UC Travel Abroad: Sri Lanka 2015

     That trip was amazing!  We visited many iconic places such as Adam's Peak, Sigiriya and Udwalawe National park.  Sigiriya was a rigorous hike but the views and ruins were well worth it.  I did not make it to the top of Adam's Peak, which is a tall mountain, but the others who did said it was absolutely beautiful.  Udawalawe National park is not what I expected.  I was expecting a lot of jungle or at least a good amount of trees, but it was mostly plains and scrub land.  We took tour jeeps around and saw dozens of elephants, peacocks and more!  We went to Sinharaja Rainforest, which was gorgeous.  We got to swim in a pool at the base of a waterfall there, but watch out for leeches while you hike!  We spent a lot of time in busses traveling from place to place.  For such a small country, it takes quite a while to get anywhere.  Most of the country is cust beautiful landscapes with a few small villages here and there.  There are lots of tea plantations.  Just about everywhere we went we had to travel several hours through mountain country.  The countryside is beautiful, but being cramped in a car with 11 other girls, a driver and all our luggage was less than pleasurable. 

     The majority of our time was spent in Galle.  We, of course, did the tourist thing and went to the beach.  We swam in the Indian Ocean and collected mounds of coral to bring home.  However, that was not why we went there.  We went to work in Volunteer Sri Lanka (VSL), run by Janaka de Silva.  The work was not that strenuous physically, but it was emotionally.

     My research topic on this trip was about the reconstruction of Sri Lanka after their 26-year long civil war.  In my research before the trip, I discovered that there was still inequality in representation of the Tamil people in the government.  The last president resisted investigation of the UN into claims of war crimes on both sides.  The new president is willing to work with them.  The government also seems to be doing little for the people from the reports I have read.  It seems that they really only built new roads and started doing business with other countries.  Most of the funding for repairs and medical aid comes from foreign countries like Australia.  Still, when I interviewed Janaka he said that the government did a good job getting refugees off the streets, into homes and giving them jobs.  He says that the biggest problem they still face is a lack of education. A good education for people would mean that they could get better jobs and live happier lives. 

     Many of the girls we met at the girls home stopped getting an education when they came to the home.  Thus, when they leave at age 18, it is hard for them to find jobs.  Janaka is using VSL to try and gives these girls a fighting chance at jobs because the government cannot or will not.  Fortunately, the orphans do receive and education.  There are still many children who do not have such a luxury, either because they cannot afford it or they have to work to support their families.

     Janka said he really likes the new president and he is hoping that the new leader will change things in the country for the better.  While we were in Sri Lanka, we saw many rallying signs and passed through a protest group in the hill country.  They were Tamil tea plantation workers protesting for higher wages.  I am not sure if this is prejudice against the Tamil people or simply the fact that the job of a tea plantation worker is paid less than other professions. 

     We also heard on the radio a vote going on in the parliament.  The husband of the woman we lived with in Kandy said that they were voting on whether or not to take away some of the president's power over the government.  Later, he told us that they voted unanimously to take some power away.

     Another thing I discovered when interviewing a local Tamil man in Galle is that he really knew nothing of what was going on in the north or if the Tamils there still suffered from prejudice  He said in the Galle area that the Tamils were treated well and had decent representation.  However, just like here in the USA, people have no idea what is going on elsewhere in the country.  I did not expect this in such a small country, where everyone else in the country is just a few hours drive away.  It also opened my eyes to just how unaware of each other we are as a species, despite modern media and communication. 

     Janaka said they accomplished getting all the kids off the streets of Galle, but that does not mean there are none left in the country.  People in Sri Lanka, especially in the Northern areas, are still waiting for aid.  Many children are still searching for their families that they were seperated from in the war.  People still need any help you can send, and I encourage everyone to give whatever aid you can if you visit Sri Lanka.

I took tons of pictures while I was in Sri Lanka.  You can view some of the best ones in the photo gallery.