Care & Community Volunteer Stories, Sri Lanka

Care in Sri Lanka - Rocio Irisarri I arrived at Colombo on 3rd June 2009 after a very long journey all the way from Spain. I confess being a bit scared and nervous, I could not know if I was prepared for this huge experience. I felt it was too diverse to be able to anticipate or explain exactly how I was going to feel.

2 Week Special Care in Sri Lanka - Kirsten Macdonald I travelled to Sri Lanka in the summer before my last year of school with one of my friends. We were the first group of 2 week special volunteers in Sri Lanka, but it was one of the most amazing fortnights of our lives! From the moment we stepped off the plane in Colombo, we were hit by a wall of heat and a totally different way of life. During our first evening we were met by Emilia, our Projects Abroad supervisor, and taken out to dinner. We were made to feel so welcome that any worries were put at ease and we were given a great introduction to Sri Lanka. There were 4 of us that were there for the two week special and we were in the same placements and accommodation throughout our stay.

Care & Community in Sri Lanka - Anna Freeborn Hello! I'm Anna. I stayed in Sri Lanka for two months which were the most memorable, enjoyable and amazing months of my life! I spent one month in Panadura assisting the teachers at the local Montessori in the morning and in the afternoon at the tsunami camp. I spent the other month in Galle at Ruhunu Children's Home. It took me a couple of days to get used to the climate, food and getting bitten by mosquitoes (for some reason they found me particularly attractive!). The climate is very hot and humid with the occasional heavy downpour.

Care & Community in Sri Lanka - Patricia Bardin Dit Courageot Let me introduce myself. My name is Patricia and I'm a 45 year old chemist from France. This summer, I chose to spend my holidays with disadvantaged children in Sri Lanka. Projects abroad placed me at an orphanage, situated about 1 or 2 hours from Colombo, on the West coast near Kalutara. So on the 3rd July 2007 I discovered Don Bosco Boy's Home near Maggona, which was surrounded by coconut trees. I stayed there for one month and sharing in the daily lives of those children was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I could not have imagined beforehand the emotional attachment I would form in my relationships with them.

Care & Community in Sri Lanka - Ruth Malthouse I was working at the orphanage for 2 ½ weeks before Alex - a fellow Projects Abroad volunteer from England joined me. Her arrival was great - it meant that we could be more adventurous and invent new games. It also meant that we could split the group into two. Alex would take one group of children and I would take the other. It made the afternoons much better as it had been very stressful trying to cope with 20 young and lively persons.

Care & Community in Sri Lanka - Katie Finlay When I arrived in Wadduwa I had no idea what was in store for me or what to expect, but the whole experience blew me away. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, from the Projects Abroad staff to my host family and room mate. The culture was the biggest thing to get used to and the simplistic way of life there, we were constantly being stared at for being white, more from curiosity than hostility, but the attention we received was incredible.

Care & Community in Sri Lanka - Katy Lavender Hi, I'm Katy and I volunteered for two months in Ruhunu Children's home in Galle. I had been teaching at a primary school in England for a couple of years but decided to take a year out to do some travelling. I had always wanted to visit Sri Lanka and decided that a different way to see the country would be to live with a family and work there. I'm so glad I made the decision, as I can honestly say that the work at the orphanage was the most rewarding experience that I have ever had, and the people I met (other volunteers, Projects Abroad staff and my host family) were the icing on the cake!