Today already a lot of new experiences, in the morning at breakfast the little house-gekko was on my leg, iek! Normally we work from 9-12hrs at the orphanage to do sports & games. From 12-15hrs we have lunch-free time (at our guesthouse). From 15-18hrs we have to teach the children English (in 3 groups - levels).

This morning we went to the orphanage, but no kids! Last week there was chicken-pocks in the orphanage and all the kids were helping cleaning the orphanage...therefor we went to the shop to buy paper for school (there is nothing available for the children, we all have to bring this with us ourselves). But after lunchtime, at 15hrs we were back at school to teach them. So nice, the kids come in the classroom and say "Hello Teacher". I have done a short introduction of myself and the kids as well. Some can speak very good English some not...they only recognize numbers or letters. We have done some tests with the kids to see how far they are, it is good to know because than we can adapt the programm to their own level. Very exhausting afternoon, but really great to do! The children are so thankfull, this gives you a very good feeling.

Now I am sitting in my bedroom and see a gekko sitting on the wal, right above my bed :-( I really hate this kind of animals, but we do have a musquito nett! I will manage.

The rest of the evening we will prepare the lessons for tomorrow, so a lot to do...by the way, I am already burned in my neck by the sun, it is 32° very very warm with a very high humidity.

This morning we were picked up at 6hrs at our hotel....very early, but I have got a quite good nightsleep. I think we arrived at 8.30hr at my guesthouse in Balapitiya. I have met Mrs Senanee & her mom, both so kindly, friendly people. The daughter is still at school we will meet later on today (lunchtime). Her husband is police officer in Colombo, he comes home only once per week we will meet later. Also I went to the orphanage for a short introduction. The staff-lady hardly speak English, but the little kids do! They are sooo lovely, the little girls. Not all were there as some of the girls are at school now. But the rest was introducing themselves in English. How good! One of them even spelled my name on the billboard like "Dyana".

It is now 10.30hrs, I can have some rest till 12hrs then Nadeen & Maria (2 other volunteers) will come for lunch to the guesthouse. They work at the same orphanage and also stays in the same guesthouse. After lunch I will join them to the orphanage....I can hardly wait :-)

Het was een vermoeiende reis, maar alles is goed verlopen. Ik ben net een kwartiertje in mijn hotelkamer in Colombo. Het is hier nu 12.00 uur 's middags, ik ga eerst even slapen, in het vliegtuig niet gelukt. Om 15u weer verzamelen met nog 2 andere meiden die ook in hetzelfde vliegtuig zaten, zijn ook met Projects Abroad hier (1 uit Duitsland en 1 uit Denemarken). Zij gaan overigens wel naar andere projecten, maar blijven ook vandaag hier bij het hotel. We zitten echt midden in Colombo, wat hectisch hier zeg....dacht dat we al meteen zouden verongelukken op weg naar het hotel. Vanavond komt er iemand van de organisatie om samen te eten, dat is wel prettig. Het is hier eigenlijk best wel een beetje eng, hi, hi!

Today I have had my last working day before my trip to Sri Lanka. Next working day at Bolsius is Wednesday the 28th of March, how crazy to have such a long period off....

My suitcase is packed upto 30 kilo (the max).  I am really looking forward to go over there! Tomorrow and Saturday my family and friends will come along to say goodbye....Sunday morning I will leave to the airport Schiphol, flight leaves at 14.15hrs for arrival on Monday morning ± 8.30hrs in Colombo.

So from next week on you can follow me on this tripblog with my stories about my experiences to work as an volunteer in an orphanage in Sri Lanka.
Cheers!
Diana

   I strongly believe that you find out what you are made of through challenging yourself and being open to expereince new places, cultures, and ideas.

   This is exactly what I plan to do in Sri Lanka, volunteering and assisting local midwives! Becoming a nurse midwife has become a passionate ambition of mine. And on my journey to becoming one, it has been a priority for me to experience labor and delivery and the care of women and newborns in another country. I have been working full time as a labor and delivery nurse in NY for the past 3 years and have finally found the right timing to coordinate such a trip.

   Projects Abroad has caught my eye as I have been researching ways to volunteer and explore what midwifery is globally. I am so excited that they have accepted me into thier program, and I can not wait to learn more about birth in Sri Lanka!

   My trip is booked and plane tickets purchased for my 1 month long volunteer project this August. This is the start of an amazing adventure!