Sri Atmananda Memorial School

This part of Malakkara is really peaceful most of the time. To get here, you have to come via Edayaranmula, and it’s a nice drive if the weather is good. We are tucked away near the P O, so the postman is a regular face around our gate. The school sits on a bit of land that has plenty of trees, which helps keep things cool during the summer. We don't have the big city noises here, just the sound of birds and the occasional tractor passing by on the road. The classrooms are simple with high ceilings and heavy wooden doors. Sometimes when it rains hard, the sound on the roof is so loud we have to speak up. We’ve got a small staff, so everyone knows each other’s business. We share tea in the mornings and talk about whatever is happening in the village. It isn't a place with shiny glass walls or anything like that. It’s mostly stone and wood and a lot of history. We keep the garden from getting too wild, though the weeds grow fast after a storm. The kids come from all around the area, some walking and some on bikes. By the time the afternoon sun hits the back porch, we are usually wrapping things up for the day. It’s a slow pace of life in this part of the country, and we like it that way. No one is ever in a huge rush. We just keep the place running okay.