MY SRILANKAN EXCHANGE PROGRAMME

ON 19th June 2007, GROUP OF 1O STUDENTS AND TWO TEACHERS OF MYSCHOOL, BOARDED THE SRILANKAN AIRLINES TO REACH COLOMBO.WE WERE THE PIONEERS FOR THE EXCHANGE PROGRAME. THE DESTINATION WAS HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL, BAMBILIPITIYA COLOMBO. THE PROGRAMME WAS ORGANISED BY INDIAN – SRILANKAN FOUNDATION.                
THE GROUP WAS CORDIALLY RECEIVED BY A PROTOCOL OFFICER OF THE INDIAN HIGH COMMISSION IN SRILANKA, AND THE VICE – PRINCIPAL SR.MANGALIKA OF HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL. THE INITIAL HURDLE WAS TO CONVERT THE US DOLLARS INTO THE SRILANKAN RUPEES. THE STUDENTS WERE ASKED TO TAKE IT UP  AS A CHALLENGE AND IN THIS LEARNING PROCESS EVERYBODY SUCCEEDED.THE JOURNEY FROM THE BANDARNAIAKE AIRPORT TO THE HOLY FAMILY CONVENT TOOK AS ABOUT AN HOUR.


THE GROUP WAS RECEIVED BY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL SR.CHANDANI. THE STUDENTS WERE ACCOMMODATED WITH THE STUDENTS IN THE BOARDING HOUSE.THE OFFICIAL WELCOME WAS A GRAND AFFAIR, THE GROUP WAS WELCOMED BY THEIR MESMORISING EASTERN BAND IN THEIR TRADITIONAL COSTUME. AFTER THE WELCOME SPEECH THE INDIAN STUDENTS INTRODUCED THEMSELVES TO THE FAMILIAN STUDENTS OF SRILANKA. DURING THE SCHOOL HOURS STUDENTS ATTENDED THEIR HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY CLASSES. A SPECIAL POWER POINT PRESENTATION ON SRILANKA’S HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY WAS SHOWN TO THE INDIAN STUDENTS. THE STUDENTS WERE INTRODUCED TO


THE RELIGIONS- BUDDHISTS, HINDUS, CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS


THE COMMUNITIES-SINGHALESE, TAMILIANS, BURGER


THE FAMILIAN STUDENTS WERE DRESSED IN THE ATTIRE BASED ON THE RELIGION AND COMMUNITY. THE STUDENTS ALSO SERVED FOOD ACCORDING TO THEIR CUSTOMS.


MY STUDENTS ALSO ATTENDED THEIR WESTERN MUSIC, ORIENTAL MUSIC AND DANCE CLASSES. THEY ALSO TRIED TO LEARN A FEW ORIENTAL DANCING STEPS.




THE FAMILIANS HAD ORGANISED INTERACTIVE SESSIONS IN WHICH THE STUDENTS SHARED THEIR THOUGHTS, IDEAS, SOCIAL ISSUES ETC. THIS PROCESS HELPED THEM TO UNDERSTAND AND BE FRIENDLY TO EACH OTHER. THEY ALSO MADE MANY FRIENDS AND EXCHANGED EMAIL ID’S DURING THESE SESSIONS. MANY VALUE BASED GAMES WERE ALSO ORGANISED DURING THESE SESSION. THE STUDENTS OF HOLY FAMILY CONVENT WERE ASSIGNED VARIOUS DUTIES TO MAKE OUR STAY COMFORTABLE AT THEIR SCHOOL.


AFTER SCHOOL HOURS THE STUDENT GROUP WAS TAKEN TO HISTORY MUSEUM, MOUNT LATIVINIA BEACH, SHOPPING CENTRES LIKE ODEL AND MAJESTIC CITY, HOUSE OF FASHION.


ANOTHER DAY THE STUDENTS WERE TAKEN TO A PLACE CALLED KANDY (KANDHA-HILLS). ON OUR WAY TO KANDY WE WERE TAKEN TO AN ELEPHANT ORFANAGE AT PINNAWALA, A TEA ESTATE AT HANTANNA AND A GEMS SHOWROOM. AT THE GEMS SHOW ROOM STUDENTS WERE EXPLAINED ABOUT VARIOUS TYPES OF GEMS AND WERE ALSO SHOWN A MOVIE ON GEMS MINING.


THE STUDENTS WERE TAKEN TO A KANDIAN CULTURAL SHOW AT MALIGAWA. THE STUDENTS ALSO VISITED THE BUDDHIST SACRED TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH AT KANDY.




ON A SUNDAY SCHOOL, THE STUDENTS WERE SENT TO 10 DIFFERENT SRILANKAN FAMILIES TO SPEND THE DAY. INITIALLY THE STUDENTS WERE LITTLE HESITANT TO MEET UNKNOWN PEOPLE, BUT WHEN THEY RETURNED THEY WERE VERY HAPPY TO BE SENT AND WERE AFFIRMATIVE THAT THEY HAD GREAT DAY.




THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL WAS GLAD TO INNAUGRATE THEIR SCHOOL AUDITORIUM IN OUR PRESENCE, ON OUR LAST DAY OF JOURNEY TO SRILANKA. THE PROGRAMME BEGAN WITH PRAYERS AND THEN THE SRILANKAN STUDENTS PERFORMED THEIR CULTURAL PROGRAMME FOLLOWED BY INDIAN STUDENTS CULTURAL PERFORMANCE. THE SHOW CONCLUDED WITH THE SCHOOL ANTHEMS OF BOTH THE SCHOOLS AND NATIONAL ANTHEMS OF BOTH THE COUNTRIES. THE INDIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM WAS SUNG BY THE SRILANKAN SCHOOL BAND WHICH LEFT US SPEECHLESS.




ON OUR WAY TO THE AIRPORT THE GROUP VISITED THE INDIAN HIGH COMMISSION AND WERE ADDRESSED BY HIGH COMMISSIONER HIS EXCELLENCY MR.ALOK PRASAD.




THE EXCHANGE PROGAMME NOT ONLY ENRICHED THE STUDENTS ABOUT EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL COOPERATION BUT ALSO MADE THEM FAMILIAR TO THE SRILANKAN HOSPITALITY AND SIMPLICITY.