Today was Laura Spaven’s 20th birthday. She came down stairs to find the room decorated in ‘Happy Birthday’ banners and the floor covered in sports cones which spelt out ‘Happy 20th’.We gave her cards from the group and some that the students of the university had handmade. The Vice Chancellor arrived at 8am to give Laura a cake, (we later found out, he had driven from Colombo that morning specifically to give Laura the cake and had then turned around and driven back). Similarly to yesterday, the groups either stayed to coach at the university or went to Ihalagalagama village. Due to study leave no students turned up for the fitness programme today, so Laura B, AJ, Sam and I had a free morning spent swimming, reading and computing.

At the village however, the schedule was pretty crammed, the group had a meeting with Bandulla (Head of the International Division of Sarvodaya) and host to our group when we first arrived in Colombo just 1 month previously. The group presented the school with an advanced English dictionary with the hope that the staff would benefit as much as the pupils. The school children then gave Laura some birthday cards and presents many of which were hand-made. After lunch, which was again at the home of one of the school pupils, the staff from the school took the team to see a little waterfall situated just up the mountain from the village. On returning back to the university, this group joined the others who were in the middle of teaching English to the University admin staff. Unbeknown to the village group the staff had organized a little tea party with cake, tea and cheese & crackers to celebrate Laura’s birthday, they presented her with cards and presents including a rose and some handmade boxes. The group sang English songs and generally partied until 5pm, when it was time for the session to end.

At 7pm we set off for Belihuloya Rest House. With Laura at the head of the table the group enjoyed some good Western food and a few good drinks; the party was a good time to relax and get to know the group a little better. We played some games and the return bus arrived all too quickly, we continued to celebrate Laura’s birthday until about midnight when most of the group turned in to bed.