Some of Tilly's photos

Team 2 and 3 Thursday

Heather.

Well today has been really interesting.   Sophie and I visited a Pre School which would like to come under the umbrella of Ocean Stars  The teachers were really interactive with the story of We’ re all going on a Bear Hunt, and the Hokey Cokey, Samba, colouring, etc.

Lunch was again curry which appeared out of nowhere.  It was good to be a guest of honour complete with garland at the local school, the samba band led us in to the evening’s cultural exchange.  Dinner was again curry. Cases are packed ready to travel to Colombo tomorrow.

Dan:

Another different day for me, meeting the District Chair in Batticoloa and then onto the school for a chance to see the sports day and to distribute pens and pencils to the students. I demonstrated my lack of ability to speak Tamil in the Tamil class!  In the afternoon, we went to the Cultural evening.

It’s been a wonderful few days here and looking forward to meeting the teachers and going off to Colombo tomorrow.

Emma, Tilly, Mike:

Today we went to Kannarkurum to visit an Ocean Stars pre-school. Cellotape Mike came with us again today!  The journey wasn’t as eventful as other days – no floods today thankfully! We did spot a lot of wildlife today; we saw an eagle swoop up and eat a snake, a spotted deer that looked like Bambi, and lots of butterflies!  

The school had a fantastic playground – we even had a play on the swings! The teachers were fabulous and very engaged, and Rameesh was hugely helpful, making clouds and flowers to add to our Bear collage.

The kids were hugely excitable today and especially loved the bubbles. All round, a very enjoyable day.

Afterward school finished, we sat and ate a lovely prepared lunch. The fish and coconut curry was extra tasty!

Jill:

I woke this morning to a wonderful glass of hot milk and a tea bag to wake me up.  Off on my last visit to a preschool here in Sri Lanka, and I enjoyed my time.  It’s been great to be on a bear hunt, and I’m still not scared!  I visited a school on Ocean Stars’ waiting list, so it was nice to be able to encourage them.  I loved the way we were escorted into this evening’s event by the Samba band.  

Amali, Dan and Mike visit Thirrukovil

Thirrukovil nursery is the furthest away from Batticaloa, meaning that our alarms went off at 5.30 to leave at 6. The early start was worthwhile though as the kids were full of energy as we arrived and kicked off with a warm up and the 'bear hunt'. We played the hokey cokey, sleeping lions and ladders, which went down well and then did a section of contemporary art, where the kids used glitter, crepe paper, paints and felt pens to construct their works. In the afternoon we met the recipients of the gift catalogue, who received 4 bikes and a sewing machine between them. A lady who received a sewing machine earlier on in the year came to show us some of the pillow cases that she has been making. She's now in a position to start paying back the sewing machine so that another machine can be purchased. Now we've prepared for our final day of pre-school teaching. We've had to reschedule the visits a bit as a few of the pre-schools are unfortunately marooned due to the rains.

Sophie and Dilanee wade through water to reach Sorewamunai preschool – 27.10.15

An eventful morning started with a walk in torrential rain to today’s preschool, accompanied by a parent who met us with umbrellas for all and refused to allow us to carry any of our bags. The morning ended with a motorbike rescue from the water sodden paddy fields surrounding the preschool (as the roads were too flooded and damaged for the bus!). But in between we spent 3 hours with the most wonderful, happy, and grateful children looking adorably smart in their miniature ocean stars uniforms and rucksacks.

At the end of the morning, the tiny girls and boys then walked off home delighted and clutching their gifted teddy bears – many of them headed to a home which may have been a flooded, one room hut up to a few kilometres walk away, but still they smiled and waved back at us as they left after a fun morning of activities.

This has been the highlight of the trip so far for me - seeing each little face light up with every new activity and every gift they received. It was so touching to observe the amazing work of Dilanee and Ocean Stars in providing these children with education, resources, a hot meal every day at school and a chance to have fun and socialise with other children – all of which would not otherwise be possible for them. Such an eye-opening experience!

Sophie's thoughts on D&D evening - 27.10.15

We have just returned from a wonderful evening workshop with sponsor children of adults with hearing impairments and all their families, some of whom had traveled up to 3 hours to be with us. Dilanee explained how for many of these families, the yearly Ocean Stars workshop held for them is the main treat they look forward to in their year. And for some of the team (including Heather) it was an opportunity to meet in person the child they have been supporting through their schooling. This was so lovely to see!

The evening got off to a slow start, with some fiddly activities of scoobie-making, loom bands and finger knitting, as well as balloon-making and face painting! But soon enough all the families were laughing, smiling and enjoying themselves. The highlight of the evening for me was the largest hokey-cokey I've ever seen and then a very active samba workshop which Amali and I taught. We finished with a very original samba in the dark with glow sticks!

Finally, we enjoyed some delicious food and then gifts were given to all the families, including jewellery, hair clips,  pens and sweets. A big thank you to my mum Kerry Sowden for donating all the jewellery and hair accessories which the children and adults absolutely loved!

Sophie and Heather visit Kanthapody Primary school - 26.10.15

Our first day began with a bus trip to a very remote village in Batticoloa, where Kathapody Primary School stood amongst paddy fields swollen with rain water. But we were met by 100 smiling faces and a wonderful warm welcome with flower garlands from the students and teachers. And their little smiles stayed throughout story time, samba dancing workshops, games and bubble time. Then the teachers were delighted to receive a pile of exercise and texts books from Bagshot Lea Primary School and a collage of photos from Dilanee and John’s previous trip to the school, which the children admired with delight. We then ended with the children singing and dancing to their own songs to say thank you to us for visiting them. What a wonderful school and such kind and grateful teachers and children!

Heather, Mike and Dan after their trip to Mandur

Heather:Went to a primary school Monday and all the children were so pleased; to see Ocean Stars.We had a wonderful welcome and received garlands made of fresh flowers, so kept coughing all day.  Primary children loved the story of the bear hut and enacted it wonderfully well.

Today we went to pre school, where they enjoyed the story and coloured the teddy bears which we spent ages cutting out.  This evening we went to the sponsor evening which was greatly enjoyed by everyone.`

Mike Monday 26^th

We went of to Mandue play school1, it took a little time due to get there due to the floods, I was ok I got a lift on the back of a motor cycle, Jill had to wade through 2/3 feet of water.  The lesson at the play school was fairly uneventful.  In the afternoon we started work on painting the nursery.  We repaired a hole in the roof so we only had 2 inches of water to stand in.  The painting went well particularly when we enlisted the help of the locals in deed we were so successful at getting help, I found myself supervising.  The village came to look at us, I don’t know if they were amazed at our work or our incompetence.  I am know known at White Beard in the village.  The whole experience was really good fun, an experience not to be missed, with enough stories to last a life time.

Dan:Monday and Tuesday

Eventful trip to Mandur: involving an intrepid walk across the road that had become a river in the heavy rain.  Arrived and completed a successful bear hunt, we weren’t scared but one of the children who was new definitely was.  Painted the preschool building, tried to repair roof. 

Tuesday morning spent in Mandur with the local Church.  Well fed!