Explore Sean’s Essays:
Paper
Paper, a film by Kannan Arunasalam Based off of the name of this film, what do you think it is about? When in your life do you use paper? Could you use less paper in your life than you currently do? What would your life be like without paper? http://vimeo.com/21649437 My...
Link Structure
You might not have noticed, but last week I changed the link structure of my blog. Previously the link to this post would have been: brightful.ly/2013/03/05/link-structure/ Now the link structure is such that the post is brightful.ly/link-structure/ Its simpler, cleaner, and...
Where to find organic, fairtrade coffee in Sri Lanka: Hansa
Coffee is something I've struggled to live without while living abroad. After a month of living off of instant coffee, a friend turned me on to Hansa Coffee. Hansa is a local coffee producer, and they've quickly turned into my favorite coffee brand. They have a small shop in...
Pockets of Optimism
A fellow Fulbrighter recently had an article published about Trincomalee, Pockets of Optimism in Trincomalee. Here is an excerpt: Sri Lanka, the geographic teardrop falling just south of the Indian subcontinent, is fabled among tourists as a land of untrodden beaches,...
World View
One of the reasons I applied for a Fulbright was to expand my worldview. I had never been to the Indian subcontinent, and The Fulbright provided me a vehicle to get there. I find myself continually searching for new ways to expand my worldview, I think it's really important in...
A fresh perspective
Last week I had the fortune of playing host for my friend Keith, it was a much needed refresher. Keith and I studied abroad together in Beijing, and it was great to reconnect while traveling around Sri Lanka. After living in Sri Lanka for five months, I needed a break. I was...
Communication
Email, text messages, and cell phones have radically changed our world. This has only become more apparent as I travel. If I had been on a Fulbright even ten years ago, my level of communication with friends and family at home would be dramatically lower. I can call the US from...
Openness
The Fulbright has challenged me in more ways than I could have ever imagined. When I opted to take the Fulbright over a lucrative banking career my family was surprised, to say the least. When asked to justify my reasoning I was often at a loss for words - I didn't know how the...
Friendliness
Friendliness is a culturally relative term. What I see as friendly can be cold to some people. The 'stop and chat' is a requirement in Sri Lanka, and a simple hello can often turn into an hour long conversation. Larry David does a great job explaining the stop and chat....