Explore Sean’s Essays:
Libraries Need to Evolve
I utilize my public library more now now than I have in the past eight years. This is especially surprising because I live over 8,700 miles away from it. I can't recall ever checking a book out of the library while a high school or undergraduate student, but since moving to Sri...
J is for Jambu
Sri Lanka was referred to by the ancient Arab traders as Serendip, it is the root word for serendipity. Part of the reasoning was that a man could cross the island with nothing but the clothes on his back, and emerge well fed. As one of the most bio diverse islands in the...
Yamu
Yamu means 'let's go' in Sinhala. Yamu.lk is a startup based in Colombo. Right now they're a city guide, but they're quickly evolving to cover all things Sri Lanka. If you're looking for a good restaurant, bar, or activity they're your source. Every day about 1000...
New Year
Sri Lankan New Year is upon us. The stores are packed, buses are crowded, and businesses are shutting down for a long weekend. The Tamil and Sinhalese New Years follow the vernal equinox, this year they will begin on April 14th. This year I am headed to Nuwara Eliya for New...
Sunburn
My name is Sean Kevin O'Connor, as you might be able to guess I have some Irish heritage. The Irish are famous for their ability to tan. The deep reds that the sun is able to draw out of the skin if Irishmen evoke comparisons to strawberries and fire engines. My application of...
Costs of War
I'm continually surprised by the challenges of working in a post conflict area. Trinco, the town where I live and teach, was relatively unaffected by the war. By this I mean there were a few bombings in town, but they did not suffer from heavy fighting. Just a few kilometeres...
Sterility
Travel should be challenging. You should be slapped in the face by culture (literally and physically). When traveling you should be surrounded by the locals, and you should eat at the restaurants where no one can speak your native tongue. I know that this type of travel...
Mid-Phase Review
On Friday, March 15th the Fulbright Commission held a mid-phase review. All of the English Teaching Assistants, Student Researchers, and Senior Scholars gathered together at the Fulbright Commission's villa offices in Colombo for a day of presentations. This year there are a...
Surviving
He intensely gazes at the sea, looking for signs of fish. Something catches his eye, and he points it out to his son. The young boy is learning his father's trade. Slowly he wades into the water, stalking his prey. He readies his net and casts it onto the sea. There is tension...