Privileged

This week I felt privileged for two reasons, I had the responsibility of taking one of the babies from the orphanage to hospital and I attended the nurses graduation. 

I arrived at the orphanage as normal and had just finished changing the babies when the matron (who is a little scary) asked me to go to the hospital with three of the full time workers and four babies. I didn't really know why or what the plan was but I went with it...

Apparently outings are when the secret stash of nice clothing comes out, so I dressed my little girl in a really cute dress and pink shoes. 

I think it must have been the first time she'd worn shoes as she had a funny little stomping step when she tried walking in them which was just adorable! 

I'd guess she was maybe just under 18 months and then a tiny new born, a 10 month old and a 20 month came too. I had no idea what the hospital visit was for apart from that it had something to do with their ears. 

So I went ahead and clambered in a tuk tuk with the 3 workers and 4 babies (bit of a squeeze as they only seat 3!) and listened to them natter in Sinhalese. It all felt very surreal. 

The hospital was packed! There were people literally everywhere and stretchers would be rushed past with severely injured and ill people every moment or so. I have to say, it made my last hospital visit in the UK seem luxury! 

Usually being the only white people around, I'm used to getting stares and the Sri Lankan's are really not sly about it. But wow. The hospital trip took it to another level. Seeing a white girl in the hospital AND carrying a Sri Lankan baby appeared to be like looking at one of the wonders of the world for them!! A word of warning, Sri Lanka is not a place for the self conscious. 

It turns out the visit was for the babies to have their ears cleaned by a massive sucking pipe, much to their dislike... 

Undercover filming

...and boy did they need it... one of the babies had eight flies sucked out of her ears!!  

The little girl that I took was so well behaved and sweet and fell asleep in my arms on the way home. I found myself getting a little tearful as I'd really felt like her mum for a couple of hours, I'd taken care of her and comforted her when she got scared and now here I was taking her back to the orphanage. It's so hard knowing that they don't have that sort of love and care all of the time. 

As I said, I also attended the graduation for the nurses in the year above the class I help with English. To our surprise, we were treated as special guests! I was even asked to come to the front and light a candle to which their was a long awkward pause as I struggled with the simple task. 

it was so interesting seeing the ceremony, especially as I have my own coming up in November! 

Here's a few snips of what it entailed... 

National Anthem (and what a jolly anthem it was) and flags raised.

Religious service taken by two Monks. Now no disrespect intended... But I began to think that someone was playing a bit of a prank. We all stood throughout to show our respect and I was boiling from the start, literally, I was melting...sweat dripping all over the place (I hope I've given you good visuals)... And  the service just went on and on and on and on and on and on. Seriously, I had back ache by the end. The nurses then went up to the Monks and washed their faces with (probably holy) water and got white string tied around their wrists then prayed and touched their feet. 

Receive their nurses caps 

All given a candle ( I think it was symbolic of something) and they recited something in synchronisation. 

They all stood opposite their parents and handed them a flower. I thought this was a nice touch.

Dances, some of which were the nurses that I teach. 

Speech after speech after speech. You think speeches in the UK drag, well try listening to them in a different language! 

Both of these events this week again showed how good it is to not just travel, but to volunteer. It's so unlikely I would have got to do such things otherwise and it's these sort of moments that will stick with me and make me feel that I've really got to know and experience the Sri Lankan Culture...and from an inside view rather than as a tourist. 

 Like I said...privileged X