On our arrival here in Palana West I was amazed by how warm and welcoming everyone in the village was.I was reminded of this again this week; a week which sadly saw James returning to England to continue his academic commitments. Our first month here has flown by so quickly, probably because life in the village seems to fill every minute of our days! The reaction of the villagers to James’ departure was very touching. He was showered with gifts, requests for letters, and lots of invitations to return to Sri Lanka in the near future. Everyone in the village had accepted James as a son, a brother, or as a friend, and was very sad to see him go, as were we. James brought constant enthusiasm to all of our tasks, and the speed with which he learnt to write in Sinhala was truly impressive.In response to low levels of attendance at the after-school club, as well as to encourage all parts of the community to come together more often, Ros, Duncan and I organised a Family Day at the Pre-school. We were delighted to see so many new faces – and lots of familiar ones. We had arranged for arts and crafts activities to take place in the pre-school, whilst sports and games took place upstairs. In addition, the children painted a new mural on the outside of the school, and every child (and many parents!) left a handprint in paint. We also put our handprints there – it is lovely to think that a little piece of us can remain in Palana, even after we have gone home.On a more personal level, the ease with which Sri Lankan people have accepted us into their lives, their homes and their families is something which I have never before experienced, and something which I will certainly never forget. Living here, as members of the community, is a completely different experience to spending time somewhere as a visitor. Some of the people here lost almost everything that they have to the tsunami, yet their generosity and hospitality is endless. One of the most enjoyable parts of my life here is just spending time with people, hearing their memories of the past, and their hopes for the future. Being here makes me realise how much I take for granted at home, and how much I can learn from these people. The people of Palana West continually thank us for coming to their village and spending the summer here. I wish I could express what an honour it is to be part of their lives, and how much I learn from them on a daily basis.