After being at a party until 2am that morning the last place I wanted to be at 10am on Saturday morning was in Nintavur at the opening of our fisheries building but what is a chief special guest to do ? As team leader not only do I getting bigger garlands than anyone else but I get my name on the welcome b
anner as well. It was all a bit mortifying to say the least. It was a busy morning…there were ribbons to be cut….coconut trees to be planted…speeches to be made …tacky presents to receive and documents to be signed. Despite how it looks, no I haven’t just married some Sri Lankan guy , I merely was signing over the building to him. Back 
in early January on my second day in Ampara I went to the foundation ceremony of this building so it’s nice to be around to see the finished article. As well as the meeting hall and market building we set up the local farmer’s co-operative union and gave them some training in running same as well as giving them fish boxes and some money to get them going in a variety of fish related trades. It’s days l
ike these 
that make putting up with all the hassle out here worthwhile making you realise that you are part of something positive. And while as per usual they asked for more stuff the didn't labour the point, by and the large the speeches were very complementary of what we had done .
We recently got a new batch of GOAL t-shirts in and they have become hot fashion items in Sainthamaruthu. The gas thing is that all the national staff are always asking for t-shirts and then they will never wear them. Most of the office and senior staff consider it to be beneath themselves to wear t-shirts so as soon as this photo was taken most of them took them off.
In a fit of madness last weekend a few of us went for a hike in Gal Oya National Park which is 20kms south of Ampara town. The climb only took around an hour but the heat and our general lack of regular exercise meant that it was tough going. It was worth it in the end though, the views from the top were amazing, there are times you are so absorbed in the work and day to day hassles that you forget that this is a really beautiful country.
Ampara town not picturesque? How could you say such a thing Ciaran? Why only the other day I saw a particularly lovely tree, and a flower.... now that's picturesque! Ella.... its just a bit hilly
Posted by: Billy | November 30, 2006 at 01:53 PM