Gender and Technology Training Guidelines
A DAY IN MY LIFE
CASE 4
I like to write everything about our life to madam Tasty. Considering the limited
space, I’ll write only about the way we spend our time these days.
Ours is a five member family. Mother, father two younger sisters and me. Our village
is twenty two miles away from Moneragala.
My parents are very busy. But peace, tranquillity and happiness of our home depends
on their dedication. My father is a farmer and he works part time as a mason. These
days we are waiting for our paddy crop to ripe. My sisters are boarded at Moneragala
for schooling. I am waiting for my Advanced Level results.
My mother wakes up about 4.00 am. She prepares the tea and call us. Until we wash
and observe five precepts, she milks the cows. Then my mother and father both take
the cows to the field. By the time they come back I finish sweeping and cleaning.
Three of us take breakfast together. Mother never forgets to make herbal porridge in
the morning. If father has to go somewhere mother hands over everything needed.
After that we have a brief rest. Mother teaches sewing and lace making to me. Now I
can make dresses. I am good at knitting also. That is an extra income for us.
We start cooking at about 10.00 am. Everyday we prepare greens. After lunch mother
goes to the fields to check the cattle. We are not used to take naps. Four days a week
I teach maths to the village children. I enjoy and earn something as well out of that.
In the evening mother brings the cattle home and boils the milk. We go to the kitchen
to make dinner at about 5.00 p.m.
I sweep the house and offer flowers to the lord Buddha. Father comes home about
6.00 p.m. after that mother attends to his needs. They discuss day’s happenings and
plan for the future. Our dinner time is 8.00 p.m. After that we listen to the radio. I
attend to the studies also. Mother reads NAVALIYA. Father studies astrology. He casts
auspicious times for farm work So far it hasn’t failed us. Our life is monotonous.
It changes a little during the harvesting season. As we do not have time to observe
others we live peacefully without any hindrance to the others.
Aparna Nirmohi Ratnayaka
Moneragala,
Handout 2
Time Chart
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