Our School Concert Was A Success!

In Sri Lanka, kids graduate each grade in December. The last two months are spent preparing for a school concert; which is a really BIG deal! In November, I continued to help out my one day a week, especially helping the kids practice dances and English speeches that they would perform at the concert. When December came and Cody left, I went to school every week day to help the kids and teachers. Their last two months of school only consist of concert prep. But I couldn't let my kids education ride on that; so I would go to school 9-12, come home, feed the kids, and spend the afternoon homeschooling. It was a busy, crazy schedule all month, especially with making costumes and also preparing for our Christmas festivies and program at the same time. But it was all well worth it! 

Two days before the concert we started 6 hour rehearsals and the day of the concert was around 7 hours long. We have 150 students and each child performed at least one drama, dance or speech and was presented gifts upon graduation. They included my kids in the gifts, which was special. Koda and Kenai performed a dance and did a great job!  

The best part about the whole thing, was the friendships that grew with the teachers and every interaction I had with top M*slim officials. I built some great friendships with many of the parents, all of whom are M*slim. I even dialogued with some throughout the concert about different beliefs in their Qur*n and such. During the concert, I helped Kavitha, my close friend and head teacher, run the show thanking guest speakers and such. When each of the high ranking officials spoke, at the end of their speeches each one of them thanked me specifically for teaching their kids English and coming all the way from America to help them. I was honored beyond belief! One of them even commented on the way I dressed in their local attire- salwars; and thanked me for being conservative (unlike other tourists). It was an overall amazing experience. But now I'm resting!!!!!!