A while back I told you about Dole destroying thousands of acres of forest within the Somawathiya National Park and my efforts to draw attention/bring an end to the destruction. With the help of Dr. Kunz and several of his colleagues, I was able to get in touch with Jeremy Hance, a journalist from mongabay.com, which is a popular online environmental journal. I passed along information and photos to Jeremy, and the end product is the following article!
http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0814-hance_srilanka_dole.html
I am still in the process of cultivating a connection with an NGO in the U.S. and am considering getting in touch with representatives in Congress who would have jurisdiction in this area. So, we now have an article to spread awareness, but the battle has just begun!
Elephant Crossing
This is a male elephant crossing the road in UdaWalawe National Park.
A baby elephant nursing!
This was a very playful individual who came within inches of our vehicle and displayed its flexible trunk. Notice the collar around its neck, which reveals it was rehabilitated and re-released into the wild. Although such playful behavior can be amusing, it is not healthy for the elephants to interact with humans in this manner.
A gorgeous leopard snoozing in the crook of a tree. Yala National Park
Crocodile and water buffalo enjoying a watering hole at Yala National Park
How I Avoid the Leeches
How I Avoid the Leeches: From left: Kumara, the guide, Tharanga, Lizzie, Ashani, Ilja
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Camping Trip # 2
I got back from our latest camping trip last night and what an interesting trip it was! We found a spot north of the park along the elephant corridor where an electric fence is currently being built along the park boundaries. Immediately adjacent to the park is a village largely dedicated to rice cultivation, so the the fence will run through some of the properties - some people are even trying to cultivate crops inside of the park! It's a crazy and complicated situation. We camped out at the "community hall," which, ironically enough, is also were villagers come to collectively mourn the death of those who have been killed by elephants. In fact, we visited the family of a man who was killed by an elephant less than a month ago. The villagers were immediately aware of our presence and during the two nights we stayed at the hall, we had visitors throughout the night.
The first house we happened to visit for the survey was the home of a woman who plays a very prominent role within the community. She is responsible for spearheading the project that brought an extensive irrigation system to this area. Before the land was irrigated, it was all forest and families grew all of their vegetables and fruit. Now the forest has been flooded and mostly converted to paddy fields. Due to the high water table, fruit and vegetables no longer grow here, so families have to buy these items at the market. It seems strange to me, but the villagers are very happy with this situation. Sri Lankans are very dependent on their rice (which most households eat 3 times a day), so I guess the fact that they can grow their own rice, even at the expense of veggies and fruits, gives them a sense of security. Obviously, I think this is a bad situation - we are trying to determine whether farmers are open to switching from rice cultivation to elephant resistant crops, and this town has gone in the opposite direction. But what's life without a challenge?!
On the bright side, this woman was extremely hospitable and welcoming, which put us in good standing with the other villagers. The first day we visited her, she gave us mangos, papayas and tea with fresh cow milk - yum! The next morning she visited our campsite before dawn to tell us not to prepare breakfast because she had already cooked for us. It would have been rude for us to refuse her (plus who says no to a "free" meal), so we arrived at her house to find a heaping pile of delicious black beans mixed with coconut, onion sambol, fresh fruit, and tea. She continued to feed us throughout our stay, showing up at each meal carrying a bowl of curry or rice. I really am overcome by how gracious all of the village people have been. When I visited the houses in this area, I was always invited to spend the night with them instead of having to sleep in a tent (actually, I was sleeping in the jeep, but same idea). It was a rare house that didn't offer us food/ force it down our throats til we were stuffed. Despite the hospitality, I am still skeptical of their true sentiments. Shermin recounted a story of someone from this very village who burned down an the house of an environmentalist. This act was meant to 'encourage' him to leave town. Previously, this man had been warmly accepted by the village, but the villagers are wrapped around the fingers of the politicians and one word from them caused the villagers to turn on this poor fellow. He refused to leave, by the way. This past weekend, a jeep from the Wildlife Department was torched in protest of the elephant census in Uda Walawe Park. So as you can see, tides quickly turn in this country, so I feel it's best to keep myself from being seduced by the initial kindness with which I am greeted.
We also had the opportunity to sit in on a very important town meeting during which the village discussed a proposed golf course project. Construction would involve the destruction of almost 700 acres of mature riparian forest. One consequence of this project would be the loss of water supply to the village, i.e. they would be unable to cultivate paddy and would lose their livelihoods. From our perspective, this project is disastrous because it will destroy old, diverse habitat that is home to rare species that are found few other places in the country. In addition, the forest is extremely important in regulating the water cycle and restoring fresh water to streams, rivers, and underground aquifers. The people behind the project say they will mitigate any damage by replanting double the number of trees they uproot. What an absolutely stupid and absurd proposal! A person is going to cut down ancient trees, destroy critical animal and plant habitat, completely alter the topography, disrupt a vital region of a critical water system that supports by human, wild animal, and plant life, and in return they are going to plant new trees...Let me see if I can come up with a suitable analogy. Ok, your great great great ancestors built, over generations and generations, a beautiful countryside manor in which is housed all of your most treasured family possessions. This home represents your entire family history. You spent your childhood in this beloved home and also raised your own family here. The land around the manor is fertile and gorgeous. It supplied your ancestors with food and timber for thousands of years and it continues to sustain you today. Now, imagine some man comes knocking on your door to tell you he wants to burn down your house and all of its contents, in order to build a golf course. But don't worry, because he will build you not one, but two small, new cottages. I hope you would punch him in the face. Planting new tress is wonderful, don't get me wrong. But, you cannot replace an ecosystem you have destroyed with one that is identical. And new ecosystems are not bad, but all of the plants and animals in this particular location have evolved to live in this specific habitat, which cannot be replicated. See the problem? Fortunately, the villagers are opposed to the project, as are the Wildlife Department and Irrigation Department. Unfortunately, there is a lot of corruption and rule bending. Shermin and Ashoka are fighting the project, and I will do what I can while I am here, but I don't know how things will turn out.
On a happy note, the camping part of the trip it self was very enjoyable. I was able to swim each night in the reservoir! The last night I even enjoyed the company of some bats during my evening bath. They were grabbing a quick waterside meal :) We saw a couple of elephants along the way as well. This coming weekend, I hope to visit Peradeniya University in Kandy, where I have aspirations of completing a Fulbright in the future. The following weekend, will be my last :( Although plans are not set in stone, we are toying with the idea of another camping trip before I leave. I would like to visit some more houses by the West entrance of the park before the field season comes to a close. I cannot believe how time flies!
The first house we happened to visit for the survey was the home of a woman who plays a very prominent role within the community. She is responsible for spearheading the project that brought an extensive irrigation system to this area. Before the land was irrigated, it was all forest and families grew all of their vegetables and fruit. Now the forest has been flooded and mostly converted to paddy fields. Due to the high water table, fruit and vegetables no longer grow here, so families have to buy these items at the market. It seems strange to me, but the villagers are very happy with this situation. Sri Lankans are very dependent on their rice (which most households eat 3 times a day), so I guess the fact that they can grow their own rice, even at the expense of veggies and fruits, gives them a sense of security. Obviously, I think this is a bad situation - we are trying to determine whether farmers are open to switching from rice cultivation to elephant resistant crops, and this town has gone in the opposite direction. But what's life without a challenge?!
On the bright side, this woman was extremely hospitable and welcoming, which put us in good standing with the other villagers. The first day we visited her, she gave us mangos, papayas and tea with fresh cow milk - yum! The next morning she visited our campsite before dawn to tell us not to prepare breakfast because she had already cooked for us. It would have been rude for us to refuse her (plus who says no to a "free" meal), so we arrived at her house to find a heaping pile of delicious black beans mixed with coconut, onion sambol, fresh fruit, and tea. She continued to feed us throughout our stay, showing up at each meal carrying a bowl of curry or rice. I really am overcome by how gracious all of the village people have been. When I visited the houses in this area, I was always invited to spend the night with them instead of having to sleep in a tent (actually, I was sleeping in the jeep, but same idea). It was a rare house that didn't offer us food/ force it down our throats til we were stuffed. Despite the hospitality, I am still skeptical of their true sentiments. Shermin recounted a story of someone from this very village who burned down an the house of an environmentalist. This act was meant to 'encourage' him to leave town. Previously, this man had been warmly accepted by the village, but the villagers are wrapped around the fingers of the politicians and one word from them caused the villagers to turn on this poor fellow. He refused to leave, by the way. This past weekend, a jeep from the Wildlife Department was torched in protest of the elephant census in Uda Walawe Park. So as you can see, tides quickly turn in this country, so I feel it's best to keep myself from being seduced by the initial kindness with which I am greeted.
We also had the opportunity to sit in on a very important town meeting during which the village discussed a proposed golf course project. Construction would involve the destruction of almost 700 acres of mature riparian forest. One consequence of this project would be the loss of water supply to the village, i.e. they would be unable to cultivate paddy and would lose their livelihoods. From our perspective, this project is disastrous because it will destroy old, diverse habitat that is home to rare species that are found few other places in the country. In addition, the forest is extremely important in regulating the water cycle and restoring fresh water to streams, rivers, and underground aquifers. The people behind the project say they will mitigate any damage by replanting double the number of trees they uproot. What an absolutely stupid and absurd proposal! A person is going to cut down ancient trees, destroy critical animal and plant habitat, completely alter the topography, disrupt a vital region of a critical water system that supports by human, wild animal, and plant life, and in return they are going to plant new trees...Let me see if I can come up with a suitable analogy. Ok, your great great great ancestors built, over generations and generations, a beautiful countryside manor in which is housed all of your most treasured family possessions. This home represents your entire family history. You spent your childhood in this beloved home and also raised your own family here. The land around the manor is fertile and gorgeous. It supplied your ancestors with food and timber for thousands of years and it continues to sustain you today. Now, imagine some man comes knocking on your door to tell you he wants to burn down your house and all of its contents, in order to build a golf course. But don't worry, because he will build you not one, but two small, new cottages. I hope you would punch him in the face. Planting new tress is wonderful, don't get me wrong. But, you cannot replace an ecosystem you have destroyed with one that is identical. And new ecosystems are not bad, but all of the plants and animals in this particular location have evolved to live in this specific habitat, which cannot be replicated. See the problem? Fortunately, the villagers are opposed to the project, as are the Wildlife Department and Irrigation Department. Unfortunately, there is a lot of corruption and rule bending. Shermin and Ashoka are fighting the project, and I will do what I can while I am here, but I don't know how things will turn out.
On a happy note, the camping part of the trip it self was very enjoyable. I was able to swim each night in the reservoir! The last night I even enjoyed the company of some bats during my evening bath. They were grabbing a quick waterside meal :) We saw a couple of elephants along the way as well. This coming weekend, I hope to visit Peradeniya University in Kandy, where I have aspirations of completing a Fulbright in the future. The following weekend, will be my last :( Although plans are not set in stone, we are toying with the idea of another camping trip before I leave. I would like to visit some more houses by the West entrance of the park before the field season comes to a close. I cannot believe how time flies!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Making Friends with the Animals
Tuesday morning I was sitting on the front porch reading a Gerald Durrell book, enjoying the fresh morning and waiting for Sameera to pick me up for the survey. If you have never read Gerald Durrell, I strongly suggest a trip to the library. His books recount his adventures from the 1950s while he was collecting animals from Africa, Asia, and South America for his zoo in England. As I was reading his book that morning, "The Bafut Beagles," I enjoyed my own heart warming encounter with nature.
Before sitting down to read, I had put my hiking boots on and had been forced to evict one of our toad friends in the process. He looked slightly offended and quite put off. I tried to apologize for interrupting his morning nap, but he turned his back on me and hopped away. Feeling snubbed, I sat down to my book and tried to ignore my own hurt feelings.
As I was reading, I heard a soft rustling coming from my backpack, which was leaning against the chair at my feet. I looked down to find none another than my toady friend scaling the slope of my backpack. He eventually made it to the top of my bag, which was level with my knee, and sat there quietly contemplating his next move. To my surprise and great delight, he hopped onto my knee! I sat motionless, barely breathing for fear that I might scare him away. He then started to hop up my leg and over my lap until he landed on my stomach. I was trying so hard to keep from shaking with laughter because not only were his little toes tickling me, but he was wearing the most solemn expression. He turned his quizzical gaze to me, his throat softly bobbing up and down, and cocked his head. For the next 2-3 minutes neither of us moved, but simply stared at one another. I am so glad no one showed up during this interval because it must have looked quite strange - almost as if I were having a conversation with this toad. Finally, he decided he had stayed long enough and hopped back to my leg, onto the backpack, and to the floor.
For some time after, he jumped around the patio searching in vain for a suitable place to rest out of the sun. It was obvious I had removed him from his ideal location and every once in a while he would shoot me a reproachful look. I was starting to feel slightly guilty, so I knelt down and offered him my running shoe, which he gladly accepted.
Before sitting down to read, I had put my hiking boots on and had been forced to evict one of our toad friends in the process. He looked slightly offended and quite put off. I tried to apologize for interrupting his morning nap, but he turned his back on me and hopped away. Feeling snubbed, I sat down to my book and tried to ignore my own hurt feelings.
As I was reading, I heard a soft rustling coming from my backpack, which was leaning against the chair at my feet. I looked down to find none another than my toady friend scaling the slope of my backpack. He eventually made it to the top of my bag, which was level with my knee, and sat there quietly contemplating his next move. To my surprise and great delight, he hopped onto my knee! I sat motionless, barely breathing for fear that I might scare him away. He then started to hop up my leg and over my lap until he landed on my stomach. I was trying so hard to keep from shaking with laughter because not only were his little toes tickling me, but he was wearing the most solemn expression. He turned his quizzical gaze to me, his throat softly bobbing up and down, and cocked his head. For the next 2-3 minutes neither of us moved, but simply stared at one another. I am so glad no one showed up during this interval because it must have looked quite strange - almost as if I were having a conversation with this toad. Finally, he decided he had stayed long enough and hopped back to my leg, onto the backpack, and to the floor.
For some time after, he jumped around the patio searching in vain for a suitable place to rest out of the sun. It was obvious I had removed him from his ideal location and every once in a while he would shoot me a reproachful look. I was starting to feel slightly guilty, so I knelt down and offered him my running shoe, which he gladly accepted.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Close Calls and Coconuts to the Rescue!
When traveling abroad, it is always my goal to have a well rounded adveture: academics (of course :), food, culture, people, and daily life to name just a few things. I think within the last week I touched upon it all and now have many tales to share - get comfy!
First on the list is a description of the camping trip we took last week. We left on Tuesday early in the afternoon and returned Thursday evening. We camped about four hours from home at the soon-to-officially open West entrance of Uda Walawe National Park. In fact, we were the first outsiders to enjoy this area! As Ashoka, Shermin, Lizzie, and Tharanga were occupied with their project, Sameera was in charge of gathering the camping supplies. Although he had a list, it seems we set off lacking a few of the more minor items, e.g. curry leaves, eggs, bread, and drinking water. Actually, we didn't really 'forget' the water. Rather, the boys were confident we could find drinking water near the other entrance. Yeah, that didn't really work out. I had my water bottle, but of course this could not last for 2 to 3 days. Sameera was able to pinch some curry leaves from someone's garden and we miraculously ran into a bread truck in the middle of a sad looking dirt road. We even stumbled upon some eggs, but as we neared our destination and found ourselves deeper and deeper into the back country, the water situation was starting to look a bit dire. Fortunately we were able to purchase some coconuts from a local, which gave us time to boil well water once we found a suitable place to make camp - phew!
Camping itself was wonderful. I taught Sameera, Tharanga, and our tracker how to make s'mores. Sameera was particularly taken by them. Before heading to bed, I enjoyed a quick wash in the nearby stream. Sharing a tent with Lizzie and Shermin was a bit too hot, so I opted to sleep under the stars. Unfortunately, the first night was overcast, but the second night the stars were dazzling. The next morning, I visited the one household still remaining within the park boundaries. Although the rest of the village has left, this family is extremely attached to the land and feels they have no where else to go. This is one of the more difficult situations I hope my research can help resolve. Despite the land conflict with the park, these people were astoundingly hospitable and gave us king coconuts. Singing quite a different tune from my previous blog entry, I was now more than happy to accept as many coconuts as possible because we still had not boiled much water and I was very thirsty. I was quite sweaty after the survey, and Shermin and I indulged in a refreshing dip in the stream. The water was quite cold, which felt fantastic, but there were an abundance of hungry fish that took to nibbling me. I hadn't brought soap on the trip, so I guess in the end they helped clean me off and in return got a meal.
On the journey home the next day, we stopped by several more houses and completed some more of the survey. Most of the households I had visited previously had a home garden or farm plot on the premises, but a couple of these houses had rices paddy plots a half mile or more from their homes. We saw a lot of evidence of elephant crop raiding and many tree houses, which are used as look outposts for elephants during the night. Tharanga and I even climbed one - I'll have to post a picture. I forgot to mention before, but on our way to the campsite, we came across 2 men who had been run up a tree by an elephant. I am not sure how long they had been stuck, but I heard a story of a person being trapped for several days. We have it pretty easy in the U.S.
After a hot, long journey we finally returned to the field station late in the afternoon and then were up early the next morning to set off for our trip to Colombo. Shermin had a presentation at a school Friday afternoon, I had a meeting with someone at the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) on Saturday morning, and Lizzie was headed home to the U.K. on Monday. After stopping by Shermin's Auntie's flat for lunch, Lizzie and I headed out to do some souvenir shopping and then checked into our hotel. After the last hotel we stayed at in Yala where I found a black, hairy spider the size of my face stuffed into the toilet paper roll, I was anxious about our accommodations in Colombo. Fortunately, the room was clean and the food was decent, and we had no unfortunate experiences there. On Saturday morning, I had my meeting at the WNPS and made a great contact who has offered to introduce me to the Dean of Peradeniya University in Kandy to help me develop a Fulbright program! In the afternoon, Lizzie went out for some shopping, but I decided to hit the beach for a run. As it turns out, I probably picked the worst day for a run. There was a huge international motorcycle show on the beach, so it took me a while to find room to run. Just as I had hit my stride, I found myself running down an alley dotted with military men carrying large automatic weapons. Apparently I had found my way into the realm of the Port Authority. I decided it would be prudent to politely salute, turn around, and head for home.
Lizzie was eager to go out dancing before heading back to the U.K., so that night we set off to find some music and get our groove on. What better place to ask for advice for a night out on the town than the Hilton? We found an outgoing concierge who was more than happy to point us in the right direction - he even gave us a map! What an adventure that night turned out to be. We were the first to arrive at the venue, a bit embarrassing. Then, as the place filled up, we had the (unfortunate?) experience of making some Indian friends. Actually, let me re-phrase. We had the luck of meeting some filthy rich Indian friends. And guess where they were staying?? The Hilton ($400/night)! Although fun at first, they quickly lost their charm when they began complaining about the amount of money they made. Two of them were brothers and each had a Russian girlfriend (and it was quite obvious the girls were in it for the money). One of the guys complained, "My brother, he is so rich he can never marry because the women will only want him for his money." Cry me a river. His problem is not his money, it's his undisciplined and extravagant personality that gets him into trouble. If I had that kind of wealth, I am positive I could make the world a much better place and lead a very happy life. Shortly after giving our first acquaintances the slip, we met two members of the New Zealand rugby team. For a long time I thought they just meant they were part of a university rugby team, but as it turns out they are part of the national team. Who would have thought? They had to have been two of the most massive men I have ever encountered in my life. If rugby doesn't work, they could cast themselves out for the next Hulk movie. Despite their menacing stature, they were quite nice and I enjoyed talking with them. They asked for my number and invited me to their next match, which is this coming weekend, but I don't have a phone here and I would be too busy to make it up to Colombo anyway. Ah well! It was getting really late at this point and I had had my fill of fame and fortune, so Lizzie and I decided to head back to the hotel. On our way out, we met to Sri Lankan Australians (not sure quite how to describe them). They were pretty tipsy, but managed to ask where I was from. When I responded the USA, one asked me which state so I replied Ohio. "Ah, a mid-western girl!" Then turning to his equally intoxicated friend he points to my legs and says, "But she doesn't have kankles!" I wasn't aware that was a stereotype associated with the mid-west, but I guess you learn something new no matter where you go.
Ok, so we have hit the academics, the culture, the locals, and the food. But what is a trip abroad without a trip to the hospital? On Sunday, we went out to lunch with Auntie to celebrate Shermin's wedding anniversary. It was a wonderful restaurant and I was enjoying my rich chocolate cake, thinking how well the trip to Colombo was going, when I suddenly felt overwhelmingly exhausted. I pushed it off my mind, thinking it was due to my late night/early morning. When we returned to Auntie's I crashed for a couple hours expecting to wake up feeling refreshed. Instead I woke up scrambling for the toilet. I will spare you the ghastly details. Suffice it to say it was the most unpleasant and prolonged intestinal experience of my life. I got sick Sunday evening; it is now Wednesday evening and I am so dehydrated that I am downing glasses of re-hydrating salts. I was still miserable this morning, so we took a trip to the local hospital. Forunately, Ashoka's wife, Chappa, is a doctor there and she was able to see me immediately. End diagnosis, I was hit with a really unpleasant stomach flu and am now very dehydrated. The deal is I can stay at home and avoid a stay in the hospital with an I.V. in my arm if I drink copious quantities of liquids. The re-hydrating salts taste nasty, so I have made another deal with myself. For every glass I drink, I get a small square of chocolate. Fair and productive plan, I think. So unfortunately, I am confined to bed for at least the next day :( Sameera and Tharanga carried out the survey without me today, which I felt really bad about. I only have a handful of days left in the field and I don't want to miss one! Plus, I feel bad having the guys shoulder my load. But they were wonderful about it and made me promise not to worry about anything and just concentrate on getting well.
So in the end, I guess I can say that I have seen 'the good, the bad, and the ugly' of Sri Lanka. The good: the wonderful friends I have made who have taken such good care of me, especially while I have been ill. The bad: the rich and entitled snobs that are present in every country. The ugly: the inside of a Sri Lankan toilet bowl. And that is where I leave you my friends, at least for now.
First on the list is a description of the camping trip we took last week. We left on Tuesday early in the afternoon and returned Thursday evening. We camped about four hours from home at the soon-to-officially open West entrance of Uda Walawe National Park. In fact, we were the first outsiders to enjoy this area! As Ashoka, Shermin, Lizzie, and Tharanga were occupied with their project, Sameera was in charge of gathering the camping supplies. Although he had a list, it seems we set off lacking a few of the more minor items, e.g. curry leaves, eggs, bread, and drinking water. Actually, we didn't really 'forget' the water. Rather, the boys were confident we could find drinking water near the other entrance. Yeah, that didn't really work out. I had my water bottle, but of course this could not last for 2 to 3 days. Sameera was able to pinch some curry leaves from someone's garden and we miraculously ran into a bread truck in the middle of a sad looking dirt road. We even stumbled upon some eggs, but as we neared our destination and found ourselves deeper and deeper into the back country, the water situation was starting to look a bit dire. Fortunately we were able to purchase some coconuts from a local, which gave us time to boil well water once we found a suitable place to make camp - phew!
Camping itself was wonderful. I taught Sameera, Tharanga, and our tracker how to make s'mores. Sameera was particularly taken by them. Before heading to bed, I enjoyed a quick wash in the nearby stream. Sharing a tent with Lizzie and Shermin was a bit too hot, so I opted to sleep under the stars. Unfortunately, the first night was overcast, but the second night the stars were dazzling. The next morning, I visited the one household still remaining within the park boundaries. Although the rest of the village has left, this family is extremely attached to the land and feels they have no where else to go. This is one of the more difficult situations I hope my research can help resolve. Despite the land conflict with the park, these people were astoundingly hospitable and gave us king coconuts. Singing quite a different tune from my previous blog entry, I was now more than happy to accept as many coconuts as possible because we still had not boiled much water and I was very thirsty. I was quite sweaty after the survey, and Shermin and I indulged in a refreshing dip in the stream. The water was quite cold, which felt fantastic, but there were an abundance of hungry fish that took to nibbling me. I hadn't brought soap on the trip, so I guess in the end they helped clean me off and in return got a meal.
On the journey home the next day, we stopped by several more houses and completed some more of the survey. Most of the households I had visited previously had a home garden or farm plot on the premises, but a couple of these houses had rices paddy plots a half mile or more from their homes. We saw a lot of evidence of elephant crop raiding and many tree houses, which are used as look outposts for elephants during the night. Tharanga and I even climbed one - I'll have to post a picture. I forgot to mention before, but on our way to the campsite, we came across 2 men who had been run up a tree by an elephant. I am not sure how long they had been stuck, but I heard a story of a person being trapped for several days. We have it pretty easy in the U.S.
After a hot, long journey we finally returned to the field station late in the afternoon and then were up early the next morning to set off for our trip to Colombo. Shermin had a presentation at a school Friday afternoon, I had a meeting with someone at the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) on Saturday morning, and Lizzie was headed home to the U.K. on Monday. After stopping by Shermin's Auntie's flat for lunch, Lizzie and I headed out to do some souvenir shopping and then checked into our hotel. After the last hotel we stayed at in Yala where I found a black, hairy spider the size of my face stuffed into the toilet paper roll, I was anxious about our accommodations in Colombo. Fortunately, the room was clean and the food was decent, and we had no unfortunate experiences there. On Saturday morning, I had my meeting at the WNPS and made a great contact who has offered to introduce me to the Dean of Peradeniya University in Kandy to help me develop a Fulbright program! In the afternoon, Lizzie went out for some shopping, but I decided to hit the beach for a run. As it turns out, I probably picked the worst day for a run. There was a huge international motorcycle show on the beach, so it took me a while to find room to run. Just as I had hit my stride, I found myself running down an alley dotted with military men carrying large automatic weapons. Apparently I had found my way into the realm of the Port Authority. I decided it would be prudent to politely salute, turn around, and head for home.
Lizzie was eager to go out dancing before heading back to the U.K., so that night we set off to find some music and get our groove on. What better place to ask for advice for a night out on the town than the Hilton? We found an outgoing concierge who was more than happy to point us in the right direction - he even gave us a map! What an adventure that night turned out to be. We were the first to arrive at the venue, a bit embarrassing. Then, as the place filled up, we had the (unfortunate?) experience of making some Indian friends. Actually, let me re-phrase. We had the luck of meeting some filthy rich Indian friends. And guess where they were staying?? The Hilton ($400/night)! Although fun at first, they quickly lost their charm when they began complaining about the amount of money they made. Two of them were brothers and each had a Russian girlfriend (and it was quite obvious the girls were in it for the money). One of the guys complained, "My brother, he is so rich he can never marry because the women will only want him for his money." Cry me a river. His problem is not his money, it's his undisciplined and extravagant personality that gets him into trouble. If I had that kind of wealth, I am positive I could make the world a much better place and lead a very happy life. Shortly after giving our first acquaintances the slip, we met two members of the New Zealand rugby team. For a long time I thought they just meant they were part of a university rugby team, but as it turns out they are part of the national team. Who would have thought? They had to have been two of the most massive men I have ever encountered in my life. If rugby doesn't work, they could cast themselves out for the next Hulk movie. Despite their menacing stature, they were quite nice and I enjoyed talking with them. They asked for my number and invited me to their next match, which is this coming weekend, but I don't have a phone here and I would be too busy to make it up to Colombo anyway. Ah well! It was getting really late at this point and I had had my fill of fame and fortune, so Lizzie and I decided to head back to the hotel. On our way out, we met to Sri Lankan Australians (not sure quite how to describe them). They were pretty tipsy, but managed to ask where I was from. When I responded the USA, one asked me which state so I replied Ohio. "Ah, a mid-western girl!" Then turning to his equally intoxicated friend he points to my legs and says, "But she doesn't have kankles!" I wasn't aware that was a stereotype associated with the mid-west, but I guess you learn something new no matter where you go.
Ok, so we have hit the academics, the culture, the locals, and the food. But what is a trip abroad without a trip to the hospital? On Sunday, we went out to lunch with Auntie to celebrate Shermin's wedding anniversary. It was a wonderful restaurant and I was enjoying my rich chocolate cake, thinking how well the trip to Colombo was going, when I suddenly felt overwhelmingly exhausted. I pushed it off my mind, thinking it was due to my late night/early morning. When we returned to Auntie's I crashed for a couple hours expecting to wake up feeling refreshed. Instead I woke up scrambling for the toilet. I will spare you the ghastly details. Suffice it to say it was the most unpleasant and prolonged intestinal experience of my life. I got sick Sunday evening; it is now Wednesday evening and I am so dehydrated that I am downing glasses of re-hydrating salts. I was still miserable this morning, so we took a trip to the local hospital. Forunately, Ashoka's wife, Chappa, is a doctor there and she was able to see me immediately. End diagnosis, I was hit with a really unpleasant stomach flu and am now very dehydrated. The deal is I can stay at home and avoid a stay in the hospital with an I.V. in my arm if I drink copious quantities of liquids. The re-hydrating salts taste nasty, so I have made another deal with myself. For every glass I drink, I get a small square of chocolate. Fair and productive plan, I think. So unfortunately, I am confined to bed for at least the next day :( Sameera and Tharanga carried out the survey without me today, which I felt really bad about. I only have a handful of days left in the field and I don't want to miss one! Plus, I feel bad having the guys shoulder my load. But they were wonderful about it and made me promise not to worry about anything and just concentrate on getting well.
So in the end, I guess I can say that I have seen 'the good, the bad, and the ugly' of Sri Lanka. The good: the wonderful friends I have made who have taken such good care of me, especially while I have been ill. The bad: the rich and entitled snobs that are present in every country. The ugly: the inside of a Sri Lankan toilet bowl. And that is where I leave you my friends, at least for now.
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