ISLE Program

Photos below are from Session III of the 2004 group. There are photos from a number of field trips, cooking classes, the Halloween party, and the performance of the dance and drumming groups which highlighted the close of the session. Enjoy!

Professors Udaya Meddegama and Punchi Meegaskumbura accompanied the group to Kataragama.
Students Liz from Whitman and Flynn and Chris from Holy Cross join the professors
in observing the puja at Kataragama.


Flynn from Holy Cross, program assistant Lisa, and Chris from Holy Cross with the
Knuckles mountains in the background.



Meghan from Whitman, Chris from Holy Cross, program assistant Lisa, Flynn from Holy Cross,
Jess from Holy Cross, Alex from Colby, and Lydia from Whitman rest at a tea bungalow
in the hills during the Environmental Studies field trip.



Students on a safari in the Yala reserve.



Students enjoy an opportunity to cool off in the water on a break from the Yala safari.



Program assistant Lisa is joined by Liz from Whitman and Flynn from Holy Cross
to enjoy the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.



Faculty Director Shampa Biswas and her family enjoy a Southern Coast beach with
assistants Tristan and Lisa.



Students huddle together to stay warm after a rigorous midnight hike to Adam's Peak,
one of Sri Lanka's many multi-religious pilgrimage sites.



Harsha Seneviratne imparts wisdom in her cooking class.


Chris from Holy Cross teaches the children at the Singithi Sevana Children's Home
some new dance moves.


Assistant Tristan and Toby from Swarthmore lead the children at the Singithi Sevana Children's Home
in an energized round of jumping jacks during a game of "Simon Says."


Luke from Holy Cross and Lydia from Whitman show off their pumpkin-carving skills
at the Halloween Party in hopes of winning the contest.



Flynn from Holy Cross and Sumanasena wield sharp instruments.



The Halloween spirit lives in everyone!



Liz from Whitman, Chris and Flynn from Holy Cross, and program assistants Lisa and Tristan organized
a Halloween party at the Singithi Sevana Children’s Home, complete with
mask-making, trick-or-treating, and games.



There's just something about Halloween ...
~o~

Grin, from Whitman, presents the findings of her Independent Study
project on Tamil tea plantation workers.



Flynn Jeff, from Holy Cross, performs a dance from the low-country
tradition she studied intensively during Independent Study
as part of her presentation to the group.



Assistant Lisa, Delia from Swarthmore, Elizabeth from Grinnell, and Corinne from Whitman
adorn saris before attending the Dance and Drumming performance.



The girls Kandyan dance performance.






The Kandyan Drummers perform.







Chris from Holy Cross and Toby from Swarthmore were the only men who danced this year.



World-renowned Kandyan dance and drumming instructor Peter Surasena
performs for the delight of the audience.



The entire Kandyan dance and drumming group this year.

~o~



Herath, a language instructor, with Shampa, Tristan and Lisa at the Final Tea.



The entire 2004 ISLE group with staff and instructors at the Final Tea. (Click for larger view.)

Around the Center:

Members of the 2004 ISLE staff.

The director's nanny, Hema, and the director's son, Samir, with Maggie from Bowdoin and Toby from Swarthmore.

Tristan, program assistant, with Flynn from Holy Cross, Maggie from Bowdoin, Chris from Holy Cross, and Lisa, program assistant.

Program assistants Lisa and Tristan with director Shampa,
her son Ishan and husband Richard, relaxing at dinner
after a long day.

Left: Program Assistant Lisa Moore and 2004 Faculty Director Shampa Biswas.
Right: ISLE Center facilities manager Rosemary Chunchie and Program Assistant Tristan Gleason.