This morning we were invited to help on an English course for students external to Sabaragamuwa University.There were about 100 students present, ranging from ages 15-50. We then split into 5 different groups, and led discussions on a range of topics, including education, religion, marriage, and social life. This was a really interesting time for both the Durham students and the external students, and revealed lots of information about Sri Lankan life to us. At the end of the session, we were each asked to give a small presentation to the group on what we had learnt. It was a really enjoyable morning, and the students there seemed very appreciative of the opportunity to practice their english skills on native speakers!
Following an invitation from the vice chancellor, we spent the afternoon helping at a course run to improve the English skills of secretaries that work here at Sabaragamuwa. Everyone involved was so friendly and welcoming to us, that it was a pleasure working with them. It was an informal afternoon, during which time we described famous English attractions, and traditional British recipes. We also were told to make some traditional Sri Lankan dishes, such as roti and dahl.
We spent the evening with some second year social sciences students, who had asked us to join them for a party they were hosting. An annual event that is designed to welcome in the new intake of students, the party held much traditional Sri Lankan dancing, singing, and speeches. We all felt very honored to have been invited along, and it was fantastic to sample the student social life in Sabaragamuwa.