This blog has been exceptionally challenging but amazing for me. This two-year CAS journey has led me to explore many new and familiar activities. I have seen myself grow, learn, experience, and give to my host country; Sri Lanka. This journey taught me how to tackle being online and maintaining my engagement in Creativity, Activity, and Service. I feel nothing less than blessed to have been able to experience so many things.

Activity:

I started DP1 with excitement to venture into a new start towards a more balanced life and I think I have been able to achieve that. Looking back, here are some of my fondest memories. On the left is my first salsa class in Sri Lanka. Dance has always been my favorite activity and I have been dancing for 12 years now. CAS led me to learn and approach a new dance in which I had very little experience.  I took on this challenge and I was happy that I did well as the more lessons I took, the better I got. From taking part in the spring gala to dancing at the Indian high commission charity event. I explored many dance forms and I truly cherish those experiences. [LO1, LO2, and LO4]. I did yoga and meditation when I felt stressed and that helped me get through difficult times in the IB. 

Creativity and Service:

Then came COMUN…which I think was my favorite CAS experience. I learned key leadership skills, and

communication skills and I also learned management of finances. I started as Head of Operations and finished strong as the Secretary-General of COMUN 2022. I was taught by Dr. Lundin how to let go of the fear of things going south and have faith in the people I work with. That is how I started to delegate responsibilities. I grew immensely from that and became a better leader. [LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5, LO6, LO7]. MUN is so close to my heart that my CAS project was also based around the UN day where we conducted an assembly to appreciate and celebrate our cultures. Even though we were online, I learned a lot about different cultures, especially through the recipes we all shared on our house padlets!! [LO6, L07, LO4]

Service and Creativity:

From taking part in SOS Village and being the service leader to being the Head of Projects and a founding member at Club Olas and Atom Lanka, serving the community was always a priority. Some of my fondest memories have come from serving the community. I truly enjoyed learning from people in and outside OSC. Some taught me the true essence of art and some taught me the beauty of different mother tongues. Whilst learning how to communicate with different age groups who do not speak English, I learned using signs and easier English words and learned some Singhala words such as Lasanai and Stuti. We even performed a dance for them when we were doing our final CAS session and it was so amazing to see them smile and enjoy. We danced to Happy by Pharell Williams and we also taught them the days of the week and months of the year!

I was touched after working with Atom Lanka on the Kaduwela flood relief project and pricing bedsheets, clothes, shoes, and much more to the individuals and families affected by the Kaduwela floods. I will keep working with these organizations and I will volunteer for new ones during the summer as well. [LO3, LO6, LO7, LO4, LO5]

I will miss CAS and I will miss all the different aspects of it. Here is a summary of all the activities I mentioned and didn’t mention:

• Dance
• SOS Village
• Atom Lanka
• Badminton at home
• Yoga and meditation
• Club Olas
• COMUN 2021 & 2022
• Ivy Girls Lead
• Writer for everystory.sl as a female representative

I am grateful to have been able to experience such a rich CAS espeirence.