COLOMBO, Sept. 17 -- Thirty-four US Peace Corps trainee volunteers have arrived in Sri Lanka to begin preparations for two years of service in the Northern and North Central Provinces, where they will support English-language education in local schools.

The trainees will undergo intensive training in Sinhala or Tamil, Sri Lankan culture and American English-language teaching before taking the Peace Corps Pledge of Service in November.

Following their swearing-in, the volunteers will work alongside Sri Lankan teachers and students to strengthen English-language education while living with Sri Lankan host families and becoming part of the communities where they are assigned.

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Eric Meyer welcomed the new trainees...