Mary in Sri Lanka: June 2013

The logo of the organisation in Tangalle

18 June 2013 - its been a while since my last blog (sounds like AA doesn't it ) . I got another opportunity to wear my sari - this time ata Hindu wedding in Colombo. I traveled up there in a van full of Sri Lankans who work in the organisation down the road - we set off an hour later than expected (although why I expected anything different I don't know) after they had to make sandwiches for the trip - these were butter and sugar sandwiches which they ate as it it was caviar. I managed one slice - such a wuss but the sari was tightly bound and pinned (this time by a different dresser) . Anyway we got to the wedding and there were some of the other volunteers and it was in full swing - a lot more ritual this time - we had missed the giving each other of presents and the bride being taken off to dress in the sari that the husbands family had provided . Then there was the signing and the photos - people lining up to have their photos taken with the happy couple, including us - please see picture and if you are observant you will see the happy volunteer couple of another wedding featured in theses pages. . Then there was some of the usual sitting around to loud music and we got to meet the groom who has lived in England for 12 years so was quite anglicised - even had a cockney accent. He seems nice - this is an arranged marriage so lets hope it all works out for them. They seemed happy. The meal was fantastic - one of the best curries I have eaten in Sri Lanka so far.

they looked happier than this - really!

the VSo staff - note the same sari!

The funeral in the title was today - it was of somebody who was the brother-in-law of one of the directors at the Chamber so we, the staff, went on mass to pay our respects. The house was bedecked in white flags and the flags of all the local organisations and businesses who were paying their respects . The front garden was full of white draped chairs and a few people reading the newspaper. We went in and were ushered into the house where the body was lying in full state - no coffin . Good lord - that was a bit of a shock - I have never met this person and here he is dead. After that we sat in the white draped chairs exchanged greetings with the family had a cup of tea and left. No pictures to accompany this story.

The English class with the staff continues and something of a breakthrough occured when I was doing session on meetings - it was hard and I wa convinced that they wouldn't be able to understand a word but not only did they understand and participate fully but they all came on time , dead on 2.30 (a first) and we did a brainstorm on planning a staff trip which we fully intend to carry out in July! Hoorah I though - I've made it at last I'm getting through !
The following week we had a review test and not one of the men showed up ! They were aftraid of looking foolish or something but I was so annoyed ! But I did it with the women and they were great and at the staff meeting the following Monday I told them exactly what I thought - the chairman says he will stop their increments if this continues - no labour laws here apparently!

I have been doing the tourism project which entails going out to the tourist places in Matara , so I have been having a great time visiting all the temples, beaches , tea estates and even a snake farm and a blow hole with various members of staff. They can speak really good English on a one to one basis away from the rest and they try too. They just love to have their photo taken and they are all closet models and film stars - talk about pose! and that includes the men. Miss Mary is the most photographed foreigner in Matara! A selection belos On one of the occasions we stopped off at someone's aunty's house for tea and she proudly showed me a certificate for an english class she had taken at the university - she didn't understand a word I said and what she had learned seemed to consist mainly of phrases like ' come again another day' which she said many times. the tea was sweet enough to kill you but hey it was nice to be invited!

I am doing some work for an orgnaisation supporting stabilised mentally ill people in Tangalle - it was a long and hot bus journey but worth it. They are great - so enthusiastic , they wanted help with marketing . We devised their logo above and I came up with the strap line - Ok not exactly riginal I know but it says what it means. The butterfly is the symbol of mental health in Sri Lanka and all over the world. They aare going to be selling their home made goods - pickles and dried fish , mosquito nets and clothing - in the 'Good Market' in Colombo - which means them getting the overnight bus with all their prducts and staying there till 10pm and then returning home. It is a very trendy market selling wonderful shoes and exotic smoothies and cup cakes so I don't know how their dried fish is going to go down but we shall see . I am going back next week to help therm do their business plan .

So today my friend Sally is coming to stay for a few weeks - she liked it so much the last time she had to come back. It will be great to have someone here and she is going to help me with the english class (should anybody turn up in the next few weeks ) and with a workshop on interview skils so that is excelent.

So I am settled enough to be tired of the monsoon rain and to be irritated by certain things but still loving and looking forward to integrating further - I am going to have the staff round to lunch soon which will be interesting ..........