wonderful people, program, country

I spent 2 weeks volunteering at a IT school in Mawala, a small village an hour south of the capital. The school was a single room with 12 computers where children came to take 3-month classes on how to use Microsoft, the Internet, and other basics like how to turn on/off a computer and how to use a mouse. Since they have no computers in their homes or public schools, this was the only place that most children had any chance to learn about computers. I found almost all the children to be extremely receptive and very excited to learn. I had a great time interacting with them and learned just how much I take for granted when it comes to computers. For example, it never occurred to me that I would need to teach someone what it means to "click" with a mouse - but then I realized that these children couldn't know such a thing because they had never observed someone using a computer before.

The Projects Abroad staff was very supportive and checked in frequently to make sure everything was okay. They showed me how to get in contact with other volunteers and gave me lots of information on how to get around the city/country. They placed me with a good host family that had had numerous volunteers before (although I was their first American volunteer!). My host mother was an excellent cook and I learned to enjoy her spicy cooking.

The other volunteers I met were extremely friendly and were from all over the world. We became fast friends and I had a great time traveling with them during my free weekend. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with very friendly people, and my one free weekend turned out to be nowhere near enough time to see all the exciting places I wanted to see! This small island is packed with beautiful beaches, temples, and mountains and I recommend a longer stay if you have the time. But on the whole, I had a great time traveling and volunteering and would highly recommend the program!