We got into Hambantota last night after a 6 hour drive from Colombo, down the coast. The entire coast line was hit by the tsunami, and every few hundred feet there was a grave site for the victims.
We arrived at the Children's Resource Center (CRC) at 8pm and met the staff. Mr. Wanni, the director, greeted us and fed us a great dinner of eggs, bread, and potato curry. We then went to our house, where we'll be staying for the next 5 weeks.
The house is beautiful, and quite large in comparison to most dwellings here. We have a room, and we share the rest of the house with a woman, her mother, and her 2 children. The woman lost her husband in the tsunami.
This morning we woke up around 5:30 or 6 (we are still jet lagged) and had a great breakfast of fruit, milk rice, and something spicy to put on the rice. I spent the morning drawing, reading, and writing, until we went to the CRC around noon for lunch.
We got to see the center a bit more, and we spent a lot of time talking to Mr. Wanni about the center and the goals he has for us. It sounds like we're going to be doing a lot of publicity development, including websites and pamphlets.
The mosquitos and heat attack with a vengeance, but overall this is a very pleasant place to be. The pace is much slower than at college, and I have a lot of time to relax and enjoy myself.
I believe the agenda for the rest of the day is to drive with Mr. Wanni to view the affected area, and then possibly visit some elephants. I'll take pictures.
3 comments:
I love reading about your trip. It sounds like a deluge of sights, impressions, scents. Keep up the outstanding reporting;I look forward to the next update.
A lowly fork or spoon will never look the same again. We look forward to a demonstration.
- Meg trying to pet wild animals: Tell her I gave you permission to tie her hands together anytime you go outside if she doesn't stop this.
It probly won't stop her, but might be good for amusement value
- ginger+ tea: Ginger is used a lot in various Asian countries as a ward against illness. I know some US people who swear by ginger tea for all sorts of illnesses, from upset tummy to colds.
There's a Japanese place in the north hills that used to (and may still) serve ginger tea, both hot and iced. I'll try to remember to drag you there when you get back.
Everyone on 'Tech seems to be watching here like a hawk. We all miss you and think of you often. Hugs from me to both of you, and watch out for those giant robot spiders.
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