Speaking with the Deaf

The past couple of days I have skipped out on part of the afternoon at Suwasetha. I have been going to the building next door (also under the same name) where the girls with various limitations attend trades classes.

I have been visiting with 3-5 girls who are deaf and learning to sew. The are there for a 9-month program where they learn to make clothes and accessories and then can send their products off to companies to view their work... like a portfolio! I visited them the first day I arrived and have signed 'hi' to them in passing but I thought that since I'd spent some time with Jayaca (who is their instructor) it would be nice to spend some time with the girls too. So I tried to learn some basic signs online to communicate... "How are you?" etc... Turns out that in Sri Lanka you don't learn American Sign Language (ASL) but a different kind. Perhaps British Sign Language? So my signs aren't always helpful but at least some of them are close to what they know. We have also been writing English words (their spelling and grammar is not great, but at least I understand what they're getting at!) and drawing pictures to convey what we want to say. They cannot speak as some deaf people can... It's mostly just a series of 'uhh' and 'ahh' and other grunting voices. Sometimes I talk out my signs to them, and they're super basic and have a different set of grammar uses. But they seem to understand what I'm saying.

This is a picture of some baby pants for their portfolio! Each set of pants have a different bum-pocket style. My camera died, so I'll try to capture that soon!

Another girl there taught me how to make paper lotuses! It's like origami! She left today to go home. She is getting married in about 3 weeks! She will return and I'll see her again!

So yesterday one girl said she would sew me a dress, and I offered to pay her. She motioned 'no' so I signed that "I buy fabric, give you, you sew, give me" and she seemed satisfied with that. I also asked if "I buy fabric, give you, you sew, give me, my mom" and she also said she could do that for me. She sketched out a dress and used other creations to figure out if I liked puffy sleeves, elastic waistlines, etc and she also took my measurements. Now I just have to go and get the fabric. I will probably go back to Mafasa, where I got the sarees. They have a lot of fabrics and also are fairly priced. I even got a discount last time I went. Not sure why, but I'd be happy to get one again!

I learned many signs like 'cat' and 'dog' and also some of the fruits like 'orange' and 'mango'. I'm glad they're patient with me, because I really do want to learn! We also write things out with our fingers, like on a table or our arms or a wall if pen and paper are not available. It works! I'm surprising how easy it is to read something that isn't actually written in ink! It's pushed me to be more creative and use/develop skills I never thought I'd need.

Today I went back and had tea and showed the girls my photo album which has pictures of my family, Emma and Eli, and the sights around Winnipeg. They seemed really interested, especially when I explained "my school, past, deaf school, now just school" They seemed to like it and I think they understood what I was trying to get at. CMU was a school for the deaf before it became what it is now. It was a neat connection to have. They also showed me some things they were making and wanted to see me sew and do needle point. I wasn't stellar at either but I think I can definitely get better.

I got a 'sign name' which is basically a unique sign to identify a person, rather then spell out the name or motion 'she/he'. Mine is putting your thumb and index finger together and tapping the side of your nose. I am positive this is because I have a nose piercing! Each girl has a sign name and I am doing a good job remembering them for the most part! The girl who is sewing for me is your first two fingers pointed and tapping your temple twice. I don't know her real name, but it's not like I could say "Hey, so-and-so". Doesn't matter. I feel pretty special to have a sign name!

Two of the girls are 19 and two are 21. The 'tapping the temple' girl is getting married in December to a young man she seems to have known for a long time. She showed me pictures in her photo albums. He is also deaf. I'm happy for her! She asked if Max and I hug or kiss, and I said both. She motioned that they only hug and after marriage they can kiss. That is patience! She was raised in Suwasetha because she was given to the orphanage. She is the youngest of 3 children, and her parents seemed to think it would be easier to 'give her away' than raise a deaf child. I think that's sick! It made me really sad, and she doesn't want to see her mom or dad. I don't blame her! Nothing about that situation is ok.

We showed each other some dance moves and my gosh it's so true that white people can't dance. They've got the moves! Those girls are so graceful and expressive in their dancing, it was just beautiful to see! My YMCA and the chicken dance seriously do not match up.

Below is a picture of me and 'tapping the temple' and another girl whose sign name is like, the peace sign, but with one finger on your eyebrow and one below your eye with your palm facing out... Reminds me of Sailor Moon! Sorry I look disgusting. It was really hot! And yes, people here are that short/I'm that tall.

I have plans to meet with the director in charge of Ma Sevana, the home for teenage moms and those young women in a transition phase after birthing their child. Hopefully I can find a time to go there and learn more about how women are ending up there and what their options are once their child is born. Things seem pretty grim as the baby is usually given away and the pregnant daughter can often be disowned. What drives this??

Below is a picture of the children's side of the orphanage. It is for kids around age 2-3. I am not sure I can take pictures of the children, so this is just the empty room (they were outside playing... good timing!) There are about 14 children in that side.

Not sure what's in store for me for the next little while, but a new girl named Chelsey is here and she is down for going on adventures... Might be some crazy times the next few weekends! I'll update again soon.

Opening of the Family Resource Centre

The past several days have been outrageous. I realize it's been almost a week since I posted. That's super lame of me, and for that I apologize.

On Saturday, Erandi and I went shopping with Jaiyaca for sarees. Jaiyaca directs the sewing class for deaf girls in Suwasetha Centre. She is very nice and offered to take us shopping in Moratuwa. We left after lunch (post-breastfeeding training, which was also 3 hours of listening to Sinhalese) and took a bus for about 10 minutes to the train station. This is the end of the bus loop and luckily it's the stop we needed to get to Mafasa, the saree store. We were there for about 30-45 minutes I'd guess trying on sarees and looking at all the pretty fabrics. Sarees are basically one looooong piece of fabric that gets wrapped around you a few times. Once around, pleated and tucked in front, and wrapped around and up to the shoulder where it is pleated again. So to try it on is very easy, I just tuck the fabric into my waistband and wrap it around. I definitely got help with the pleating though! I think I tried on about 7 and looked at many more from various price points. I didn't want one too bold (as many of them are) and I wanted dark colors that would compliment my light skin tone. Since everyone here is dark, they have a lot of whites and pastels... that just washes me out! Luckily I found some that I liked. I bought the three sarees (which have the material for the blouse piece but that has to be made) and a black underskirt. I already have a maroon underskirt from my saree so I can also use that... the colors 'work'. Here is a video to show how sarees are draped if anyone is curious and/or if my description above just didn't do it for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIuILZCGyXE

After buying them for a vedy vedy good price we headed back to our neck of the woods. Erandi and I stopped at Cargill's Food City to buy some water and snacks while Jaiyaca went back to Suwasetha. We ended up buying a swiss roll cake and chocolate ice cream to snack on once we got back to the hostel. It was super cheap and super delicious, even though the ice cream was more like a milkshake by the time we got home. I also bought water, crackers, and a Mr. Noodles packet.

Later in the evening Erandi and a matron and I went to the temple for Poson Poya Day. This is a very special day for Buddhists here because this is when Buddhism came to Sri Lanka. People brought offerings to the 28 Buddha statues (Buddha was reincarnated 28 times before achieving enlightenment) and when they walk by you with the offerings, you can touch it and put your hands together in the 'prayer' position. It's kind of like a solidarity thing that you're also wanting to participate. Anyways, we did that and then looked inside a building that housed 28 more Buddhas (with offerings) and a large sculpture of the reclining Buddha and a ton of art about the Buddha's life. We also walked around the stupa (big white dome with a steeple type thing) where there were 4 more Buddhas. We listened to the monk chant and meditated for a minute or two before going to see the Bodhi tree. We walked around it 7 times (not sure about the significance of that number) and poured water on the base of the tree. We also lit 3 oil lamps. The area was smokey with incense and humming with the chanting of the monk. We were there for about an hour, and then we walked back to the hostel.

The next morning Erandi and I met up with Jaiyaca again to take us to get fitted for our blouses. It is just a few blocks (and twists and turns) away. It is a woman's house and she appeared busy with scraps of fabric everywhere! She had the TV blasting the dhamma and chanting by the monks for Poson Poya Day. There were flies all over the floor (not sure why) but she seemed to know what she was doing and was very nice. I just don't like flies. I hate the feeling when they land on you! Anyways, the woman said she would have our saree blouses done on Saturday (6 days). That's a tall order since I have 3 blouses and Erandi has 2! She must be at this all day. I'm not sure how much it will cost, but I'm excited to have more sarees. I think I can rock them because I am tall and slim. That's what people have said anyways. Later I'll do a 'fashion show' and put those pictures up.

After my lunch of Mr. Noodles (I borrowed Erandi's kettle!) I left with Amara and Dianiaca for the village of Nelumpura. We were in a nice safari van, and although it didn't have a/c, opening the windows still worked. There was a lot of leg room (I could extend my legs fully). We stopped for tea and short eats (snacks) and then carried on our way. It was about a 8 hour trip, but that includes our stopping to use the washroom and eat, etc. We arrived at night and stayed in a nice guest house. There was a mix up, and I ended up getting my own room. It was still nice and had all the facilities I needed... plus a giant bed! I had to climb 3 floors outside to get to my room but it was worth it. I had a nice, yet short sleep as we planned to leave for the ceremony at 6:30am.

The next morning I was ready and in my saree. I had brought all my things to the lobby and was checking my email. I was then informed that we were now leaving at 7:30am. I almost died! I would have killed for an extra hour in bed! But soon I got some tea and breakfast (string hoppers and curry) and got some more water. Lots of people commented on my saree and said I looked 'beautiful'. I almost fell asleep on the way to the village but once we got there I was energized. There were women outside of the Family Resource Centre with their goods to sell and chairs set up to listen to the program. I think it's just in a woman's house, because there is a kitchen and several bedrooms... There were also personal belongings. The woman who owned the house recently lost her husband who was serving in the army and was raising 2 young boys. We started a collection pot to help save for their future. They welcomed me to the ceremony, while Amara cut the ribbon over the threshold, and I was involved with taking pictures and I even got to light the oil lamp, which is a very important symbol, as I explained before. Then we browsed through the items the women had to sell. I think they were mostly widows with young children. I bought a woven storage contained for $1, some rice (gifts), and oil cakes. Then we had tea and dessert and proceeded to a temple.

It is an important temple in Sri Lanka, now available to everyone since the war is over and you can travel freely to the North. It is said to have one of the Buddha's teeth in it (I think that's what they were saying). To celebrate the holiday, thousands of people were there giving offerings and wrapping the stupa in an orange cloth, as well as the Bodhi tree. I presented offerings of lotus flowers  and other white flowers. People were staring at me and many people were commenting on my saree (again!). When I got a picture taken by the stupa (circa 2nd century!) a crowd of people came close and watched as I smiled and afterwards talked to Amara. It was weird! It was so hot out and you have to be barefoot in the temple area... My feet were burning on the sand and stone! Yikes! Someone stole our driver's shoes, but he didn't seem super upset. We then drove back to the Family Resource Centre for lunch, and would leave for home 'immediately after'.

We did not have lunch at the Family Resource Centre and we did not leave for home immediately after. We got a take away lunch and hung around for about an hour and a half. We drove the 8 hours home and also stopped for tea and short eats. By the time we arrived at the hostel it was 10:30. I was beat. So I showered and went to bed.

Observations from this weekend:
-People give out free things this Poson Poya weekend. I got: 2x juice, tea, rice drink, 3x watermelon, corn, sweets, ice cream, and cookies. They believe that if you can make someone else happy, you will be happy in return. I guess it's a karma thing. I was certainly happy! The picture below is a stand giving out corn that they boiled over a fire (hence the smoke!).

-At the end of anyone's name you add 'aca'. This means sister. So Jaiya becomes Jaiyaca. Jaiya sister. Everyone here sees everyone else as brother or sister. It's nice! You can also just call someone 'aca' which is what I do if I forget their name. :P

-I saw a wild elephant meandered up to the road side and was munching away on leaves. I also saw some monkeys cross the road.

-There are highways here, but they don't feel like highways because the road is always lined with shops and houses. On the 8 hour journey I imagine maybe 1 hour maximum was looking out at rice paddies and forests.

-Roadside stands sold pineapples from 20Rs to 100 Rs. That's about $0.17-$0.81! I love that they're so cheap here! They seem to 'grow like weeds' as my mother would say.


I am ready for the next adventure. Amara says Trincomalee (North East) and Kandy (Central) are two more places they're going to soon. For now, I wait!

Renewing my Visa

Today was an interesting day. I woke up an hour earlier that usual at (6:45) to prepare for breakfast at 7:00 and then bus down to Colombo to renew my visa that expires today. I got up and got ready, took my pills, packed my bag and walked down the hall to the canteen. The meal wasn't out on the table as it usually is so I read through my Sri Lanka handbook. Soon after, my stomach began to feel pretty nasty. I was wearing a skirt with a ridiculously tight waistband so I went to my room to change into my favourite brown skirt (you're welcome, Aunty Nean!). I went to the washroom and soon knew I was going to be sick. I heaved twice and threw up a bit of water once. It was all I had this morning; water and serious pills (anti-malarials plus my prescription pills). I was dripping sweat and cursing a bit because the bathroom is very small with no ventilation and it was hot. Plus I was out of commission.

I was feeling much better after actually bringing up, but not hungry enough to eat. I had half of a piece of pineapple and one piece of bread. I talked to my adviser, Bandula because I really needed to renew my visa but I felt so poopy still... and wasn't sure if I'd be sick again. He told me to go back to bed until 9:30 and he will arrange a car to take me to Colombo since he had to go anyways. Then it would be easier on my stomach, rather than a tuk tuk or a bus. I thanked him and (gladly) went back to bed. When I woke up I felt like a new woman!

We left a little late and they ended up dropping me off at the immigration office around 11:25. I had wanted to be there for 8am. This was a little discouraging. Once I got to the 3rd floor I got even more discouraged. The waiting room was packed. First I had to get passport pictures done (150Rs/$1.20) then go into the waiting room and get an application. You fill it out and glue your picture on the form. Luckily I brought my own pen, because they didn't have any there. I encountered this in Nepal, so I used that as a reference point. Then I went back to the reception and got a number. I was lucky 114, and they were currently on 83. I found a seat in a plastic lawn chair (ghetto) and plugged in my iPod and played some spider solitaire.

Numbers began to move quickly about an hour in. There were two rooms with 'controllers' in them. Those are the guys that sign your form. They were getting people into the rooms one by one then in some groups and random numbers. The numbers on the screen said #106 was next, but the man in the waiting area was calling out other numbers to line up to go into the room. I said I was 114, and he got me to a room where I went in after about 10 minutes. The man asked when I was leaving and explained to me that I will have exceeded 3 months by August 27, due to the fact that my first day of entry to Sri Lanka was May 21 (in transit on the way to Nepal). He said I can change my air ticket or pay the fine, which is 10,000Rs. Since my visa expires today I said I should just go for it and pay the fine for being over the 3 month limit by 7 days. Then they took my application and passport and told me to go back to the waiting room.

I found out they only accept cash so I had to go through the maze of a building to the outdoor ATM to withdraw my maximum, 40,000Rs. I went back inside.

The passport and application pass through many hands behind glass with people on computers and stamping things. At the next counter I wait for my number to come up on the screen. About 20 minutes later my number came up and I was sent to the payment counter with my passport and application, which was marked up and signed by various people. In line to pay I noticed that my new visa would only be valid until August 26... I was sent back to the previous window, who sent me to the controller again. He changed the day to August 29 'just in case' and then gave me a new total and sent me back to the payment counter.

The payment lady typed up my bill and when she told me the total I gave her my unimpressed look and slowly handed over my money... 22,800.00Rs ($182). The original amount was 6,400.00Rs, but since I asked about that one day... dang it! I'm not sure how it increases that much or maybe they forgot to charge me the fine. Or maybe they were disgruntled with me and just over-charged me. It was a sad moment to hand over the money. It was about 2:15, the payment counter closed at 2:30. Close call! The whole thing took about 3 hours... Not bad considering my hostel-mates were there for 6.

Bandula had left Colombo so unfortunately I had to bus back to Moratuwa. I took a tuk tuk the 6km to the bus stop at Kollupitiya for 300Rs and then the bus back to the stop at my street for 30Rs. I also bought a snack of two vegetable curry rolls. It's kind of like a breaded and fried egg roll but spicy. That was 70Rs. Things are quite cheap here, which is nice especially after giving away my life savings at the immigration office.

I got home around 4:00 and went straight to the orphanage to work until my usual 6:30. I folded cloth diapers (a lot of them!) and spoon fed some babies who are beginning the transition to mush from milk. It wasn't entirely successful as the baby didn't want to eat but I forced the food in and when she began crying a lot I determined that she was finished. She had eaten a decent amount anyways. And she is like, 6 months old... How much food could she really need to fill her stomach?

I got back to the hostel shortly after 6:35 and showered and went online. I talked to Karen very briefly about the possibility of her coming for a visit in July. Things look good, but nothing is set in stone yet...

Now I am just waiting for my mom to come on Skype (Come on, momma! I'm exhausted!) and then I will go to bed. Tomorrow I am at Suwasetha all day and then the weekend comes! Crazy talk!

Old McDonald Had a Farm

I’m not really sure where I left off but I will try to find the right place!

One thing I forgot to mention about my weekend in the village is that one of the girls sang a song to the group. She cleared her throat and began “Old McDonald had a farm…” All the animals she listed were not properly matched to the sounds they make (pig said moo, etc). It was cute and she said ‘thank you’ and bowed after 3 verses. Some young kids also did a rendition of “Are you sleeping brother John” or “Frere Jacques” (however you spell it). It was cute to see the kids sing and I am still just so proud of myself for singing Oh Canada to the group. I must say it was solid except for the last note… That got a little shaky!

So I arrived home after a shorter bus ride… almost 2 hours to Colombo on the nose. Then it was about 45-60mins to Moratuwa (HQ) in another bus. The traffic was bad because it was rush hour. Normally it takes more like 30 minutes in the quiet times. It wasn’t a big deal though since it was raining on the ride home… then magically stopped once we reached our destination.

Yamuna and I stopped at the doctors, got a random assortment of drugs (some I’m not taking) and got a prescription allergy pill and cream at the pharmacy at the Keel’s (grocery store) in K-Zone (Mall). It was only like $2.00. The cream worked wonderfully as now my ant bites are very small aside from the scabs left over from my scratching. They aren’t itchy anymore, just ugly still. Yamuna and I took a tuk tuk from the doctor to K-Zone; he waited and then took us to HQ. It was 150Rs, or about $1.00. It saved us a lot of walking in the off and on rain and I was super anxious from my whole body itching. By this time the itching was my left arm, left pinkie finger (covered in bites), right elbow, left foot, left lower back, and little spots here and there. I also had a heat rash under my grandma’s ring on my right hand. I am still mad that I forgot to leave her ring at home. Every day I check it and make sure it’s still flawless.

Right, so I got back to HQ and showered and applied the cream. Since I had scratched my arms they burned in the shower, especially when I used my body wash. It felt like acid. The cream provided such fast relief. I got dressed and went out for dinner because the canteen was closed. I took a tuk tuk to Galle Rd (which would be about a 15 minute walk). I was a little hesitant because by 7:00pm here it is pitch black outside. But I noticed lots of traffic still and streetlights were on. It cost me 50Rs. I then walked a block or two to Pizza Hut. I had the “Super Solo” deal, which was a personal pizza, garlic bread or potato wedges, and a pop. I chose the Italian Tomato pizza, which ended up being cheese and tomato but it was still awesome. And for 550Rs (About $4.50) it was still an awesome deal. Most importantly, I was full. I had brought my flashlight my dad got me and used it as a potential weapon (haha) and a light to guide my steps. There were lots of people walking on Rawatawatta Rd (where HQ is) and I felt ok to walk until I stepped in dog poop. Then I wasn’t happy. Some group of guys said “Good Morning. Can I have some money?” I responded with “It’s good night, and no,” pulled my purse in front of me and kept going to HQ, which was within a stones throw away.

Once home I Skyped with my parents I believe. Then I had an allergy pill and went to bed. I slept solidly but I could have used some extra hours!

This past week I have been working at Suwasetha with the orphans there. It’s been good and I think I’m getting the hang of their schedule. When I arrive at 9am people are mopping and we prepare to bottle feed the 2 babies. Then we change the babies and let the toddlers out of their cribs to play. Around 10:30 the 6 toddlers get bathed and get put in their cribs. We prepare to spoon feed the other 2 babies at 11:30. Afterwards we clean the chairs, wipe them up and sweep the floor where rice has been spit out. Then we set up a corner area with high chairs and plastic chairs for the toddlers to be fed around 12-12:15. They are also wiped clean and the area is returned to its original state. The floor is mopped again. I leave and come back at 3:00 where the cycle pretty much begins again. In the down time, we change babies, change the sheets, fold up cloth diapers (I’m a pro) and have tea. They give me milk tea and biscuits. They used to give me like 6-8 biscuits but now they’re just putting a package of them on a plate. Haha, they encourage me to eat and won’t really let me share. But I certainly can’t eat a whole package. Having around 10 cookies sounds great, but just a bit too much. I have tea in the morning and the afternoon. I usually drink alongside Damayanthi, who is doing paperwork at her desk that overlooks the courtyard. I try not to disturb her but it’s just nice to have someone to sit beside.

Today (June 19) a new girl was dropped off at the orphanage. She is 3 days shy of being 1 year old. She cried the whole day and when I held her she rested her head on my chest, sighed, and sucked her fingers. I kissed her head and stroked her head, back, and cheek. She does not have a father and her mother is ‘on probation’. I think that means she is now incarcerated. Maybe the mother can have the child back, I’m not sure. But it was heartbreaking to see a child in so much pain. I just wanted to hold her and tell her she is loved and will always be loved. I hope tomorrow the crying slows or stops. She won’t eat or play and I want her to! Please pray for her and her mother.

I took a shirt to the part of Suwasetha that teaches young women different trades. It was a little revealing and the chest part was closed with a safety pin. A girl there sewed it closed for me and now it is perfect! I can use my safety pin for my saree instead of borrowing them! The instructor also told me where to buy more pins (all I could find were giant baby safety pins) and offered to take me shopping for more sarees. They are apparently affordable here, so it would be nice to have one to wear at the orphanage and around work. I am nervous to wear the one my Uncle Jim and Carole got me because I get spit-up and poop on me at the orphanage. BUT the instructor invited me to a wedding of one of the workers at the orphanage. It will be perfect for that! I am super excited!

Today I also had a meeting with Amara (Aww-maww-raww) at the Women’s Empowerment Unit. This weekend I am going on a field visit to a village called Nelumpura (in Polonnaruwa apparently) to be a part of the open ceremony for a Family Resource Centre. This is a community of Sinhalese, Muslim and Tamil in the same area. Apparently it is very peaceful, and I hope to learn more about how the opposing groups that were once at war can co-exist. Many of the women there are widowed and have children. They lost their husbands in the war. This resource centre provides information for women to become self-sufficient create a better future for themselves and their children since there are no ‘breadwinners’. We leave from HQ on Sunday (June 23) at 1:00pm and make the 6-7 hour drive in a private van to Nelumpura. We sleep in a hotel and the next morning we will go to the Family Resource Centre for the ceremony and unveiling. Apparently I will have a role in this process, perhaps lighting the oil lamp? This is a custom at the beginning of major events from what I understand. I will also be a guest of honour it sounds like. It’s pretty exciting! We leave Nelumpura after lunch for home. It’s a super short event (a couple hours) for the long journey. At least it will be an adventure and I will get to see more of the Sri Lankan landscape!

Tomorrow I have plans to wake up early, have breakfast and bus to Colombo. My visa expires tomorrow and I have to renew it for another 30 days… or 60 days if they’ll let me. Apparently it’s a super long process as two other guys from the hostel were at immigration for 6 hours. I’m hoping if I can get there super early that I can be first or close to first in line. I think it opens at 8am. I can’t find the information on their website. The two guys mentioned that your passport travels through many hands and when another set of passports come in they get put on top of yours, and yours moves to the bottom. That is not cool at all. They also went on a Monday, which may be the busy day since the immigration office is closed on weekends. Thursdays are lame days… Nothing special about them… hoping it will be dead. Then again, I’m in a city of 16million. There’s a good chance many will be in immigration for a variety of things.

I figured out what was wrong with my dongle. I was having trouble connecting to the internet and tried so many different ways to make it better. Then I figured out that the SIM card in my dongle is not compatible with windows 7. So I got a free set of megabytes and now that it has run out, the SIM card wouldn’t work. The SIM card is only a couple dollars so I was going to buy another one. The dongle is fine. Then I talked to the IT guy, Kasun. Apparently I didn't know what was wrong with my dongle. Kasun said I have to buy the data for the SIM card. He works for that company that deals with these things and says it's fine with windows 7. Kasun said you buy the dongle, then you buy a data-capable SIM, then you buy the data to load on to the SIM. What the... it's so confusing. Even though it says 'prepaid data SIM' it means that you have to buy the data to load onto the SIM before you can use the internet, not that it's already loaded on. Even there is post-paid SIMs when you get billed afterwards. Embarrassing! I’ve been trying to crack the code for like 3 days!

I believe that’s all I have to update on now. I have had 4 cups of tea today and really have to ‘spend a penny’ (credit to Aunty Nean!) and despite the sugar they seem to sneak into it I’m quite tired. I’ve got a big day ahead of me… Hopefully surviving in Colombo city and I pray I’m not at immigration very long! I’ll try to take more pics… I think I’m lacking in that department lately! Later!

Weekend in the Village

These past few days have been pretty weird. I'm not really sure how to describe it all.

I was invited to Yamuna's house this weekend. She is a matron at the hostel and helped me out when I first arrived... she is really sweet. So we left on Friday at around 10:45 for Colombo. We took an A/C bus (luxury!) and once we got there, had lunch and took a non-a/c bus the rest of the way to her village. She said it would take about 2 hours... It was more like 3-4. Luckily I had a window seat so I had the breeze in my face and could look at the scenery. The bus got crowded very quickly and there was barely enough standing room for people. Since we were the first on, we got great seats. The cost to get to the village was less than $1. Buses here are awesomely cheap.

We arrived in the village where her brother's house is, and where she said we could stay for the first night. Little did I know, her brother passed away a year ago, and it was his widow and her children there. The alms giving ceremony we were attending is actually something that is done on the anniversary of someone's death date. It has been one year since her brother passed in a traffic accident. The home was less than nice, with the front being an (old?) storefront that sold foam mattresses and the back part was the house. There was a shoddy addition, and another one under construction. There were lots of women in the kitchen and they promptly made me tea and gave me some oil cakes and biscuits. My items were put in a room with one giant bed in it. Yamuna's mom spent the whole day in there just sitting and lying down and rocking back and forth. She speaks and everything but it didn't seem like she was 'present'.

I helped cut dough into strips for frying to make these spicy sort of chips. I was out in the back where there were even more women cooking over smoldering logs and fires with giant pots and bowls full of rice, onions, and other foods. They were preparing a meal for those who come to the ceremony, an estimated 100 people. The men were kind of hanging around, cutting coconut and creating decorations out of palm leaves. The women definitely had more work to do and were very busy. It was at this time I met two girls, Sashani and Madu. They are 11 and 23 respectively and are neighbors in the village. Together we picked flowers for an offering and they wanted to know about my family. I showed them the photo album I brought with me and they seemed to like it. They were nice.

By the time the ceremony started it was around 6 or 7 o'clock. The monk came and walked on special rugs and sat in a seat covered in a white cloth.He taught dhamma/darma: the teachings of Buddha. The room was full of people and they chanted together. He lectured, or taught and I just sat and observed. Unfortunately I couldn't understand what they were saying but it seemed important! Afterwards, the monk left and everyone had food and dessert before dispersing for the night.

I was taken to Madu's house (a 2 minute walk away) where I could shower and sleep. Her house is nice and has a beautiful garden. There were a lot of spiderwebs and bugs in the house and the bathroom was very dirty. It was not what I am used to at all. I went on my computer using her dad's rocket stick (mine wasn't working) and then washed up and got ready for bed. To my surprise Madu and I shared her double bed. While my sleep was good, the whole thing made me uncomfortable. In the morning I ate string hoppers (rice noodles and curry) prepared by her mom and washed up. I proceeded back to Yamuna's brother's place.

The second part of the ceremony began at lunch. Six monks came. Again, they walked on special rugs and their chairs were white. I then napped while they taught dhamma again, because I was tired and couldn't understand anyways. I was woken up and got to help feed the monks. I basically walked around with a dish and if they covered their plate with their hand it meant 'no' and if they smiled and looked at me (maybe to be polite?) it meant 'yes'. I went around with two dishes. It was kind of cool and the monks seemed pleased and interested in my involvement. I then offered them gifts, by placing a bag of clothes, pillowcases, food packets, and soap (etc) in front of one man. Each man got a bag. People knelt and bowed down before the monks and they were blessed by them. Then they proceeded to the cars waiting to drive them home.

Earlier in the day I went to a temple with Yamuna and bowed before a female monk and she blessed me. The prayer apparently is something like "May you live a happy life and be protected". Why not? This was on the way back from dropping a meal off for a home of disabled women. One woman used sign language and I thanked her for a picture we got together. She was so sweet and seemed really happy that I knew one sign. Other women had physical and mental disabilities, although they weren't disclosed to me. The home was in the middle of nowhere down a winding road... that turned into no road. It seemed like a place that was trying not to be found. It was a little creepy that way.

Anyways, when I woke up at Madu's house I was covered in little red bumps.. Kind of like little burn marks or mini-chicken pox. Until late morning they didn't itch, but all of a sudden they were killer! They are up my left arm, and on my right elbow. My left foot and left pinky finger is also covered with bumps. When I scratched it just turned into a big red mess and now it looks like I have a skin disease. And it's still horribly itchy... I was close to a breakdown tonight because my whole body itches.

After lunch with the monks at Yamuna's brother's house we drove to Yamuna's actual house. It is in a very small village and is absolutely beautiful. It is near a little lake, rice paddies, and there are cows roaming in near by lots. In her lot alone, she has so many fruit trees! Papaya, banana, mango, tamarind, avocado, lemon, rose apple, cashew, pomegranite, coconut, and probably more that I'm forgetting! It's unbelievable! Her house is nice and has modern amenities. I get my own room with a queen sized bed and get this... I get to sleep alone!

We went for a walk around the community and visited with some neighbors. I was wearing the saree my Uncle Jim and Carole got me for a grad gift and I got so many compliments on it! Many people appeared jealous and lots were touching it and looking me up and down. Yamuna actually has a wedding to go to and wants to borrow it because it is 'so beautiful'. She helped to pin the saree at the shoulder for me and get it all set up. I felt like a princess and it felt right to be walking down a dirt road, surrounded by fruit trees, a palm tree forest, and old men on bicycles in a saree. It seemed traditional and I liked that. I like the peace and calm that exists here. There were wayyyy too many people at the ceremony earlier, so this was a nice change of pace.

We passed two cows (one of which I took a picture with) and saw some rice paddies. We met a young girl who loves to meet the foreigners that Yamuna brings to the village. The family invited us in for tea. I had just had tea and was hot so politely declined. They offered me pineapple instead, which I gladly took. I ate almost the whole thing! The little girl had fun taking pictures of me with my camera and I ended up getting a picture with her and her brother. They were adorable. I don't know their names though.

Since having the pineapple I have gotten more itchy bumps. Yamuna and everyone seem to think it is an allergy to pineapple (which would be so unfortunate) but I've eaten it the whole time, so I'm not entirely convinced. My whole body itches and it's killing me. They said I can see a doctor to test and see if it's an allergy. The bumps come in clumps (the newest one on my left-lower back). And that rhymes! I also have them on my face. Maybe I should face the music and accept it could be an allergy. I have had a lot of pineapple the past 2 days.. Like, at least two whole fruits! We'll see.

We went home and I am now borrowing her nephew's (?) dongle, or rocket stick. I got to skype with my parents and update the blog. It's been nice. Unfortunately the pictures are having problems uploading, so I'll add them later. Tomorrow we plan to go to the temple around 8:30 and see the kids at Sunday School. Afterwards, we will come home for lunch and then leave for Moratuwa again. Hopefully the ride back will be faster and Yamuna said we can get an a/c bus. That might be nice, although more expensive. I guess we will play it by ear... depending on the weather...

Now I am going to go to bed. I hope that tonight I do not get more bumps if they are from mosquitoes and I hope to have a good sleep. Please pray that these itchy bumps go away! It's unbelievably itchy and I'm struggling with it! Again, I will upload pictures soon and update again pronto! Thanks!


ADDITION: I went to one of the neighbor's houses where a little girl was. She is super cute. Her family runs a coconut business (or at least their house is on the same lot as one). I've never seen so many coconuts in my life! They invited us in for tea and I declined. I had just had tea and was really hot. So in stead they served me a pineapple. It was so delicious. They also gave me some curd (I left at Yamuna's place), an orange, and a peacock feather! That was pretty cool.

Today we went to the temple and saw the head monk. I bowed to him and he blessed me. I got to visit with the kids who were there to learn about dhamma. They were all ages and seemed excited to see me. We all stood in one room and I talked about myself very briefly and they asked me some questions. Yamuna translated for me and then we sang songs. They sang a school song and their national anthem... Then I did a solo of Oh Canada, which was terrifying, but I surprised myself at how well I did. We left a gift for the monk and played with the kids before leaving.

We bussed to Colombo and then to Moratuwa, where I saw a doctor and got medicine for my itchy bug bites. Turns out it's from ants and now I have tons of meds to help me. :) I got some cream, antihistamines, pain pills, and some other mysterious tablets I don't think I will take. I am looking forward to a (hopefully) peaceful sleep with this sleep time antihistamines. Fingers crossed!

I just got done Skyping with my mom and dad which was nice and now I am trying to get a hold of Max. Proving to be difficult... I am now winding down for the night an ready to begin my third week of work here at Sarvodaya. Looking like a regular week with a trip into Colombo to renew my tourist visa. Keep you posted!

Maybe July Will Be Busier?

Nothing crazy new to report.. Just feel like I should keep track of my days!

So yesterday I spent my morning in a meeting with Dr. De Silva in the Child Development Unit. He talked to me about the work they do in villages, where violations of children's rights are common. I learned that if there is abuse or a violation of a right, parents usually give the child away to give it a 'better chance'. What this program is doing is going in to communities, empowering and educating them about children's rights and how children should remain in community with their family. The solution isn't to send the kids away. The solution is to address issues of abuse, lack of education, and other basic needs that are lacking in the lives of kids. Right now they are winding down phase 4 (of 5) and in July I may be able to go on a field visit to one of these communities. Afterwards, I will be responsible for compiling data, analyzing it, and reporting on the progress made by the program. This won't happen until July, but I'm glad to have something to look forward to!

Also, I talked to the leader of the Women's Empowerment Unit on the phone. She spoke quickly and was a bit hard to understand, but from what I gathered she will meet me on the 19th. She also told me about a field visit they are going on around the 23rd-24th, and explained the itinerary to me. I'm not sure if that means I can go along or what, but that's all I really got out of that phone call. I can maybe be more involved in July... But that's unclear. She seemed preoccupied because she was talking to other people in the background.

To fill the rest of my time I have been working at the orphanage. There have been many visitors lately. I just wish that each visitor had room in their heart and home to adopt a child. Some leave donations, like clothes, toys, blankets, diapers, money, etc., so that is also good.

I worked in the office for a bit too but am more focused on my learning covenant for my practicum. It's a very short assignment and I'm half way done. Just have to talk to Bandula a bit to finish it.

Little points:
-My heartburn is pretty much gone... Yay!
-There is no such thing as 'you're welcome' here.
-Some carrots rotted in the bag I left them in (after about 2 days! What the heck!) and leaked onto the blanket and spare bed in my room. It stunk.
-I've learned that showering is best right after work. That way the cold water is refreshing, as I'm usually really hot and sweaty.
-All of the billboards here have white people on them. Yet, people look at me like I'm an alien!
-When people talk to each other it looks like they've got a huge history, when in fact they don't even know each other.
-There is security at every store and you have to leave your belongings there while you shop.
-You pay the fare on the bus based on distance. You talk to the money taker and tell him where you're going. He tells you the price. Still, very very cheap.
-I haven't been napping and I'm exhausted at the end of every day. It feels good to have an awesome sleep... although a part of me misses naps.
-Rain starts suddenly... Like turning on the light switch... BAM, pouring rain. Always carry an umbrella!
-Tea time seems to be really important here.. but no one ever joins me. Still, a whole plate of cookies and tea to myself isn't such a bad deal either!

That's all I've got for now.. Until next time...

"Free to a Good Home"

Today was a very average day. I went to the children's home in the morning and again at 3:00. Between lunch and 3, I went to the pharmacy to get some Gaviscon for my heartburn. It woke me up in the wee hours of the night and was very intense in the morning. Erandi let me have a PeptoBismal tablet of hers and it didn't do too much. I had my lunch quickly and then went to get the Gaviscon. It is a syrup and is peppermint flavored. It's a little gross but it seems to work alright. It's 6:36pm... It's been 15 hours of heartburn... Either the pain is slowly going away or I'm just getting used to the pain. I really hope it's going away!

One of the children at the nutrition center had her 2nd birthday today and her mother (no older than me) and her grandmother were present. The mother baked a cake shaped as a dress and had that delicious icing from the cakes I'd have as a kid. (The ones that are really bad for you!) I'm not sure what the story is with this girl or her mother but I was really happy to see her be involved at some level. Maybe they are working some court issue out and she will take her daughter back soon.

There was another sad shirt on one of the children today... It read 'Free to a Good Home". I know that would normally be funny if the child had a family, because let's face it, kids can be annoying and we want some space some times. But when the child has no home and is desperate to have a loving family it just makes it sad. It's like when you walk down the street and there's a cardboard box of kittens and in sharpie a sign says 'Free to a Good Home'. Maybe it's wrong of me to liken these kids to animals, but I'm just trying to compare the situation. They weren't wanted... They need a proper home.

I also talked to Bandula about trying out some other programs to add some variety to my schedule. I am arranging for a meeting with the leader of a women's empowerment program, a youth activity center (sounds like a drop-in center for people 18-30), and also with a doctor that is working to reintegrate orphans into society. None of this is certain yet, but just in the planning stages. Soon I should be able to talk to the directors of the programs and learn a bit more about what they do and how I can be involved. I'm hopefully meeting with someone at 9:30am tomorrow, but that has yet to be determined.

That's really all for today. I'm thinking that I might just update once every couple days if things stay boring like this. Hopefully when I have an exciting schedule I can write more frequently with more exciting things.  Take care

Fun Sunday!

My day was pretty good today. Erandi and I bussed into Colombo to begin our day at Gangaramaya Temple, which is very famous. First, however, we were dropped off at this beautiful lake in the middle of the city! It was here we saw Seema Malakaya, a Buddhist temple on an island in the lake! We could also see the Colombo skyline from all points at the lake.

The temple area boasted many beautiful statues of Buddha and had a Bodhi tree. This is the tree where Buddha received enlightenment. Erandi explained to me that throughout life we go through suffering. When we die, we are reincarnated and experience suffering. To escape the path of suffering we must give up worldly goods and possessions. Once this is done, you can achieve enlightenment, which stops the cycle of reincarnation, and therefore the cycle of suffering. This is what I understand to be true, I may have missed something though. Anyways, since Buddha achieved enlightenment under a Bodhi tree, they are now present at most temples. Foreigners had to give a 125Rs donation. One thing I don't like is that since I am a foreigner I am subject to higher prices and can't even negotiate that because I am obviously not Sri Lankan. Erandi is Sri Lankan (but lives in the USA) and since she can speak Sinhalese, gets the cheap 'resident' price.

Next we went to the children's park, which is also on an island in the lake. Turns out it is not a children's park but just a space filled with couples! They were all smooching and happy. There were also paddle boat rides in swan-paddle boats. We didn't stay on this island for a long time.

It was at this time that Erandi's aunt came to meet us. She took us to Gangaramaya Temple, which was close by. It was tucked away in a residential area but was very alive with what appeared to be a Sunday School class (or 2... or 3...). Inside the temple there were many images of Buddha and also historical items, such as jewelry and the belongings of past royalty. Outside, I saw the spot where the famous pictures of the temple are taken. It is like steps going up and on each step are several statues of Buddha in various positions. It was incredible! Erandi and her aunt made some offerings of flowers around the temple so I wandered around and saw the resident elephant. It was cool to see one up close but sad to see it held in place by chains. It was eating so I couldn't tell how much it could wander about in its enclosed area. There was a large stupa in the middle of the temple area with more images of Buddha and places to offer flowers, money, or other things. There were many oil lamps burning as well as a lot of incense. I would have liked to see it more as the holy place it is, rather than with all the kids running around. But it was still a good time.

We then went out for lunch to get hot dogs. I was so excited. I had been craving a hot dog with mustard, ketchup, and relish for so long. When we got it, I was surprised to see it was a hot dog in a bun covered in curry. What was I expecting? I'm in Sri Lanka. While I was disappointed, I still enjoyed it.

Next we went to Union Place and saw some of the fancy hotels that line the ocean. Unfortunately the water was too rough to go into (strike 2!) but we walked up the promenade which was surrounded by food stalls. Apparently this area comes alive at night with even more food stalls. Also, there was a nice green space where people were flying kites. We had some ice cream and moved on to see the lighthouse. It was so lame it doesn't even get a write up. I thought I'd get to climb up or walk about it and see what the inside looks like but no. So we stopped briefly for a couple pictures.

Erandi's aunt then took us to the bus stop and dropped us off. We took a bus to Dehiwala to see the zoo, which was fantastic! From our stop we took a tuk tuk to the zoo and payed the steep 2000Rs entrance fee. Erandi payed 100Rs because she is Sri Lankan. She was very nice to split the cost of my 2000Rs fee, and gave me 1000Rs. It was super nice. The zoo covered many acres and boasts so many different types of fish, birds, and monkeys! We saw rhinos, hippos, giraffes, lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, elephants, as well as different African and Asian animals like the Guanaco (pictured below) and the Mongolian Wild Horse. There were many mawcaws, cockatoos, hornbilled birds, as well as chimps, baboons, monkeys, and even crocodiles. There were also many different types of snakes, like an anaconda that was as thick as a tire. It was crazy huge! It was at this point that my camera died so I will have to steal some of Erandi's photos later. We were there for about 2 hours and then took a tuk tuk back to the main road and a bus home.

We both went to our separate rooms and had a nap. We were so exhausted from the walking, heat, and travel. I have a bad headache, presumably from being out in the sun. However, I had a really good day. Erandi's aunt brought us 'take away meals' to bring with us incase we got hungry later and also some flavored milk. It was like capri sun, or kool-aid-jammers but it was milk in a pouch! It was so refreshing and kind of her to not only bring us food and drink but to drive us around Colombo.

I'm now getting ready for dinner, will shower, and then Skype with my family. Hopefully our Skype works today, as it hasn't really been recently. Tomorrow begins my second week of work, and perhaps planning next weekend's adventure!