Going without

Living in a developing country there are lots of things you get used to not having: Hot water Electrical appliances (namely washer and drier) A stable (and fast) internet connection Toilet paper Many food items Arguably, one of the hardest things to get used to is the...

Go and Come

Go and come. Its an odd phrase; but it is commonly used in Sri Lankan English, and I’ve really grown to like it. I spent five days between Colombo and Galle last week, traveling around 850km by bus and train. It was a great couple of days. I had the best...

Pongal (பொங்கல்)

Back in November, which seems like an eternity ago, I taught my students about the American Festival of Thanksgiving. I compared Thanksgiving to the Hindu festival of Pongal, which is celebrated in January. Pongal is a festival to celebrate the harvest. Pongal...

Polonnaruwa

Two transfers and eight hours in transit, its 11:47pm and I’m back home in Trinco. This morning I woke up early and headed to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. When I arrived it was about noon, and I spent a few hours walking along the ruins, and really enjoying...