A Week in Sri Lanka

Hey everyone!  I'm glad to be back home in Doha, after a six day trip to Sri Lanka.  We had a ton of great experiences.  I'll list some and then expand on my two favorite experiences.  If you want to hear more about one that's listed, just comment and I'll be glad to do it!

Things we did:
- Loosely planned adventures
- Crazy cab rides
- Sri Lankan Safari
- Batiks
- Masks
- Parade
- Beach
- Moonstone Mines
- Sea Turtle Hatchery
- Cobras
- Buddha Statue
- Tsunami Photo Museum
- River "Safari"
- Cinnamon harvesting
- Fish Pedicure
- Buddhist Monk convo
- Buddhist Temple
- Sri Lankan Breakfast (lunch & dinner)
- Met great people
- Enjoyed great friends
- Tea
- Arrack
- "Factories"
- Bus Rides
- BurgerS
- Train Rides
- Wreck(s)
- Colombo
- Mosquito Nets
- Fell in love
- Probably some things I'm leaving out

Buddhist Monk Convo

We sat down and spoke to a monk about the four noble truths.  He let us know he could explain it to us, but that people spent their lives in search of understanding them.  The first was that life is suffering.  The second is that the origin of the suffering is within us.  The third was that there is a way to end that suffering.  The fourth talks about the path to end the suffering.

It all sounds like a very pessimistic way to look at the world.  However, when you look deeper, you realize that the idea is simply realistic, rather than pessimistic.  The monk made references to information I had contemplated during some of my spiritual journey and gave practical knowledge using deep insight. Many people cause suffering to themselves through jealousy and always wanting the next THING.  In reality, the people are causing the suffering to themselves and they are the cure to the suffering.  The THING they want is never enough to end the suffering, only they are.

He talked about his travels to Europe and how he respected the work we did as teachers.  He acknowledged that he had trouble teaching schoolchildren during his travels and you could see that he appreciated four people staring at him and actively engaging in what he was teaching.  He conversed in a way that seemed truly at peace.  He left us with holy string that he tied around our wrists.  I'll wear mine until it falls off.

Tsunami Photo Museum

This may be a weird thing to put in my favorite category, but it was truly eye-opening.  You got to see and hear the stories on pieces of paper collected by a woman whose house was ripped away in the 2004 tsunami.  There were trash bags and rotten boards for walls, but the museum was no less significant.

One story told of how a woman lost a child after the first wave and was with her other child looking for their lost family member when the second wave hit.  The second child got swept away with the second wave and the story ended with the mother still in search for her children years later.

By being on the area that the wave hit, you were able to feel the story as you read about it and saw pictures of it.  One of the pieces of the museum that spoke to me most was how appreciative the Sri Lankans were of two things: the sea that brought the wave and the people of the world.

There was a sign that spoke of the sea giving life to Sri Lankans, taking it away and that the people would depend on the sea to give life back.  The forgiveness in those words is something that spoke to me.  More than forgiveness, there was hope and appreciation.  The people were thankful to have the sea so that they could continue to use it for their daily lives.

 There were multiple places that talked about appreciation to governments and private organizations from all around the world.  As we walked around, people would smile when we said we were from America.  They wouldn't hesitate to let us know that when the tsunami hit, Americans were there to help them.  I have heard the argument about how we have to "take care of our own first."  In my opinion, we do a pretty damn good job of taking care of our own.  There are many people out there that we can help also.  It made me even more committed to my belief that when the people of the world are in trouble, Americans don't have the duty to help; they have the honor of helping.  So many times, people around the world are struck by natural or man-created horrors and it is up to the leaders of the free world to protect and help the citizens of the world.

That day, I was so proud to be a US citizen.  It wasn't because of American pride or money that people appreciated America.  It was because of the side of America that is human.  The side of America that helps other people around the world, regardless of their nationality or skin color.  People loved us because we loved them.

Thanks for all the love!