Sri Lanka posts – a year on

Posted by: alexhagon | September 21, 2010

Sri Lanka posts – a year on

28^th September 2009

1 – Getting bearings

Arrival in Colombo!
Warm welcome throughout first week at CEPA.
Sim card sorted and with some initial essentials like water, as was w/e arrival, drive into town and initial chat over coffee and snacks.
Have had the chance to meet the majority of the team during week one, mostly at lunch over food/ cakes!
Settling into accommodation (very comfortable), finding essential amenities, familiarising with route to work etc and finding bearings round city.
CEPA have provided me with a great introduction to the team, helping me get settled in, find places to get essentials, set up systems and be introduced to everyone. It’s been a thoroughly enjoyable start to assisting their work.
Pleasant trip to Mount Lavinia on train 10ks south of city centre on the first Sunday. Attended Colombo International Book Fair on Wed evening. First view of Indian Ocean at sea level, first three wheeler rides, learning how to get across roads in one piece, enjoying delicious Sri Lankan cuisine, and learning how to eat with hands, watching the cricket on Friday evening (SL v Eng).
Have learnt around 10 words (target 200), with help of colleagues and guidebooks. Signed up this weekend for a course in Sinhala, through the British Council, based centrally. 10 week course, starting October – convenient timing!
Focused this weekend and last on getting essentials and improving familiarity with Colombo. Starting to look into plans to visit further down the western/ south coast on a weekend soon (Galle and Unawatuna) and at some point keen to visit Kandy and the Hill Country, though not yet fixed plans on this.