, michievous, cheeky,
happy, playful and boisterous, It is easy for Racheal and i to under appreciate
the serious effects that abuse and neglect have carved and that lie beneath the
childish facade. We recently discovered that one little character, a professional
in lovable cheek and a real favourite of ours has been subjected to the most indescribable
and aberrant sexual assaults in his brief lifetime on the streets. It was a
definate reality check.
This week has really helped develop our relationships with
the young people and to strengthen their trust....and also master a few more Tamil
and Sinhala names!
The only negatives that spring to mind are Kyan ('The Mole',
who has the ability to disappear down holes!) falling down an open sewer and
the state of my knee and back following the volleyball & football classes
on the 'Sports Day'. Volunteer Matt our sports guru who cuts a thinner, less
ravaged (I said ravaged not ravishing for that is in no doubt!), sportier
version of myself must have been very short of staffing options to put me in charge
of some sporting activities. I managed to hold my own and performed courageously
even considering my obvious handicaps....although my body does now feel like it's
been reversed over by a convoy of slow moving trucks. As i rapidly approach my
40th I feel fittingly old enough for the occasion.
Looking ahead to September. I have been asked to design and
build a brand new library space for the Kandy centre. My designs have been
approved and a small budget agreed so I am looking forward to starting my 1st
big solo project. Annual training for around 50 staff from all of the centres
around Sri Lanka will take place in September and Racheal has been asked to design
and run a workshop for this and to also develop partnerships with local schools.
Momentum remains high and we continue to be inspired by the work and people
around us.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to contact us
while we are out here whether via The TEAblog, Facebook, email, Skype, phone or
post. (*thank you Elaine for the emergency de-caff coffee delivery this morning,
there's only so much green tea a boy can drink!). We love reading your messages
and it is a very big deal when the postie delivers a parcel from the outside
world. We are currently improving the website to help us interact with you all
more easily and develop The T.E.A Project but until then please keep the
messages coming.
We hope your Indian summer continues.
Love to you all,
Asia-Lilly, Racheal, Kyan & Carl xxxx
*The world lost
one of the good ones this month. This one's for Tom.
'Be yourself, everyone else is already taken' - Oscar
Wilde.
C&R&K&A-L x x
x x
