February 27, 2014

So I go on line this morning to transfer money from my Canadian account to my Sri Lankan account and I get this message that it cannot be done at this time due to a holiday or a treasury cut off.  Like an idiot, I start phoning HSBC in Canada who tell me that the problem is at the Sri Lankan end and the Sri Lankan may have imposed a  restriction on incoming funds.  I call HSBC Sri Lanka only to find out that the reason I can't do the transfer is because it is a public holiday here.  Some Hindu thing.  I should have known.  This place has more public holidays than any other country in the world.  No wonder it is underdeveloped.

February 24, 2014

 Jayanthi went back to Colombo yesterday.  It feels lonely without her.

I finally got my lease agreement signed for a further year.  I have a 3 month escape clause, so I am actively looking for another place.  One year goes by rapidly and I know I don't want to put up with my landlady for longer than I have to.  I know that next year she will try to jack up the rent big time, so it is time to move on.  At least now I have some breathing space.

The thing I will miss most about this place is the garden.  The latest is a tailor bird that has set up a nest in the avocado tree.

This is the tailor bird, or to be more precise, the common tailor bird

Here is the nest.  As you can see, it had stitched the leaves together perfectly and then filled up the space with all manner of soft materials.

The leaf at the top is set up to shelter from the rain, while the leaf at the bottom is like a veranda

Here is the front view.  If you look closely to the lower left of the nest you can see that it managed to get hold of some actual thread which it has used to secure the veranda.

Here is the stitching detail

This is a closeup of the nest itself

Here is my Madagascar periwinkle with lots of blooms

We continue to give flowers to the Buddha and the rest of the house every day when Veenitha is here.  Now we have added a small coconut oil lamp as well.  Here are some lovely frangipani that Veenitha gets from her garden along with some jasmine.

February 15, 2014

So much for the working life.  I was at the school for 5 days after which I fired them.  In all my working days, I have never seen an organization that was that messed up.  No personnel files, no student files, teachers coming and going as they pleased leaving classes unattended.  I could not even find out what the tuition fees were.  It seems that they decide as they go.  Boys doing drugs in the washrooms with no consequence.  Gang fights.  One student was hospitalized for 2 weeks after a fight.  No suspensions, let alone expulsions.  One grade 11 math class that has to get ready to write the government A level exams was only 1/4 of the way through the syllabus with only 1 and 1/2 months left to go.  Who knows what the teachers' qualifications are.  No office to sit and talk with parents about their child.  They do it in the hallways.  No parent/teacher conferences.  No PTA.  Every bathroom is leaking and stinks.  No extra-curricular activities of any kind.  No real sports programme.  A principal who does no administrative work, only teaches and hides in his classroom.  Special needs students just dumped in classrooms with teachers not knowing what to do with them.  On and on.  I am so glad to be out of there.

Jayanthi is back now, so we are up to our old tricks, scheming about something we can do to make money.  Moving to the plantation may be back on the table as well.  I wish she would decide as I am actively looking for another place to live.  I don't want to move twice.

I harvested some turmeric root from my garden.

For the last 2 days, I have been at my friends, the Kawasakis, helping them put up their over 100 paintings and other wall decorations.  What a task.  Anyway, now it id done and they are very happy.  They have a lot of Buddha images and statues.  One in particular, I really admired, so they gave it me.  For some reason, they did not like it.  So it is now happily living in my garden room with my Buddha statue.

 

The view of the painting when you come down the stairs first thing in the morning.  Very lovely and calming sight.

I love the simplicity and serenity of this Buddha.

Off to look at houses for rent today.  It will be interesting to see what is out there.

February 5, 2014

Be careful what you wish for.  I have been complaining that I had nothing to do.  Well the universe has taken care of that.  I got a job.  There is a large private school in Kandy called Ecole Internationale.  It is the oldest private school in Kandy, founded in 1980.  They needed an English teacher for two grade 9 commerce classes.  So they hired me.  However, the place is administratively a shambles.  As a result of deteriorating standards, they have lost 500 students over the last 5 years.  The founder's brother, who resides in Ireland has taken up the fight and is trying to bring things back from the brink.  So instead of teaching English, I have become one of two advisers who are tasked with the job of revamping every administrative procedure. 

So now, it is up every morning at 5.  Pickup at 7 and off we go. 

Today, I managed to put a proper staff attendance register in place.  School is supposed to start at 0725, but 3/4 of the staff including the principal breeze in at 0730 or 0731 after the bell rings.  No wonder the kids are late.  Got a proper leave procedure in place as well and at least a start on substitutions.  What a mess.  Teachers just don't show up and don't advise anyone.  Chandra and I went for a walk around this morning and found 3 middle school classrooms without teachers.

Also had an interesting request from a Muslim couple who want us to introduce a uniform including the hijab, the head scarf, for the Muslim girls, regardless of age.  We had a discussion, and thankfully everyone agreed that it isa  ludicrous idea.  So tomorrow, I have to tell the parents we are not going to do it and if they decide to send their children somewhere else as a result, so be it.

So far very interesting.  The other bit of good news is that they may be able to help with my visa situation, plus there is a swimming pool and a tennis court on site.  The tennis court is neglected, but we are going to  refurbish it with lighting and all.  Clay courts.  Wonderful!

As I am looking for another house anyway, I am going to look in that area.  The school is in an area called Digana which is about 6 km east of Kandy.  It is very close to the Victoria Dam, a beautiful golf course, the international cricket stadium, etc.  Very up and coming.  So with any luck, I will find a nice place out there for Rs.30,000 of less and will not have to travel as far to get to school.  Plus the other bonus is my maid Veenitha lives out there as well, so it will be easier for her.

Things are shaping and looking up.