by Sean | Jan 26, 2013 | Fulbright, Sri Lanka
“What to do?” This common Sri Lankan English phrase summed up my feelings earlier this week, when on my way home from work the pedal fell off of my bicycle. I stopped, picked up the pedal, and assessed the situation as a few curious Sri Lankans came to...
by Sean | Jan 24, 2013 | Fulbright, Sri Lanka
What comes to mind when you read the phrase radical fundamentalism? Write it down. My list is Al-Qaeda, 9-11, and Islamist. Reading that list makes it fairly obvious what an impact the 2001 attacks had on my worldview. I have a bias against the Muslim religion; my...
by Sean | Jan 21, 2013 | Economics, Emerging Markets, Fulbright, Politics, Sarvodaya, Sri Lanka, Teaching English
What do Sri Lankan students, an American English Teaching Assistant (ETA), and a Korean rapper share in common? For one thing, we all possess a love of dance and music. Psy’s top charting song, Gangnam Style, has taken the world by storm. With its gripping lyrics and...
by Sean | Jan 21, 2013 | Fitness, Fulbright, Sri Lanka, Travel
Over the past two weeks I’ve started biking to work every day, and I have to say its been a welcome improvement to my daily routine. Between a cold shower, cup of coffee, and twenty minute bike ride I’m energized and ready to start teaching by the time I...
by Sean | Jan 16, 2013 | Food, Fulbright, Politics, Sarvodaya, Sri Lanka, Teaching English, Travel
Today marks the final day of the Tamil harvest festival, Pongal. The first day of Pongal is spent worshiping the Sun; the Sun is the giver of life, and without it crops would not grow. The second day is spent paying respect to cows. They are critical to life on a...