Now that I've collected enough energy to blog, I'll now tell you my life in Sri Lanka for the past two weeks.


DAY 1 / Wednesday 07.09.2005
Reached the Colombo airport at about 8 pm SL time. After that went off to board a van to the city of Galle, the Tsunami affected area. The driver was speeding and it was cool. Something funny happened while on the way to the guesthouse. The van stopped and it looks like as if we all have reached the place so I asked the driver how long more to reach the destination after having seated in the van for 3 hours. Then he said 10 more km. My guy mates who were in the van with me went out. So i thought those guys were out for a smoke. Only left with me, Dhani and Su in the van. Then Melvin came in and say, ' Go and unload your stuff.' And I was like 'WHAT?' I told him we had 10 km to go. And he said we are already here. HAHA! It was funny. Maybe the driver don't understand my question. My bad! There was a commotion at the girl's sleeping area at night as there was a cockroach around our luggage area. But it was gone after I tried to kill it. It was 2 am that I went to bed that day. By the way, the place where I call home for the 2 weeks sucks to the max at first sight!

Day 2 / Thursday 08.09.2005
That day was a great day. Cooked Maggi for lunch and fried rice for dinner. We didn't do any work because we were all so tired after the flight. Went wondering around Galle that day buying logistic stuffs. That's all for day 2.

DAY 3 / Friday 09.09.2005
In the morning, went to Lovingewatta Camp a.k.a. The Marble Camp by Uncle Raja. Met those people and they were great to us from the time we stepped into it. Taught them lino cutting and painting. The kids there were really great. My best friend there was Chitrani, a 52 year old lady and Ishara, a sweet 14 year old gal. I was assigned the cooking IC. It was great being the cooking IC because I have learnt alot from my friend Dhani who helped me with the cooking. My team went to a coffee shop for lunch. The rice tasted wierd. There was dhal, curry chicken and beef and this hot red gravy potato. It looked like char siew from far. After lunch, we rested a while and head off to a village area to learn how to make furnitures. It was great fun. We had coconut juice from the villagers. The kids there were really cheeky. They asked for my name and later on they make fun of it. Bummer! Then came dinner. Dinner was FABULOUS! Me, Dhani and Su a.k.a. The makciks prepared Lemak Ayam or creamy chicken curry. We had it with plain rice and sambal ikan bilis. Singapore's favourite food! We all enjoyed dinner so much. Oh ya not to forget, we had banana fritters for supper too. Real good home-cooked food . We bought most of our groceries at this mart called 'FOOD CITY'. We went there everyday and for the past 12 days, we have became their regular, loyal customers.

Day 4 / Saturday 10.09.2005
As usual, wake up at 7 am. Booked the toilet, had a nice quick shower and off to Lovingewatta Camp for the continuation of lino card making. This time, the campers have to do the card nicely on construction papers. It was really messy that day as there are many kids around and the kids don't seem to listen to us. They just mess up the place and mix the paint like nobody's business. I was quite piss actually. But I keep my cool. After the lino making session, I went to play a game of marble with the boys. It was cool. Had Maggi for lunch again and after that we head to this camp. I can't recall the name but the camp has got loads of cow dung everywhere. It acts as fertilisers for their plantation. From the camp, we walk to the temple and montessori. Me, Gui Xiang and Lishan was tired of walking that we sat on Uncle Anthony's 'tuk-tuk', a three-wheeler vehicle which is a common transportation in Sri Lanka while the rest of my teammates walked all the way to the temple. Haha. Uncle Anthony is Ms Franza's driver. And Ms Franza is a young lady who organised our trip and accomodation. She's under the Singapore International Foundation. She's been in Sri Lanka for many months and she don't intend to come back. We visited the temple as the montessori in the temple's compound needs a makeover from us. So we went there to take down the colours for the painting and the condition of the montessori was very bad before the makeover. Real bad! After the visit, the chief village invited us over to his house for tea. Oh my god! Sri Lankan's tea is super sweet. Really sweet. They pout tons of sugar in it I guess. We were given bananas and some cream crackers too. After tea, we head to food city to get some raw food for dinner. Dinner was great too that night. Had western food prepared by us, 'The Mak Ciks'.

Day 5 / Sunday 11.09.2005
As usual, in the morning went to Lovingewatta Camp. Today Ms Angella was with us as there was candle making. Everyone hates her. I'm serious! I mean EVERYONE including the advisors. She's full of complains and she nags alot. In candle making, the children were not allowed to enter the room where the candle making was held. So when some kids came in, they make loads of noises and Angella was actually pissed off and shouted at the kids! Their moms who were in the candle making session were actually shocked. What's more, me and my teammates were shocked too. Then the ladies kept staring at her. We can see the unhappiness and at the same time, furiness in their faces. They were saying things in Sinhalese which I think that they were actually swearing and cursing. I got a lil' frighten when they raised their voice among themselves and they kept looking at Angella. I'm just scared that our relationship with the campers may sour all because of Angella. So afetr candle making, Angella went to away. We asked the campers how they find Angella and they said, ' Angella bad!'. So me and my teammates asked if we were bad too and they replied, ' No! You people are good!' Then we were a lol' busted and told them how bad Angella is. Haha! My bad! Then there was games session with the kids there. We introduced to them the game 'dog and bone'. The kids enjoyed the game as it's something new to them. They even fought while playing the game. They took the game very seriously. It's hard to control the kids when they got into a fight. And then the young campers introduced to us the Sri Lankan dance and they expect to see the Singapore dance too. They were pleading,' Dance please! Singapore dance! Please!'. In the end we only exchanged our national anthem. And my mate Jasbir sang to the people a few lines of hindi song. Had Maggi for lunch again. Then some of us head to Serendib Leisure Hotel in Bentota together with some of another team's team member. It was an hour ride there. Went over for a business deal with the hotel's general manager as we were planning to sell candles made by the campers at the hotel. The hotel is beautiful. The beach is so nice and the waves is so pure. I mean no words could describe it. I didn't take pictures while at the beach as my camera's battery was running low. Bought loads of wrap-around skirt there. Had a fun time while at the beach with Joey and Pearl even though we were there for less than an hour. And on our way back, we stopped by this place which is a history now. That's the place where the tsunami hit the moving train and many who were in the train cherised. The train carriage which was hit by the tsunami was there. It's like a monument and it's been badly wrecked. Two of it's carriages were missing by the tsunami. While we were there, there's a man who wanted to sell to us a ticket to help tsunami victims. We all refused to buy. Then Pearl and Joey was laughing at something funny, and that same man came over and shouted to us, ' Don't laugh here you understand?'. We were quite shocked. I know we were quite rude to laugh our heart out as people there are still mourning at their loved ones. I also think he's upset we didn't buy his tickets. Then more and more people gave us ugly stares. So we all left the place ASAP. When we board the van, people still glare at us as if we had done something seriously wrong!

Day 6 / Monday 12.09.2005
Candle making in the morning at Lovingewatta Camp. That morning was a good one as Chitrani brought her grandson over to see us. That lil' boy is very cute! Really cute with long eye lashes. I thought he was a girl actually. Today's day at the camp is a lil' short. After lunch, we went to the town area to get some paint. Then we headed to the montessori. Started painting the first white coat and plastered the walls which has been peeled off. It was a tiring day. The montessori is very dark and humid. Full of spider webs and lizards. What's funny was that there was a frog who scare the wits outta the guys. Thank god uncle Raja chased it away. Then a few minutes later, Mr Mao saw another one. I was so freaked out when he said there's another one. He told me and Dhani not to scream. But it actually jumped to our direction and we screamed at the top of our voices and ran away from the frog. And again, uncle Raja saved the day by chasing it out. Then while I was painting, I saw a lizard and I asked one of the young monk to kill it. But I forgot they can't kill. So he just laughed and ignored it. I was uneasy witht the thought that the lizard is still alive. But heck, I've forgotten about it as I was busy painting. Then the villagers served us coconut drink fresh from the coconut. It's nice. During the washing up time, we went to the well to fetch some water. It was around 7pm and it was dark. There are no lights. The well is very deep. I can't imagine myself if I have fallen into it. Then we saw fireflies near the well. Very beautiful! Then the monk invited us over to the temple to have some tea and bananas. As usual it's very sweet. There were many lizards there and I was avoiding the seat which has lizard directly on top of it. The monks realised that I'm scared of lizards so they purposely scare me by throwing banana skin on me.

Day 7 / Tuesday 13.09.2005
Went to Lovingewatta Camp as usual in the morning for candle making. Angela wasn't around that day. She didn't follow us there and it's a pleasure not having her around. That day was quite a memorable day at the camp because it was our last session there. We won't be coming over again for anything anymore. The 3 guys in my team- Hafis, Jasbir and Melvin weren't there. Only left with Selwyn, Mr Mao and the girls. But overall it was fun. Saw Ishara's boyfriend. Quite a cute 17 year old guy. Very shy. Refused to go down and meet us. But nevertheless, I saw him and took a picture of him and Ishara together. Then Auntie Malani, one of the camper invited Dhani and I over to her bunk. I was quite scared and reluctant at first. But Dhani assured me that it's gonna be fine. Anyway her bunk is on the first level so I think that'll be ok. When I entered the place where she called home for the past 9 months, I was actually shocked to see loads of biology posters on the wall. She introduced us to her young teenage son whose name I have forgotten. She told us her story on how the tsunami had taken away her husband. And I really salute her! Her elder son is one of Colombo's University doing engineering. And her other son plans to be a scientist in future. She really motivates her sons to study. Those biology posters are his son's collection. He is a really smart 14 year old guy. He tutored all the students in the camp who needs his help. Auntie Malani actually planned to work in Singapore to help cover his son's uni fees. But due to the tsunami, she changed her mind. She also told us how her husband love their pet cat which actually moaned for 20 days when her husband went missing in the tsunami. It was after 20 days when the body was recovered. Sad case! Dhani and I took picture with her and her son. Then Aunt Malani took out an ice- cream container and handed me and Dhani 3 pieces of purple bangle. She kept it for quite long and it was touching to receive something from people we don't really know. She wanted us to remember her and of course I will remember her all my life till I became senile. This is so because we know that we are being appreciated. So I gave Aunt Malani one of my wooden bangle. I don't have anything to give but I think that little token from me have made her happy. Then all three of us headed back to where the other campers were. And before we left, The campers gave flowers to me and 6 other of my teammates who were there. Real sweet of them! After lunch, my team went to the montessori for some painting. We didn't do much as we were running out of time. We only paint the walls with shade of pink. And we were treated to some tea by the monks there. Leave the place at about 8 pm that night. Dinner was prepared by Mr Mao that day. He cooked Hainanese Chicken Rice and it tasted great!

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