First days in Sri Lanka

Time for an update on my project in Sri Lanka...

Since New Years we have had to do many last minute preparations including getting the visas from Colombo and London, and visiting friends and family around the country. After rousing send-offs in Edinburgh, York, the South-west of England and London, we finally lugged our bags out to Heathrow and set off on the direct flight to Colombo.














The interior of the plane was a little tired but we were entertained by a tasty curry and the in-flight entertainment of arcade games and movies like "The Jungle Book". Once we arrived, the first thing that struck me was the slower pace people were walking, and once we got out of the air conditioned airport it became apparent that the heat stops people moving faster.

Ranil, my new colleague from my partner organisation in Sri Lanka, collected us with a minibus and we began the longer-than-expected drive to Tangalla. We took the high road, rather than the coastal one, to avoid the sun and traffic. Sri Lanka seems to have its own way of driving where everyone expects the others to take significant risks, and is therefore ready for it when they inevitably do!

So the end of the long drive was at Ranil's house, where we received a warm welcome. Ranil's mother, father, wife and child also live here (and also other relatives who I will talk about next time I post). The first suprise was that the shower, bathroom and kitchen are all out the back of the house. Despite the early hour UK time we slept very well! Day two in Sri Lanka was a very different type of day. We went in to Tangalla town in the middle of the day and it was an intense experience for us. People were very interested in the new folks in town and wanted to speak to us and find out all about what we were up to. There were also a lot of sights, sounds and smells to get used to, and by the time we walked back home I was feeling very worn out.

The food we have sampled here so far has all been very tasty and nutritious, and there are too many types to describe here. Curry and rice, fish, filled pastry rolls and fresh lime juice have all gone down well with us, as have the many delicious fruits.

Day three gave us the opportunity to continue acclimatising by going for a walk along the coast and taking a dip in the Indian Ocean, which was warm and refreshing. There was a light breeze, but the force of the waves was strong, giving a reminder of the power of the sea here. Below I have posted some photos of the journey, Ranil's house and the surrounding garden (including a visiting monkey), and the nearby beach by Goyambokka. Next week we have our "cultural induction" training day with Challenges Worldwide and I will meet the rest of my colleagues at work.