WOW, time is flying, one month already!

We’ve settled down relatively well and now have a routine of sorts.

Last Sunday’s church service was taken by a visiting Pastor from India.  There was some English in his service, yeah!!! We joined him and other pastors from Colombo and Pastor Sam for lunch.  A milder chicken korma curry was ordered for us.  We were amazed the Indian Pastor found the Sri Lankan beef curry too hot.  It seems different areas of India have varying amounts of chilli in their meals. We are trying some delicious foods. 

Visiting Pastors at Rio

 In the evening we again met with the visiting Pastors for ice cream at one of the popular ice cream parlours, Rio.

YUM!!!

 This is the girl’s ideas of delicious food.  Emma’s eyes were as big as saucers when she saw the ice cream sundaes and made a good attempt at devouring it but needed help finishing hers. 

Sarah had a great time too. On the way to the ice cream shop we popped into an International Trade exhibition which was on for the weekend. A really big deal for Jaffna as the logistics of getting everything here was huge. Remember that even though we are only 300km north of the capital Colombo, it is a 12 hour journey by road. This time it was where Jacinta’s eyes were as big as saucers.  In a short period of time, she had found a rechargeable hurricane lantern for the blackouts, pillows and towels.  She could have easily had a day there.  Jacinta felt in heaven sleeping on pillows which aren’t made of kapok or quite possibly  rocks. Probably kapok as rock would not smell as bad. For those who have had a sheltered city upbringing, look up kapok!

Always on the shopping list is ice cream.  We are working our way through the range at the local shop.  One of the favourite flavours is a pink ice cream/ice block called faluda. No idea what it is and it taste too good to be brave enough to find out.  We have a competition each week to see who can pick the best ice block.  The girls have made a trophy out of a recycled water bottle for the winner. It is taken very seriously and we all have to take a bite out of each others selection and vote and you can’t vote for your own choice

We are recycling boxes into dolls houses, water bottles into pencil holders, curd pots store hair ribbons and ice cream containers for food storage. We need to protect our food from some little animal (rat?  squirrel?  don’t want to think what else?) that manages to rip through plastic packets and eat our food.  We need to eat a lot more ice cream to get more containers to store our food safely.  I have a trap but have not set it yet ,to be honest I am afraid of what I may actually catch!

A little it of Oz, staff member Marjorie doing small talk at PD day

 We are challenging ideas and introducing different ways to teach at the school and it is being well received.  Teachers are trying new strategies and we are receiving positive feedback.  Friday, a public holiday was a staff development day with its own resident professional development presenters! We showed strategies and characteristics of a great teacher, and features of a great lesson.  Ideas of punishment, using the cane and negative teaching where challenged and some other options presented.  We had group discussions and came up with solutions.  Teachers and students are used to an “expert” talking at them all day (not too sure how we fit into that category) and they passively absorb what is said.  It was a very challenging process trying to get feedback, akin to pulling teeth but we are making headway. It was a very productive day and the first of many.

Jacinta presenting on the day

Attitudes vary; from computers are a bad influence - we don’t want the children to know about the outside world, to how do you turn it on, to those who can make and present a basic PowerPoint.  We’ve moved away from the idea of teaching everyone to be confident with using PowerPoint in the classroom as enough resources are not available at this stage.  We are now focusing on using classroom strategies to encourage student thinking and good teaching practices.

We also had a bit of fun and indulged ourselves a little. We did an Australiana theme and presentation for Australia day, with flags and stuffed toys and green and gold balloons all over the place that we carried over with us from OZ for just such an occasion. Hard to see what they made of a Rolfe Harris version of Waltzing Matilda with accompanying slide show. I think “jumbuck” and “tucker” threw them a little. We had a competition following the song with Australiana style prizes. They went over well. And I think it helped our home sickness a little.

Take care everyone and have a happy Australia Day, and please remember your countryman (and woman and kids) a long way from home.

Second week at School and settling in

Thanks to all the wonderful people who leave comments on our blog or send emails to us.  We love the contact.

We will try to return all contact but will keep the blogs for our larger gossipy stuff.

memorial service

Last Sunday after church we went to a memorial service for one of the parishioners who died last week.  It was in their home.  There where prayers then a curry lunch.  Sri Lankans save on washing dishes by using fingers and covering plates with plastic wrap to throw away afterwards  (Very clever)  We only found one sambal too hot.  Emma likes plain rice.  It was an honour being invited into such an intimate occasion in a family’s life.  There would have been 150+ people at the memorial packed into the house and overflowing into a courtyard area and we were guest of honour inside on the lounge chairs.  Last week when visiting the home of a friend of the principals, we paid our respect to a family whose mother had just passed away. The body of his mother laid out in the living room, with the normal family activities going around her.

Principal Alex adressing assembly via Skype from USA

 

The school Principal, Alex Thevaranjan, has now returned to his main occupation as a lecturer at a University in New York state. He will return with his wife and daughter in May for 3 months. We hope we will still be here. He is very dynamic and has a vision for the school. Alex is hoping we can help as agents for change and growth in the school and assist him and support the deputy principal, Ambika, in his absence.

 Last Monday, the 14^th, we were taken by van to the northern tip of Sri Lanka called Pt. Pedro. 

Ocean front at Pt Pedro still showing the scars

It was an eye opener to say the least. This was an area that can’t take a break. It was the second biggest city in Jaffna province.  In 2004 it was hit it the Tsunami that did so much damage in Asia. Many 1000’s of people lost their lives and huge numbers left homeless. The scars are still very real 9 years down the track.  With this disaster on top of the war (which people here seem to refer to as “the trouble”).  We also saw wonderful signs of human compassion and charity in action. The group who are the main supports of this school, a German charity called Humedica, have been doing incredible things.

The girls at Pt P

Locals in Pt Pedro

Humedica gives amazing support

After the wave, Humedica purchased 1200 fishing boats to replace many that the wave destroyed. Fishing is their main source of income. 

They so little but happily shared with us

One of the 170 homes Humedica built

Some of the boats Humedica supplied

 We also visited a medical centre and a family in one of the 170 dwellings Humedica constructed very quickly following the disaster. In the area that we visited the houses was effectively wiped away, footings and floor slabs are visible all around.  These people had little, but we were so warmly welcomed and given a sweet rice pudding to eat. Very tasty and sweet with lots of spices and even mung beans.

On the way back we visited a home which also acted as a church. Nowhere for the parishioners to sit, just a large tarp on the floor with “United Nations relief fund” in large writing on it. Again we were all greeted as honoured guests. They love the girl’s hair and fair skin. I was asked to lead a prayer session. Not one of my gifts I’m afraid. But I seem to be asked to do this more and more. Jacinta is much better and more comfortable with this style of thing than me.

Lots of trucks keep arriving at the school to collect building materials. Again, a case of Humedica to the rescue. After the recent rains and flooding (stopped just before we arrived) there was a lot of damage to homes and infrastructure. Humedica purchased large amounts of timber and roofing supplies and the school acts as a distribution centre overseen by Pastor Sam as the Humedica representative. 

60% of my Chemisrty class

It has been a busy week at school. Jacinta has taken on the role of teacher observation and feedback. We see a huge range of skills but what is great is the willingness to accept feedback and act on it. We have developed proformas to help with the feedback and observation process. Jacinta is also spending lots of time developing resources for me and teacher training. I am involved mainly in teaching senior classes, and staff development and admin issues. This Friday we are running a whole day professional development. Every week day I will be running conversational English lessons for all staff to assist in confidence building. All lessons except Tamil and Sinhalese are taught in English. We seem to be hailed as the experts on everything. It will come as a sad shock when they understand how wrong they are.

Jacinta found a wonderful quote on one of the classroom walls that I feel I can related to.. “God does not call the qualified, he qualifies those called”. We could certainly use a few intensive crash courses at the moment to get our GPA up. Thank goodness for the internet and Google.

Take care, everyone.

Teachers, enjoy the last few days of holidays.

A short thesis on Srilankan Traffic

Travelling on Srilankan roads is to say the least an experience. I had the arrogance to consider that I might be able to drive while here with the family. I got my International license in Hervey Bay and the next step was to go to the ministry of transport in Colombo. 2 days on roads in Colombo taught me the error of my ways. But... Colombo is an example of modern best practice Urban traffic flow compared to Jaffna.

CD in Jaffna

Jaffna "traffic calming" device

Where do I start? Driving in Jaffna is possibly likened to urban warfare with the motor scooter or motorbike as the main weapon of choice with cars and buses and trucks bringing up the heavy guns. Firstly there are the potholes that can swallow whole vehicles, then the cows, the dogs, cows again, masses of often whole families on one scooter, goats, buses that all seem to have the front left hand suspension completely collapsed, oh and did I mention the cows and what appears to be a complete lack of road rules. The dogs are quite interesting. There seems to be a type of Pavlovian conditioning occuring here, so as a dog walks across the road, any road in fact, main road or lane way, and is blasted by a horn, they will, to an animal, merely stop on the spot and calmly look at you till you move your vehicle around them.

Main road from Manipay to Jaffna

Might is right (of way). A Jaffna bus

The horn is the most important part of a northern Srilankan vehicle. It is also the first part to wear out. There is constant blasting on the amazing variations of devices. The horn is not used so much to warn people but to say in multiple honks, " I am here and I see that space currently in front of me, I can either go through it or you... your choice". It is also a case of "might is right" as the bigger the vehicle, the more negotiating power you have. Apart from what appears to us as absolute chaos, I have seen only one accident. Although that may be because I have  my eyes closed most of the time.

What a week!

Wow! What a week.  On Sunday after the Tamil church service, we had our western fix with a visit to the Green Grass Hotel.  We swam and had lunch.  Overcooked chips where fantastic as was the Lions beer and Necto soft drink.

Great beer and fantastic food

1st day at school, and yes, that is a dinosaur in the background

Monday was pupil free, prayer more than preparation.  Andrew did a presentation about why we came.  We shared a curry lunch the support staff had been cooking under our window since early morning. Tuesday was Emma’s first day of school.  Sarah and Emma look gorgeous in their new school uniform.  They wear their hair in plaits with red ribbons, like the Sri Lankan students.  With their white skin and light hair they both stand out in the sea of faces on assembly.  They have nice teachers. 

Guess which one is Emma?

 Both girls enjoyed their first day.  Emma drew a picture and Sarah likes Art.  The school day is divided into 9X40 min lessons with 30mins for lunch.  Emma finishes at 12.30 and Sarah at 2.45.  The 20 min assembly to start each day is a mini sermon encouraging students to work hard. The students are fantastic.  They leave assemble starting from the front, row by row in single file walking with one hand behind their backs.  The high school students continue walking in single file to the back of the huge hall, down the steps and along a corridor to their classroom.  It is all monitored by prefects and the teachers leave by different exits.  Staff have 20 minutes devotion before this from 7.30 am.  The students stay in the same room all day and teachers come to them.  Senior class sizes are small with primary quite large.  Primary seems to be about up to 30 ut 40+ seem to be acceptable and Senior only about 5.  The student are very impressive, they are polite, considerate, talented, intelligent and hard working.  The hardships they have faced have made them even more determined to succeed.  Of course there are some students who are not doing their best.  The classrooms are very resource poor.  They have chairs and desks and an old blackboard.  The rooms seem poorly lit and when the power cuts out are almost in the dark.  Andrew sent a few emails and is getting a box of resources and posters to brighten the science rooms.

I think the whole school knows Emma.  Lots of students say hello to her and I hear a chorus of Emma’s as we walk to class.  She seems to be the centre of a game when I pick her up.  Sarah has her nose in a book as much as she can.  She has found a series of Enid Blyton books at the local food store for about $2 each.  She is learning written Tamil and Sinhalam (Sinhalese) and is doing extra work to catch up. The last lesson every day for year 3-12 is activity lesson, which is a free lesson, or sport, or debating etc.

Andrew has small classes of lovely students.  The classes seem to be split across a few teachers without much communication of what they are teaching. We are a bit in the dark of how things work as it’s just assumed everyone knows.  The language is interesting.  English must be spoken at school but it’s still challenging with a Sri Lankan and an Australian accent.  Andrew has slowed down his speech but the girls all need to consistently speak slower.

The building was certainly "open"

Thursday saw us as guests at the opening of Angel International Primary School, Jaffna.  The building was not complete by western standards but the school opened anyway.  Andrew gave a speech that was translated into Tamil. They responded in the appropriate spots but I wonder what the translator was really saying?

He said WHAT???

There were songs and dance performances, speeches and cake. 

 Lots of people wanted their or their childrens’ photo taken with the Australians.  The children are gorgeous, and the ladies in their saris beautiful. 

Opening of a new school is seen as a symbol of hope that positive development is happening.

Emma and Sarah played with a group of girls after school.  They were waiting for their parents in a meeting.  They had so much fun with chasing and ball games. 

Take care everyone and please keep in touch

love from the Garty's 

03/01/2013 An Anniversary we won't forget in a hurry

Wow what an amazing anniversary!  We went with a group of teachers and students on school picnic to the island Delft. This involved a bus trip playing how many people can you pack on a small bus (we made it to 38). As we travelled long water-skimming causeways with views of fishing traps and flocks of white flamingos, the students and teachers sang Happy Anniversary to the tune of Happy Birthday. 

 We then sang “This is the day”and “Rejoice in the Lord always” and I taught the students and staff “Father I adore you”. Alex, the school principal used the travel time with some thought provoking goal setting for the New Year. We got the ferry from Kurikadduwan (KKD) to Delft. This was an unbelievable experience. It lasted for an hour and a quarter and that was 1 hour too long. Imagine a boat taking refugees to Australia, crammed with people.  

We were sitting on the deck, in the hot sun leaning on others and every large wave saw us lean against each other along the deck. Sri Lankans don’t have good stomachs (surprising with all the hot curries) so lots of people were throwing up in plastic bags. They were all very supportive of each other passing around sick bags and a vial of incense. The men sitting on the side were holding each other so they didn’t fall in. One took his life jacket off and gave it to Emma. She could probably swim better than him. Emma curled up in my legs and tried to sleep. Sarah was only a metre away with other students but I couldn’t see her. Another lady teacher was keeping an eye in her. Andrew was at the other end of the boat as therewas no room left on the deck where we were. He had more room with his feet in the hold near the engine but he got the diesel fumes. I only got sick of sitting so cramped in the last few mins. The kids were fantastic. Luckily on the trip back we caught the humedica ambulance ferry back which was comfortable and quicker.

We thought Jaffna was poor but it is luxurious compared to Delft. We were given a tour of the sights of Delft by the Church of South India and the Assembly of God church. 

The mail system before the recent introduction of a phone tower was with doves used like carrier pigeons.




  There was also an amazing dutch fort ruin circa 1540.  

 These wonderful people were so generous with their time and efforts. They prepared a beautiful meal we shared. 

 Delft is crisscrossed with coral-rock walls which gave the over all impression of a maze. We visited a nice beach where we had a paddle in the waves. Sarah and the male students did a bit of body surfing. The trip was an eye opener for everyone. 

We also visited an area called Cobra rock. The local Hindu belief is that the rock is growing, so they have built a shrine near it.

It was a very long day, completely unlike anything we have experience before and we were thrilled to visit such a remote and little-visited corner of Sri Lanka with the teachers and students on our anniversary.

ps can't take credit for the photo's (thanks google) and also why there are none of us in them. Camera broke and we have to try to get a new one. 

We will keep in touch. School starts on Monday.

Lots of luv from the Garty's

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM SRI LANKA EVERYONE

Sorry I have not keep up to date with blog. I will try to update over the next two days with photos as soon as I learn how!!

For those people who have been leaving comments, thank you so much!!! Contact with home is very important to us at the moment.  If you do leave a comment, can you please sign off with your name. When we get notification of a comment it only comes up with "annonomous" as the title so, we don't know who sent it.

The attached photo is of the new primary school Pastor Sam (in white) is building in Jaffna. It is a major construction sight at the moment but it is supposed to have students attending in 8 days!!! Hard to believe, but they do things differently in Sri Lanka.

 

  On the 3rd of Jan we will celebrate 15 years wedding anniversary. Will have to work out something nice to do.

 

Bye for now A, J S and E