Boys Orphanage

I visited Mattegoda boys orphanage for my first and only visit. The atmosphere is a lot different at this orphange than at the girls one. They are a lot more playful and active and it is more difficult to get them to focus on learning. They are a lot worse at English than the girls are and also more apprehensive to learn. They would much rather fight and play games. However, they are a lot more kind and helpful to the teachers and even though I only worked there for one day I found the experience particularly rewarding.

The boys being cheeky

They loved colouring and so we intergrated this into learning English by getting them to draw there favourite type of vehicle and writing and say a short message in English about the vehicle. They drew fighter planes, tanks, racing cars, buses, jeeps and hot air balloons.

Goodbye Party at home

Our homestay organised a party for us to say goodbye. The volunteers and I cooked them some English food and they organised a party for us with music and our favourite Sri Lankan foods. We had a fish curry and some Indian style pancakes/poppadoms with a weird name I can't remember. We cooked them Spaghetti Bolognese and only when we were half way through did I remember they don't eat beef, because cows are sacred and "useful" to them. All I ever see cows do is walk along the roads getting in peoples way and eating rubbish from rubbish pits! So we cooked them spaghetti with tomato sauce and vegetables. They said it was yummy but when we asked if they wanted any more they said they were full but still ate more of their own fish curry! Now they understand how we felt when we tried their foods for the first time and had to pretend to like it. As the time went on we emphasised how amazing the foods were that we actually did like and they began to only give us the food we enjoyed the most.

Spaghetti Bolognese prepared by the volunteers in my homestay

We showed the family English dancing and showed them the Kandyan dancing we have learnt in the time living in Sri Lanka.

Kandyan Dancing

Saying goodbye to Mattegoda girls orphanage

I visited Mattegoda girls for the last time today and it was really hard saying goodbye. They invited other volunteers and I to go on a swimming trip with them but we couldn't go because we were having our last day party at Rukmale orphanage and Camilla school on the same day as the trip. Therefore, we went the day before to say goodbye.

They were exceptionally affectionate and wouldn't let go of us. It was difficult moving anywhere with 6 girls hanging onto you! One girl gave me her bracelet that she wanted me to have and I was particularly amazed at this gesture, because they have nothing and it was probably her only piece of jewelery! I was very grateful but I couldn't accept it and tried to give it back to her. For the next half an hour she ran away from me whenever I saw her and hid from me, because she didn't want me to give it to her back! I left it on the table when I left so hopefully she will find it.

We took a lot of photos of the girls and then let them use the camera. Normally, it is a big mistake taking a photo of a lesson because if the girls see then they refuse to give the camera back,  taking pictures of themselves and when I eventually do get the camera back they do not cooperate for the rest of the lesson, saying "camera, camera, please miss".

Many of the girls cryed when we left because they didn't want us to leave and kept asking when will we visit again and if I will write them letters. They tried to delay us leaving as much as possible by giving us tea, sandwiches, making us write notes to them, and more photos! They were hugging us tightly while crying and not letting us go. It was great to think we have made such an impact on their lives but it upsets me knowing that they will be crying over us and when we are gone there will nobody else going to visit them everyday and playing and singing and making them happy.

I hope that the children hold fond memories of me and I hope I have motivated them to work hard, especially with their English, as it is very important for these orphans when they leave to know English so they can find a job. I am planning on keeping contact with them, by writing letters, which should further improve their English and hopefully by staying in contact they will feel less abandoned.