ISLE Program

We will be adding photos here throughout the 2008 Fall ISLE program. Photos from the most recent program activities will be at the top of the page.

Michelle Granara from Holy Cross College is writing a blog about her observations and experiences on the ISLE program this semester. Feel free to check it out!

THE NORTHERN TOUR:ARCHAEOLOGICAL TREASURES

_{ISLE student Michelle Granara takes a break at Anuradhapura.}

Jared, Sheila, Maria, Michelle and Sarah pause at a drip ledge cave at Vessagiri. 

Professor Sudharshan Seneviratne explains the importance of the site at Vessagiri.

The steep climb up Sigiriya.

Chris almost at the top of Sigiriya.

Chris views the famous statue of the Buddha at Avukana.

Sudharshan and the group

Mr. Sisira assisted Professor Seneviratne in teaching the Material Culture course.

LOCAL FIELD TRIPS

On a Sinhala language field trip to the famous Elephant Rock, the group climbs to a nearby temple. 

On another field trip, the students spent a pleasant afternoon visiting the orphans at the Singithi Sevena Orphanage in Kandy. Students have the opportunity to volunteer at several orphanages throughout the semester.

Sarah Lord gets to know one of the kids.

Maria de la Motte and Michelle Granara help a child on a slide at the orphanage.

Sheila Donahue and Kristin Henning chat with one of the children.

SESSION 1 ACADEMICS:GETTING STARTED

Udaya Meddegama, the students' Sinhala professor.

 Students meet for classes in the ISLE Center and in this classroom at the University of Peradeniya.

Students Chris Burke and Michelle Granara with Professor Sumathy in a class on Art, Drama and Poetry.

Chris and Michelle in a classroom at the University of Peradeniya.

The ISLE program classroom at the University of Peradeniya.

_{Guides at the Nilambe Meditation Center}

_{Elephants bathing at the Pinnawella Elephant Orphanage}

_{One of the highlights of session II this fall was a traditional Sri Lankan puppet show, to which ISLE students and staff were invited. Here the puppeteers introduce themselves to the ISLE students. For more photos of the puppet show, please see the "Session II Activities" page of this site.}

_{Puppets wait backstage for their next performance.}

_{Professor Meegaskumbura took the students to three of the Kandy area's most significant Buddhist Temples on the rainy October Poya (full moon) day. Here he explains the unique architecture of Gadaladeniya temple to the students.}

_{Professor Meegaskumbura shows the students the famously beautiful Lankatilika temple.}

_{Shrine at the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy}

_{Michelle and Sheila, dressed for Halloween, carve their jack-o-lanterns.}

_{Professor Wilkie lectures about the protection of world heritage at the Kandy ICES (International Centre for Ethnic Studies) where they requested that she speak.}

_{ISLE Center Manager Rosemary and fall 2008 ISLE Program Director Nancy Wilkie sit and chat in the ISLE Center garden.}