Lauren Lifestyle - Sri Lanka Style

I have been keeping up with my running this year and it's going much better than last year. For one, I have given up swaddling myself in excess clothing. I figure that I attract the same amount and the same kind of attention whether I cover myself from head to toe or keep it simple with a t-shirt and pair of shorts. Secondly, I now have a regular running buddy! Ashoka has been running with me, which infinitely improves the entire experience; most people content themselves with just staring at me and refrain from shouting at me or following me when he is by my side. However, we ran past a little girl the other day who started yelling, "Foreigner, foreigner, foreigner!" at the top of her lungs in Singhala, as if she were trying to warn Ashoka that he was in some sort of danger; perhaps she thought I was chasing him?? Ashoka laughed and yelled back in Singhala, "What shall I do??" She was too agitated to offer any advice and instead continued running around, flailing her arms, and sending out the alarm call.

When I go running on my own I stick to the main road for safety, but when I am with Ashoka we adventure into the countryside on dirt roads that wind through fields of sugar cane and manioc. We run at dusk, just as the sun is setting behind the mountains and bats begin to flit over head. Last year I felt a bit confined to the field station because it was difficult for me to really go anywhere on my own ( the main road doesn't offer the best running experience) so I am relishing the opportunity to explore the countryside on foot. Ashoka is studying for the GREs and often brings his vocabulary flashcards with him on our runs; this way we are both physically and mentally productive! I've had a lot of fun acting out words for him as we jog. How would you pantomime the word 'pantomime?'

In addition to running, I have been doing yoga. Lizzie and Ashani picked up yoga mats in Colombo the other weekend, which have turned out to be multi-functional. So far, they have mostly been used as floor mats to sit on while eating or as cushions for our group massage sessions. I introduced s'mores and massage circles to the field station last year and they seem to have caught on well. I have also used my mat for its intended purpose. I take it up to the roof to do yoga in the evenings and star gaze afterwards - very peaceful and relaxing after a long day in the field. The flat rooftop is a wonderful new addition to the field station; last year I had to do yoga in the front yard, which also attracted much unwanted attention. Over the past few months, we have added 3 rooms to the field station and are preparing to construct a second story. Until construction begins on this second level, we have a roof-top patio, which offers a stunning view of the fields and mountains off in the distance. It's a spectacular place to watch the sunset and collect your thoughts.

All in all, I am feeling much more at home in Sri Lanka than I did last year. Don't get me wrong, I was very happy here last summer, but it was new and unfamiliar to me so naturally I felt a bit out of my comfort zone. Before coming out this summer, I had serious doubts as to whether or not I could spend much more than 3 months at a time in Sri Lanka without feeling totally out of my element and homesick. I don't have those worries any longer. I have figured out how to live a 'Lauren lifestyle' here and I must say it's pretty fabulous!