My Welcome from Colombo: Rice & Curry and Fingers Like Sausages

This weekend marks my second in Colombo, and I decided it was time to put fingers to keyboard again and record some of my summer experiences in spicy, beautiful, and very hot Sri Lanka. It’s so hot here that after a two-hour walk in the city last weekend said fingers swelled to the size of sausages and I began experiencing symptoms of heat rash. I’m currently writing from my apartment with two fans whirring. My place comes equipped with A/C, but as electricity costs are exorbitant here I often just try to sweat it out.  In any case it’s much preferable to DC cold.

I'll provide more explanations later of my first impressions and what it's like to live here, but for now some images from my first few days:



So what exactly am I doing here? I’ll be on this tropical teardrop for the next two months doing an internship with Save the Children, an international NGO focused on child rights – an important topic here following the end of the civil war in 2009.  My office is in Colombo, the capital city, but I will have many opportunities to travel to the field. And after one week I can definitively say that I will learn alot this summer. I've been quickly involved in the research and writing of a major project proposal, included on a number of meetings to learn about and contribute to STC initiatives here, and tasked to go to the field last Thursday to conduct a rapid assessment of a devastating flood in the South (post to come). Tomorrow I'll head to Batticaloa (via   overnight bus womp womp), a city on the east coast, to conduct a couple days of interviews and research for the proposal I'm assisting on. My colleagues have been more than friendly and inclusive and there's endless free tea, an office cat, and a very kind and tiny lady who picks up a rice and curry lunch packet for me every day. Another bonus is that my office is a mere two minute walk from my apartment - I'd say that's probably the best commute I'll ever have.

Last night I learned from a friend that Sri Lankans (like Louisianans!) use their hand to show people where cities are on this island. Bring all your fingers together and squint your eyes a bit and you’ve got this shape:

Sri Lanka is about half the size of Alabama with the Indian Ocean to its west and the Bay of Bengal to its east. India is to the very close northwest. Before I arrived I heard rave reviews of its sandy beaches, lovely tea growing regions, copious tropical fruits, sinful food, and friendly people. And while my primary purpose of being here is to improve my knowledge and skills as a development professional, I certainly plan to imbibe in all of those things.

And did ya know? The Arabic name for Sri Lanka is "serendib," which is the basis for the English word serendipity. It's probably my favorite word and concept in English, and I will certainly make note of any serendipitous experiences to befall me here :)