Before first light the bus from Walasmulla was heading down narrow roads and picking up eleven and twelve year old pupils. Not a seat for everybody but with the drums playing you could always stand up and dance at the back of the bus. Soon the three English teachers were engaged in conversation as pupils gained confidence and practised their English. 

Finally we arrived at Sinharaja and our guide met us to lead us into the rain forest. "Would there be leeches?" pupils asked. This seemed to be their main concern as they smeared special repellent round their shoes. 

Not many it seemed, as this was a dry time of year. We did see insect eating plants, giant snails, trees up to 40 metres high and a range of birds and butterflies. 
It was a fantastic day with enthusiastic and well behaved children. The great thing was it was safe to walk and scramble about amongst the trees. It would be an ideal place for English school children to visit.

On Tuesday it was off to Dhammapala for a 7.00am start. The day always started with pupils bringing in tea to Mr. Da Silva's office. 

A visit had been arranged to the local industries across from the school. Mr. Da Silva felt that as a teacher of technology and pottery I would be interested in locally made pottery and jewellery. 

ICT teacher Sarath Chandrasivi was my guide. He has written a thesis on the history of local industries and has family members working in the industries. We saw how yoghurt pots could be pressed out of clay and fired with kilns heated by coconut husks. Large cooking pots were made by hand throwing on wheels powered with the legs. Even larger pots were made using coils.

MAKING POTS IN THE LOCAL
LOW ENERGY WAY

Other workshops specialised in making metal tools
such as scythes or in designing and making gold jewellery.

Lunches at the School were always beautifully made and presented with fresh fruit, fish and vegetables; tea or king cocoa juice to drink.  
Most children went home for lunch at 1.30. 

Some teachers provided extra classes in the afternoon. A lot of music, dancing and athletics were being practised for the Sports Festival Day on Thursday. 

We then exchanged the work on illustrated folk tales and I read out and discussed the story of Cinderella. Mr. Da Silva then asked the pupils to volunteer for the parts in two European plays which I had brought with me. They were 'The Talking Fish' and 'William Tell'.

Enough girls volunteered and they worked through their lunch time with myself and two English Language teachers helping them with the parts. They promised to learn the parts and make some costumes for the next day. 

Time would be short as they were to perform the plays for the school on Friday and Thursday was a Festival of Athletics, music and dance, put on each year for parents and local officials. Soon the pupils were looking at how the characters would speak as a nagging wife or a young boy.

Dressing up for the TALKING FISH

Mr. Da Silva organised a meeting with those teachers who would be involved in future projects and in the application for the Curriculum Grant. 

First of all we talked about the work carried out so far under the Reciprocal Visit Grant. The exchange of letters and first impressions of each others countries. 

Then the exchange of recipes typical of the UK and Sri Lanka . Recent work had involved pupils writing and illustrating folk tales from their countries. This culminated in Mr. Da Silvas folk play performance at Ingleton School and in my performance of the two plays at Dhammapala.

Future projects discussed included:- A Comparative Study of National Parks. Since both schools are on the edge of National Parks and pupils can easily visit them this seemed a worthwhile project. Teachers wanted to focus on the advertising and purpose of the National Parks and also on the diversity of flora and fauna. Science and maths teachers hoped there would be room for some surveys of endangered species.

Mr. Da Silva's Folk Tale Play in Ingleton