After my last report has been kept very brief for several reasons, my report will be as detailed as usual now. Let’s go.
As I mentioned briefly in my last report, we have completed the second of our planned three stages by providing the school materials for the directly affected students of the Scholarship. The third stage is about the analysis of clothing, furniture, damage of houses and things like that. For this reason, on Sunday, when I was free, I prepared a preliminary chart of pupils, in which it was recorded what damages were found. Subsequently, I have fixed a provisional amount for the various damages as compensation.
By the way, I got to know a part of the housekeeper’s family who came to visit. For some carom games, there was also time (In the meantime, I have improved so much that I might have a chance to win sometimes 🙂 ).
In the afternoon I visited my former place.
Of course I stayed for dinner again. For the first time since I am back, Adithi, the daughter of the family, lost her shyness to me (in exchange I had to go to ice skating with her on the wet balcony (why else you´ve got elder „brothers“;) )).
After the dinner, I was still sitting together with the father of the family and some of his friends to drink something. Meanwhile, a small search for me was started. Since the housekeeper did not know where I was, it was finally around 22:00, he inquired afterwards with Reverent Vipassi, who in turn asked Tesheema akka for me. So I received a little bit angry message from her (this evening she already was little bit angry about me, another topic;)), that I should return to my place straight.
On Mondays I wanted to present my chart created the day before to Reverent Vipassi. Therefore I took my Laptop from the Waitingroom. The stone floor was somewhat damp.
So far, I was not aware that my runner acceleration is so fast, to let my soles go through at the start. There followed a combination of wheel, somersault and flight roll followed by a stretch, well-thought-out, with laptop in hand. For creativity, I would have most likely reached the highest score in sports lessons. Fortunately, this gymnastics took place in the back of Reverent Vipassi, so he had not heard or seen of it. I thought the secretaries also didn´t see. When I returned to the office nobody asked about so I thought that would be the case. So I introduced Reverent Vipassi to the chart. Conclusion: The chard had to be reworked of course (was only thought as a first design).
While I presented the chart, I noticed that my pants were decorated in the place of my knee through a hole. Also my hand and feet had some bloodying scratches. By the moisture of the soil the blood was still distributed. In retrospect, I realized that Tesheema had always seen my contribution. But she didn´t say something about straight. So after Reverent Vipassi left the office I tested the knowledge about first aid of the secretaries. Result: Excellent.
In the afternoon we had time to rework the chart. For this purpose, all pupils were checked, whether they were classified in the right category and the amounts for the damages were redefined. At the prices for certain things I just could appreciate the day before. Together with Tesheema and Kasun, I finally set the chart.
Tuesday was a little sluggish. We´ve found some time for some new vocabulary. I have to admit, my initial enthusiasm has evaporated somehow since I realized that I will return home soon. I hope it will come back when I’m back home. In the course of the week I tried to extend my stay here even more. The problem, until August 12, I have to go back due to the summer camp of the KjG Stupferich, where I will go as a teamer. Changing my return flight is not a problem but, I guess cause of the time of the holiday season, there is no free place in the relevant period. So it doesn´t work :(.
On the following Wednesday, the day ran again regulated. The payouts for the pupils were once again inspected by Reverent Vipassi. It was planned to pay the money on the following Saturday but it wasn´t working.
On the evening of Wednesday I went to the city with the boys again. On the one hand we wanted to withdraw the missing money for the payment on the other hand we had to go to the supermarket. For the next day an insight into German cuisine was planned. Now we had to buy the necessary ingredients for „Käsespätzle“ for it. After we had walked from one side to the other side of the store and back again, we finally had all the necessary ingredients together.
After I had surprised our secretaries already with my “Spätzlepress” brought from at home we started to cook. The day before I already learned that Miss Kanthi is a vegetarian. On this day, I was then told that she is not vegetarian but vegan. This turned my plan upside down. After we had organized the necessary pots, bowls and other materials from the house of the monks as well as various other places of the temple and center, the ingredients were mixed (according to my mother’s instructions). In the short term, I had found a recipe, which should be vegan, no chemical or with other ingredients. My conclusion: disaster!
The mixing of the dough still worked quite normally and without problems. The „bunch“ which was made by the vegan recipe looked more like a pile of dog food than after something real food. I was supported while cooking by our two secretaries, Tesheema and Miss Kanthi, Gayan and the mother of Tesheema. Up to this point, except the vegan variant was all right. But already here I noticed that the others were interested in how the German kitchen looks, but did not really want to try these (at least I got the appearance). The cheese followed. In a large bowl, I tried to melt the cheese between the hot Spätzle. The problem of this, due to the size of the dish they cooled too quickly. There was no other way to melt the cheese. Also the onions could not change anything. The next problem was that we waited too long (here usually being eaten with the hands, which means the temperature of the food is usually quite low), so the food was completely cold in the end. In this state the food was finally tasted. In the meantime, Kasun and Govindi were also there.
Admittedly. I could not be angry with the others, which did not really taste the result. Something disappointed I was nevertheless. After all, the dogs were happy about it, because they were given a huge extra portion of food.
I do not know if the trip to the beach with Gayan, Kasun, Tesheema, Govindi and Nadun, which came to the beach to us, was already planned so far or whether it was only a small compensation for my probably to be seen disappointment. In any case, as I said, we went to the beach to play cricket. It was the first time while my second stay, when we really did something all together. If it was to cheer me up, then it worked at least :). After playing cricket, a water snake followed as usual, and finally we were able to soothe Gayan and Nadun. Nangi and Akka and of course I were soggy as usual :).
On Thursday evening, I received a message from the guys that I would not come to the center as planned, but that we would go to Galla together. The reason for this, in the cricket stadium of Galla played the national team of Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe.
Therefore, I was picked by car from Nadun, Gayan and Kasun at Friday morning and we went to Galla. Of course we were, as usual 😉 somewhat late. The game had already begun. Tickets also were not available anymore. Cunningly, the stadium was built, that you can also get an excellent view from the fort, located behind, from a slightly distant but elevated position on the field. So we went there. Fortunately, I got an umbrella, because the sun burned quite hard on the otherwise unprotected Fort (nevertheless I got a sunburn on the arms and my neck). Between we visited the fort little bit.
If I know one thing about cricket, then, that it’s a game that can take a long time. Therefore, it is not surprising that we were already on the way back to Matara at about 12 o’clock, after just two hours (how the game went out I do not know). Then we went to the center.
As several times before, I should also take the bus to the center on Saturday. Whether the bus on this day just came extremely early to my station or whether I was just a little bit later, I can´t say. In any case, I missed the bus. Unfortunately, I had, as already mentioned, still no money on my card and my data package for the Internet was also as good as exhausted. So I could not make myself noticeable and had to wait until I got a call from the center, where I would remain. By bus an hour later, which of course arrived a bit late as usual at my station, I finally reached the temple. Class 6 students had already been given exercises by Miss Kanthi because I was late.
On the lesson this week was writing a letter.
Otherwise, we are still trying to complete Stage 3. Oh ya. During the week the broken sewing machines were repaired in the waiting room. Further point chopped off.
Yours
Felix