Home » Sri Lanka » June 16, 2005 Sri Lanka

Sorry I have been out of touch recently – no excuse other than busy, as you are I am sure. Plus trying to come up with a coherent email with something witty or adventurous or moving to say has been difficult. Just living life here in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka, which is now starting to feel quite like home away from home. I love it here: the beach, the dirt road I walk down to get to town while stopping to say hello to someone every ten feet, the volleyball at sunset, the friends I have made.

June 16, 2005 Sri Lanka

Lasulo
2006-01-06 19:41:36

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was kind of heavy and had something brown in it; I thought it was some weird spices or ginger root. My hand was halfway into the bag before I realized that it was not spices at all, but something alive and moving. Something mottled brown and long and thin and fu*&ing hell, it was a snake. If there was an award for someone getting out of a moving van without opening the door, but instead, climbing out the window and onto the roof, well, I think I would have won. I was so frightened about being in close quarters to what I later learned was a baby python that I threw the bag onto Sam’s lap and could not find the door handle, so I scrambled out the window and onto the roof.

Sam and I laughed for hours. And I still laugh when I see him tell the story to people. He is a natural storyteller and even though I cannot understand Singhalese, I watch his hand motions and people’s expressions and know exactly what part of the story he is telling.

Another slice of life – eating. Sri Lankan style eating involves no cutlery at all. People eat with their right hands and use the other hand for bathroom stuff as they do not use toilet paper. In the restaurants on the beach, we are given utensils. In a proper Sri Lankan place, we are not. I eat with Sam all the time in one or two places around town that are dirt cheap, a bit dirty, filled with men, and have fantastic food. Our usual breakfast spot sells roti, a Sri Lankan staple that is made many ways. It is like a wrap and is served with eggs or fish or spicy meat curry or vegetables. I love it.

Sri Lankan curry is sometimes fiery but always tasty. Sam can eat green chilies one after another and not blink an eye. I am gasping and reaching for any liquid to quench the fire. Sri Lankan curry usually comes with dhal (lentils in sauce), popadom (a crunchy type of ‘bread’ which is my absolute favorite!) and basmati rice. It is mixed together with the fingers and then eaten by scooping with my hand. My fingers constantly smell like curry and onions and garlic. I think I am starting to sweat out curry. There are no napkins on the table either, just a bowl of water to wash my hand and some cut up newspapers to dry.

The charity work is going well. Still working at the school and mental hospital and will be doing some tree replanting when we get back from India. Kate and I are going to India next week because we have to leave the country so we can get another visa. We are going to an area called Kerala for ten days. Unfortunately the monsoon is in full swing there so we can expect tons of rain. I am thinking about staying here until the end of August as there is no one coming out to do the charity work, and I want to get as much done as possible. I will probably just fly home from here to London and then to New York, and not use my Air India ticket from Delhi.

Ok, have to run. Hope all is well with everyone over in the good old USA. Summer is here, and it’s time for fun and sun! Yeah!