Suddenly school life is over and a whole new world is opening up and perhaps for the first time you can really make decisions about what you are going to do next.

More and more people are choosing to take a Gap Year, a break in between the normal school to university life. A gap year can be a space in which to experience new opportunities, explore the world of different people, different beliefs, different cultures ,and it can also be a great opportunity to mold your approach to your future.

Sri Lanka is an amazing location for a gap year - an inexpensive Island, extremely friendly people, rich in culture and adventure.  Whether you are interested in interning, volunteering, teaching English or getting experience to teach English as a secondary language, or learning the culture or religion we likely have a unique gap year program for you to work with the people in remote village schools. Taking a gap year in Sri Lanka can be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable life experiences for people from all ages.  

Looking at a map of Sri Lanka one feels a touch of amazement that so much can happen in this pearl shape island, tucked between the Indian subcontinent and the endless Indian Ocean! It is a beautiful Island, of astounding valleys and mountains with its breathtaking scenery, is home to our current volunteering projects.

Our volunteers are working in large primary schools based in Southern District of Galle as well as in a secondary school and several small rural primary schools in the Island. Teaching English is the main focus of these projects although volunteers have also been active in teaching drama, sports and science

Southern District of Galle Photo by Dharmasiri Weerasinghe

All of our projects are Sri Lankan Government sponsored community based programmes giving volunteers the opportunity to immersed in village life  and  learn from, as well as help the local people.

Sri Lanka is not a strange place. It is a major holiday destination in the world, situated just 20 miles off India, the island formerly known as Ceylon is home to 21 million people. The Resplendent Isle is one of gorgeous beaches, famous for old British tea plantations and ancient cities, Scuba dive, elephant orphanage, a lagoon of singing fish, dense jungle, many of modern Buddhist shrines and temples.

   
A Sri Lankan school Photo by Dharmasiri Weerasinghe

A Buddhist Temple -Photo by Dharmasiri Weerasinghe

Accommodation

Sri Lanka is always full of tourists and there are large number of tourist beach hotels scattered all over the Island. These can be expensive for students. In order to enjoy the rich and varied holiday assets of the country on a modest budget, the Ceylon Tourist Board has set up a network of Resorts called Rest Houses in prime locations in Nuwara Eliya, Bandarawela, Anuradhapura, Kataragama and Bentota. Set in exceptionally scenic and salubrious locations in premier hill-stations, hallowed and historic shrines and beaches, these resorts also offer superb sightseeing with the bonus of moderately priced, comfortable "home away from home" accommodation with an authentic Sri Lankan flavour and comprehensive facilities. (http://www.srilankatourism.org/holiday.php)

Our Mission

 

This is a Project work under SEMP project,By the Ministry of Education in Sri Lanka.

Walking through the blossoming  countryside of Batuwangala, a village adjacent to the largest and well preserved rain forest as the backdrop, the volunteers can walk from their own village houses to local primary schools. Batuwangala village is surrounded by lush tea plantations with occasional paddy fields, vegetable plots, rubber estates scattered over.Here the volunteers can teach basic English and a choice of extra-curricular activities such as football, Cricket, painting, singing or dancing, and become immersed in village life with the Local people who are mainly Sinhala Buddhists. Eastern dancing is also a common traditional teaching by traditional dancers.Eastern dancing is also a common traditional teaching by traditional dancers. Among Village youth there are talented dancers who are willing to share their knowledge.Many village children only have the chance of primary  and secondary education - so you can help where the need is greatest.

Most of the time it may be raining here in Batuwangala except in December and January. Climate is cool and comfortable. No air conditioning is required. The out door activities are to be organized with lot more care with the prevailing weather conditions. But hiking, Expeditions, volunteer work campaigns can be organized.

Annual school calendar consist of "Sila samadhi", a frequent Buddhist group meditation exercise, annual school trips, annual sports events Etc. As the waterfalls are nearby, occasionally, when students feel bored, they visit the waterfall. There are 5 waterfalls nearby approximately 2 km. from the school. One water fall is with in 50 meters.

 

The nearest regional city is Galle which is the capital of the southern province and it is about 65 KM from Batuwangala and can be reached in 2 hours by public transport. UNESCO declared World Heritage Site, the magnificent Dutch fort is the most popular attraction of the Galle  town. 300 year old Dutch atmosphere is still very much alive around the fort and amidst its many historical buildings not invaded by the skyscrapers.. Nearest beach resorts are Hikkaduwa and Unawatuna and can also be reached in two hours.

Jungle Life-Photo by Dharmasiri Weerasinghe

The Temple where, the earliest collection of Buddhist teachings (The Tripitaka ) was written down in the third century B.C.E.-Photo by Dharmasiri Weerasinghe

Modern day view of the Ancient city of Anuradapura,(900 BC) -Initially Anuradhapura was at least 10 Hectares (25 Acres) by ca. 900 BC (perhaps much more). By then prehistoric stone tool technology had been completely superseded by that of iron Photo by Dharmasiri Weerasinghe

Kandy Temple -Photo by Dharmasiri Weerasinghe