I embarked on my first full day at Gandarawatte school today, kicking off with the pre-school in the morning. The children proved to be real characters, and the language barrier certainly did not hinder an enjoyable session of drawing, block building, and general mayhem. I also experienced my first tea break at the school, which is a daily demonstration of the generosity and hospitality of the Sri Lankan people – manifesting itself as more food than we could possible eat. Lunchtimes are a similar story, as families in the village take turns to welcome us, each flooding us with amazing food.

In the afternoon we had a fruitful discussion group with the young adults, focusing on daily routines. As always, our lesson had, by the end, descended into joking and open conversation. This relaxed style is, we find, equally valuable in terms of language development and cultural exchange, and is a hugely encouraging sign of their growing confidence and competence in using English.

After this I took a class of younger children, whose eagerness to learn is endless, during which we looked at (and, embarrassingly, imitated) animals. We ended with some outdoor play, before heading back to Moonbridge, tired, but very content after what was a productive and rewarding day.