From:  Conny Baumann
Date:  Friday Aug 5, 2005
Subject: "Time has no meaning"

To think that this time next week I will be home, more than likely doing my washing...in a machine, and packing for the winter days of South Africa.  It does seem like I have been here forever and that no matter how little you do it is better than nothing.  London seems so far away, and yet I know that when I arrive back, it will feel like I have never been, and everything will become distorted once again in reality.

Well the camp is now done.  All the toilets work, with a door and a roof, and the showers are all enclosed again, so hopefully that will make life a little easier.  We had a ceremony for the recreational/study centre yesterday, and had an official opening, red ribbon and all.  And I was told I had to wear a sari!  I am sure I amuse them at times, and can only imagine what their thoughts are.  But got the sari on anyway, with almost every second woman trying to alter it and outdo the last woman.  I must confess I did feel sort of like a princess!  with everyone around me dressing me up in gorgeous flowing blue material.  (Maria, we now have another sari for parents evening:-) )  The kids all got dressed in white, and they looked lovely.  My bunch of teenage boys, were typical teenage boys, I am really attached to them after spending the whole week with them. I never thought I would enjoy working with teenage boys, but actually, it was good fun.  Anyway back to the opening ceremony.  All the women started disappearing in their tents, and one by one they came out looking lovely.  Apparently this is the first time they have got dressed up since the Tsunami.  So that was good.  It was lovely, and it did feel like finally, despite everything, this house/centre was going to bring them together again.

I know have a new ring tone on my phone, thanks to the boys...who sang, recorded it and made it my ring tone, yep they seem to know more about my phone than I do!  The only problem is now I just think its background music, and keep forgetting to answer it, but it does make me laugh.   Today we are having a party at about five thirty for everyone.  Caroline and Martin will be coming as well as they arrived in Galle late Wednesday night, think they still slightly jet lag, as I got a phone call this morning from two very sleepy bunnies who had over slept by far!  Bless them.  There is this family that live on the road side next to the canal, I often refer to them as the water rats, cause really they definitely must be living with a few, they often sleep in the road, I guess the rats can't get them there.  They have been in my head for days, so last night we got them some cooked rice and dropped it off.  Everyone must have thought I was totally nutty for even suggesting a doggy bag, a bag to take home if you have food left over.  We had a huge plate of rice that no one had even touched.  I wish I could give them more, just need to think about it, so that is what I will be up to for the next few days before returning home, maybe some toothbrushes and soap and food parcels with veg.

I have also met some great people, some nutters, some threatening to kill me and then apologizing two days later and telling me they were on magic circles!  and now promises not to do that again, yep?  the tuk tuk drivers that know me all seem to have some huge paternal instinct to protect me, and will make the nutters go away if they are near me.  Sweet actually, not that the nutters will harm me, as they are so drugged up they can hardly stand, and all they keep asking for is food, which they resell back to the shop to get their next kick.

But today, I am his best friend again, and now am his sister, only after I said we can go to the police station together and sort it out.  Think he thought I must have been for real, nutter, as if I would even put foot in a police station!  But it worked.   So there is always a scam somewhere.   Anyway, you all take care, I am sure you must have many stories to tell me about your summer and look forward to hearing about them soon.

love conny