5-7th December 2011 - Days 4-6

Monday 5th December - Day 4

Our first sessions were today... and we managed to sleep through all the alarms and wake up 30mins late! Bad start!
We got in our tuktuks on time and headed for the Guide Head Quarters - and got lost, the tuktuk drivers had no idea where they were going. They drove round in circles, asked for directions and then ignored them! One tuktuk very nearly got squashed by a rubbish truck, who quite obviously hadn't seen the red traffic lights that everyone else had stopped for! We eventually arrived at the Head Quarters, quite late (9.15am) (not through our sleeping in though!) and Kush (the International Commissioner) was in quite a panic, she had no idea where we had got to and was worried that we hadn't arrived - she then had an argument with the driver on our behalf because he'd charged us for all the time he'd been lost!

Human knot icebreaker with the SLGGA Office Staff

Our first session started an hour and a half later and we had 6 staff from the Girl Guide Office and shop. We were running the workshops over 3 days, to cover office skills in English. The staff had a mixed level of both English and confidence. The first session covered telephone skills and meetings. The feedback we got was that we spoke too fast, but that we were very friendly and they had had lots of fun! :)

5 in a 3 seater?

We ventured out for lunch, being taken to a local mall by Shantha's (Chief Comm's) driver. Jo managed to bag the front seat and the rest of us piled into the back - 4 sat on the three seats and Nicola perched half on the arm rest and half on our laps!! We had food and returned in the same squashed car to the HQ.

What does a Rainbow Leader look like?

Our next session was on Training Leaders in the Rainbow programme - this one started on time! We had 11 participants, most of who were already Silvannas (Brownie Leaders), including the Deputy Chief Comm and the Director for Little Friends (Brownies). They were very enthusiastic to learn about Rainbows in the UK. We introduced them to Girlguiding UK's Rainbow programme - the jigsaw pieces, promise and roundabouts, as well as some fun songs that Rainbows enjoy. We also played 'I'm a Leader because....' which they really found fun! The feedback from this session was really enthusiastic asking for lots more of everything!

Becky and Jo trying on saris

Just incase we hadn't packed our first training day with enough things already we headed to the local shops to go sari shopping! We took Yamuna and Mangala (Deputy Chief Comm) with us to help us and they were great! We visited three different shops before settling on our final choices - an array of colourful saris in blue, burgandy, purple, turquoise, silver and black. We chose the style of jacket we wanted and the tailor measured us for the design... all due on the 20th December, so keep checking back for the photos!!

Dinner - rotis and prawn curry! Sorting resources and bedtime - with twice as many alarms set for tomorrow!!



Tuesday 6th December - Day 5

Mad Hatter's tea party - practicing talking in English

We woke up on time today, to lots and lots of alarms and toast! We had new pair of tuktuk drivers, ones who knew their way around, and so we made it to HQ in plenty of time. We arrived to see a DHL van, the box we had sent (due last Thursday) had finally arrived - and we sent it back, they wanted 9000Rs (about 60GBP)! The box has been...fun, we arrived to be given a letter asking for 20,000Rs (130GBP) which we weren't going to pay for a box of stationery! So off went the DHL man, with our box...grr :(

Alive, Alert, Awake, Enthusiastic!

This was the second session of the TESL for SLGGA Office staff - today we had 7 staff (4 returning from yesterday, and 3 new people!). We looked at giving presentations as well as giving and following instructions. The feedback was all great - we had learned to speak slower and everyone had really enjoyed the morning.
Lunch today was a visit to Mango Tree - we shared two biriyanis between the six of us as the meals were so big!

Looking at the Rainbow Roundabout

Fun and games

Next was our second Rainbows workshop, everyone arrived as enthusiastically as they had left yesterday! We had 7 participants and they took part in biscuit decorating, learning the Rainbow song, looking at uniforms from around the world and making up their own games using one random object. This caused lots of laughing and enabled everyone to pretend to be a 5 year old! The feedback this time was that they were learning lots whilst having lots of fun!

Biscuit decorating

...and, the box finally arrived and stayed and it was free of charge - thank you Natalie at DHL Croydon!

More games

Friendship circles

Dinner was pasta and meatballs! We then sorted resources, which ended up being hilarious as we got a little sidetracked talking about the days ahead! (Maybe we were a little hyperactive from all the local syrup...made from a palm tree!)

Wednesday 7th December - Day 6

Asking questions - with smarties

Tuktuk drivers were all good today, same as yesterday! :)

Us at HQ with Sanuthi

Today was the last session of TESL for the office staff. We had 3, then 5, then none...., then 3, then 4! :) We covered customer service, dealing with difficult customers and questioning techniques. One of the ladies brought us string hoppers with coconut and honey for a snack and wood apples for later! The session went well and the feedback was that everything we did had been useful to them, one of the women said it was, 'the best opportunity she had had in her life!'
Lunch was brought by Shantha today and we ate it at the HQ - we had prawn/veggie lasagne and apple soda.

Dancing Rainbow Leaders

Our last Colombo Rainbow workshop was today. We did lots of singing and games, talked about badges and uniform ideas. The Badger song got adapted... "Here I am on my TukTuk, riding along on my big, fat tuk tuk...' Whilst running the session we stopped twice to visit a Little Friend enrollment and a flying up ceremony.

Enrollment

Flying up

Us with the District Commissioner for Colombo

Toast... giant toast

Van and Cat's evening was spent messing around in the pool singing louding and splashing lots!
Dinner was giant toast (Roas Pan) with stew, followed by icecream (except Nicola, who ate a bowl of syrup!)

Today Yamuna had offered to help us out with our washing and drying - she showed us this evening how it gets dried... see photo!

Our washing - pants on the line...