LINZ

Oh by the way, yesterday whilst eating my rock salted pretzels on SriLankan airlines flying over Austria there's this place called LINZ, thought my follower might enjoy that fact!!

Winilla ? Winilla?

In a lovely hotel, we have our Saturday into Sunday stay, and at lunch we walk along to the restaurant, we task a seat and are asked by a (not so good at speaking English) man what drink we'd like.  Mother wants a fizzy orange (not problem) and i ask for a milkshake and in his unweary speaking the man starts to list strawberry, pineapple, berrie, wanilla.
I really genuinely think whats winilla, is that a fruit.

"Winilla, winilla?" 

The man says yes and i order that, coming to the table was a vanilla milkshake.  It then occurs to me that the Sri Lankan people have a funny way of saying stuff, how embarrassing !! - oops

Gems Galoure

On Friday 16th July, we set off at 5am to welegama so i could present a lectern to the sponsor school the Ellon supports, with nothing prepare my speech was limited - "i hope you can understand me (half of them at this point with blank faces), I'm Matthew from Ellon Academy, and i present (my mind goes blank) and i say nothing (pause, very long one.  Mum snaps some pics) these !!!!!! Then we were shown the 'new' toilets, and the it was explained we (the school in Scotland) designed them .... i took some snaps  for the school.

We travelled about 1hour to the Berulage Gems & Jewellery Moonstone Mine, were shown around the mine, and then put under serious pressure of buying a few gems, El caved in and bought a moonstone ring and a white Sapphire (sri lankan diamond) i bought a green emerald ring.

Ahh help ...

Help me ..... my facebook is not accepting me as an account member, nor is bt internet luckily I'm on twitter but its messing around a little !

Speak soon
Me ...
Matt Von Squeak

Oh Its Been A While .....

sorry i haven't been updating you guys but I've just been so busy relaxing, i mean thinking of lesson plans and sing songs.  I think i should share a song that i and mother made up, it go's like this :

hi hi hi
hi hi hi
hello hello hello
good morning good morning
hello hello hello
hi hi hi

Oh the children i teach are just so lovely, I've received a note from a fifth grade pupil (about 10yrs old) saying hello my name is ... and a bar of chocolate - how lovely,l so mum wrote back saying thank you and  made a friendship bracelet.  I've also bonded well with the art teacher surprise surprise, she gave me her address and a beautiful picture she drew of parrots! - I'm going to send her one of my own pieces.  Oh shes big in character, a great laugh !! - that's a good thing.

The new volunteers have arrived, they seem lovely (well they would be, being volunteers and all) their names are Flossy and Rhys, from west London i think.

Off to have some tea at Bijou restaurant update you later, Tarrah folks (feels good to be less well spoken)
Matt Von Squeak
XxX

Whats That Smell ?

Oh back to bed please, this is too early for me, well I'd presume for anyone really, 4:30am - no joke.  We were up for the fish market, quite excited about the whole thing.  As I arrived at the Fish Market in negombo, there was nobody there but behind me, bustling locals, selling and buying a range of sea foods from rye fish to giant king prawns. One big problem, I'm not one for keeping clean but fishy water and blood being splashed onto my legs - not a cool look, or smell for that matter!

To be truthful, my excitement was slowly disappearing and I began to feel sickly, luckily i had some milk shortcake biscuits with me so I nibbled on them.  The smell of the market was revolting but mother was encouraging me to enjoy myself, it didn't work but we had a giggle about it.  Although it was a strange experience, its something I think everyone should sea (get it sea and in ocean but i meant it like see!!), very remarkable think despite the downs.  As the time strikes (about) 6:30, I jumped in to the car to take myself and mother somewhere for breakfast. 

We finnisehed our breakfast by about 7am then had a nice stroll along the beach. Mum needed some new skirts so we asked a small woman in her small shop if she had any (yes this does sound like a children's story but oh well) small dresses for mother.  And a few minutes later mum had bought 2 beautiful skirts for 1200 rupees.

By the time of 7:30 we had Tuk Tuk'ed our way back to the hotel.  Oh my days I'm ready for my bed.  Slept until 9ish had a swim, and had lunch (cheese spread omelet and chips. I've not seen a block of cheese in the local shop - food city, what an ace name!)

Oh my, what an adventurous day I've had .... speak to you soon
Matt Von Squeak
XxXxX

caterpillAr or caterpillEr ?? - lets go 50:50

Oh you wont believe what my mums done .... well she was preparing for a lesson, based on the hungry caterpillar story.  I suggested we could make cards of true and false statements for the students, so mum set off doing that.  By the end of the fourth card she re-read the statements and realised she spelt caterpillar wrong.  Every card started with "The Hungry Caterpiller ate ..." and she really meant caterpillAr - duh!!

Busy As A Bumble Bee

Today 1st July has been calmer and more relaxed, i think I'm getting more used to the surroundings and am getting my appetite back at last!!

This morning in rained a lot in a short amount of time, listening from in my air-conditioned room.  oh my days it was cool last night in the room if not cold and i nor my mum consumed many more mosquito bites - yey.

Today i had an early wake up call, 6am ready for our work in one of the many local schools.  I left the Greenland Hotel at 7am and finished working at 1:30pm.

I had some water and fruit for breakfast with a half packet of cheesy cheddar crisps, and and now feeling like having some sandwich or chips, off to the Tuk Tuk, update you all soon!

Giving my love from toasting hot Negombo,
Matt Von Squeak
XXX