Today was my long awaited return to Rassandenyia for ’round two’ of my attempts to learn the Peacock Dance.  Kara, Alice and Nic were also with me as we were hoping to become competent enough at the dance to perform it at the cultural show in Kirelawela on the 31^st of August which marks the end of our program here in Sri Lanka.

Even though it is vacation time, about six children arrived in the morning as the teacher; Felicita keeps the program going so that the Project Sri Lanka team can continue our program here.  However, the children’s schedule is more relaxed in vacation time.  After some singing in both English and Sinhala, we took the children on a walk to the local Buddhist temple where they gathered some large, fragrant white flowers that had fallen from a surrounding tree.  We then went to look at a new primary and secondary school for girls that has been built by a foreign NGO.  Whilst completed, it has not yet opened due to some complicated local politics, but will be an incredible facility when it opens next year as it is equipped with science laboratories and a swimming pool.  On the way back to the school, we were invited into a local house for cools drinks and biscuits by the family of one of the children attending the Rassandenyia pre-school.  Unfortunately, we were all a little scared of drinking the squash as it had been made using local tap-water.  The family understood our concerns about the water, but though they seemed quite unperturbed by us not drinking the squash, I can’t help wondering if they secretly view as pampered westerners!

Over a delicious lunch of dahl (lentil curry) and rice back at the school, I had a very enlightening conversation with Felicita regarding the curriculum for pre-schools in Sri Lanka.  Up until now, I have not been aware that there was a statutory national curriculum for early years in Sri Lanka that structures everything from language development to techniques for successful socialisation of children to physical development.  As a student teacher, it was really reassuring to know that the government has implemented such a comprehensive course of study for early year’s development in Sri Lanka.  Feeling rather full after a very filling lunch, I was looking forward to warming up for the Peacock dance.  Unfortunately, one of the team members in Kirelawela went back home feeling a little unwell leaving the Team short of people in our village.  I went to help out in Kirelawela for the afternoon meaning that my plans to attempt Sri Lankan dancing for the second time have been put on hold.