And suddenly I only have eight more days left in Ambalangoda. Since when did the Summer come and go? Exactly two weeks and I will be brushing up my chopstick skills in Hanoi. I'm excited to see what the next few months brings!
The past few weeks have mainly consisted of Wadis, Rottis and Samosas, with a side of coconuts and too much shopping (obviously working hard as always). No more hospital trips or dengue fever recently (touch wood) so my job has been a lot smoother for the last couple of weeks, organising projects and transport and making sure all the volunteers are having a great time!
Last weekend was mine and Callie's final volunteer orientation of the summer, so one more morning of Do's & Dont's in Hiro's (the best ice cream shop in Sri Lanka), one more hike up the temple staircase to the largest reclining Lord Buddha statue, and one tempting trip to the moonstone mine and showroom. Still can't believe this is the end of the summer!
I've spent the majority of my mornings renovating our turtle hatchery - shifting umpteen million buckets of sand to fill the hatching tank and surrounding areas. Lugging heavy buckets in this heat is hard work! But I've thoroughly enjoyed finally doing some exercise to keep off the rice and rotti's. Today we emptied our last bucket, so it's great to know we can now bring in eggs to hatch safely and help with turtle conservation in Sri Lanka. I've spent a couple of days at the Turtle Sanctuary too, which looks after baby turtles for 48 hours before releasing into the wild, as well as care for disabled or injured turtles - sadly most from fishing nets or digesting plastic. It's a great project and turtles are such fascinating creatures, did you know the egg gender is determined by the temperature of the sand it is buried in? And yogis use the turtles slow breathing techniques to live a longer healthy life. They are the modern dinosaurs who are slowly becoming extinct from human consumption and lack of care - which is why it's so rewarding to see the people fighting for their conservation.
My afternoons have consisted of outside-office work (got to make the most of this beautiful country...), visiting the children's homes and our teaching projects. It's been really great to see the volunteers' work and students' progress first hand, benefiting so many different parts of the community. It's made me excited to start with my new students and see what opportunities arrive!
On our few days off this month Callie and I have escaped to the beautiful beaches of Mirissa and Unawatuna, for excessive gift shopping, Banoffee rotti's and napping under blue skies and swaying palm trees. We're trying to make the most of being here before we leave, so we don't feel too guilty for a well deserved break! It's been a rollercoastering challenge this summer - working through communication barriers and cultural differences, dealing with hospitals and illness and varying issues, as well as trying not to miss home comforts and those closest to me.
Nonetheless I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and have had the best beginning to my life abroad, thank you to Ashika, Callie, Phillip and Josh from PMGY, as well as all the staff friends and family around me who have made this experience possible. It's sadly time to start the goodbyes, but I'm excited to see where the road leads me next. :)
Day 78 - Saturday 27th August 2016 3.22pm
I won an award!
Well ok, all coordinators got the same but even still! Ashika treated us to a chicken burger and Mars ice cream at Hiro's to present our 'Best Overseas Support' Awards to us and thank all the staff for a great summer. Still can't get to grips that it's nearly the end!
Trying to get in those things we'd been meaning to do since day one, we finally got a chance to visit one of the local temples, which is beautifully lit up at night time. The whole place looks so majestic and peaceful, with soft coloured lights and around the statues, dagoba and Bhodi tree. I wish I could come here every evening to unwind!
And now for our final weekend, Callie and I have been treated after the hard work we've all put in this summer; a night of luxury at Chaaya Hotel in Hikkaduwa. Anyone who has been to Hikka knows this place is a beaut, especially to a backpacker! Our balcony overlooks the pool which backs onto the beach, surrounded by palm trees. We even get hot water and a duvet and clean towels! The things you appreciate when you live simply eh.
So now we are lounging by the pool, reading my book, not quite sure whether to believe I only have one week left in Ambalangoda.
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