Rajni Kanda / Teaching - Sri Lanka / British

I enjoyed every part of my placement. I enjoyed teaching at all 4 schools, especially the after-school class at Mary Immaculate School. Most of all I loved the culture, the food (rice and curry), the country and it's people as a whole. I got the opportunity to travel every weekend and discover the entire country's most beautiful sites and landscapes. For example, I got to climb Adam's peak, visit Singaraja Rainforest, see the Ancient Cities, visit the beaches, etc etc. The list is endless. Basically my experience is impossible to describe in words.

Anyways, I wish Travellers good luck with its work, and wish it all the success in the world. I hope it will carry on making a difference in the world, and I look forward to maybe doing another placement with Travellers in the near future, maybe after I graduate next year

Jennie Elliot / Teaching - Sri Lanka / British

Really enjoying the teaching so far too. It was difficult at first while we all got used to planning lessons and motivating the kids, but my last couple of lessons have gone really well and my confidence is growing already. Most of the kids are really sweet and some will send presents and letters and want to talk to you at every opportunity.

The weather here is amazing too! The first thing that hit me when I walked out of the airport (in a bit of a daze, I have to admit!) was that it feels like walking into a greenhouse! Tropical plants and trees all over the place and the heat is a little overwhelming at first. You soon get used to it though and now we all enjoy lying around the pool at the Airport Garden Hotel in the afternoons in the glorious sunshine!

Carina Rogers / Teaching - Sri Lanka / British

I was lucky enough to have a friend to share the adventure with, as it turned out, we found that we were extremely compatible travelling partners (three months in each others pockets and not one argument – pretty impressive ay?!). All the other people we met out there had come on their own, but we all soon became one big happy family in the house. It was so nice to have the support and companionship of the others, it certainly gives you the confidence to do things you might not feel comfortable doing on your own.

One important fact that I learnt from this trip is that the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. It may sound an old cliché but it is so true. You can join in as much or as little as you want to. And being the type of people that Nat and I are – we took full advantage of every opportunity!

Anyone wanting a taste of the celebrity life style – I highly recommend this to you. I don’t know how many photos I had to pose for, how many autographs I had to sign, people will point and stare at you, at first its quite off putting, but funnily enough you soon get used to it and now that I am back in England, I have to admit that I miss all the attention!!

I have to mention that one thing I was quite worried about was the choice of food out there, being a veggie, I was rather worried that I was going to be stuck with nothing but rice and curry. Don’t get me wrong, I did eat my fair share of the stuff, and I actually quite like it now, I wasn’t a fan before. One great thing that happened while we were there, a KFC opened up in Ja Ela, a 10 minute walk from the house – we couldn’t believe our luck, and they do a wicked veggie burger and it is just SO cheap – you can get an ice-cream for 5p !

The general routine out there is that you work during the week and then you have the weekends free to explore the island. This works out perfectly, so every Friday afternoon we would venture off to different parts of the island. We did everything. From the rain forest to the beaches, Adam’s Peak, the Ancient Cities, the Elephant Orphanage, the Zoo, the tea plantations, the waterfalls, I could go on! We certainly made the most of the time we had there.

Nat and I used to play a lot of Basketball, but since we’ve been working, we never had the opportunity, so it was great for us being able to play everyday. So we convinced Roshan to buy us some bikes so we could cycle to the school every morning, it worked out brilliantly, you have to play before the sun comes up – otherwise it just gets too hot! We always played with some guys from our adult class and we had an audience of about 300 students watching us, they were fascinated to see that girls could play physical sport!

Now back at my desk and back into the same old routine that I once left behind, I cannot wait to go back out there – it has certainly left me hungry for more. Like I said before, I would recommend this adventure to anyone. I owe a lot to Travellers, as the knowledge that I gained, cannot be brought, only experienced

Debbie Atkinson / Teaching and Orphanage - Sri Lanka / British

Alice Ross / Teaching - Sri Lanka / British

The weekend trips were fantastic, the help the house boys and van drivers give is amazing, they really look after us. Van trips make going to sites like Adam's Peak do-able. The placement would suit open minded, fun, out going people who are good organisers and motivators. All the locals Sri Lankans were wonderful. Roshan and Nirangela were fantastic, Herani and the house boys all made our time in Sri Lanka.

They taught us lots about the places and country and looked after us. It was clear they had out best interests at heart. Sri Lanka is an amazing country and it was an excellent placement

Ruth Cox / Teaching - Sri Lanka / British

Helen Slater / Teaching - Sri Lanka / British

Claire Gethin / Teaching - Sri Lanka / British

The house is lovely, basic but lovely all the same. The boys and Niranjala are great. Roshan is an absolute diamond. The country is beautiful in every way. The people are great and so happy and helpful. I love working at the Orphanage and will make a point of doing an extra afternoon each week. I have also opted to keep the same Adult class at CECO on Tuesdays.

Yesterday, we did our first aid trip. I cried for hours after. We handed out packages in the 1st refugee camp near Galle and then went to another camp. They were entertaining the kids when we got there and everyone looked happy enough. People told us their stories whilst we unpacked the medical supplies. I rang home last night and cried some more. The locals from home have raised enough money to buy a fishing boat but I have got to arrange the purchase yet

Isabel Loftus / Teaching - Sri Lanka / British