I arrive Sri Lanka on
a Saturday afternoon. The island seems full green from the plane. I look at all
the washing machines in the duty free shops. Its too hot, my hair feels heavy
from the humid air. My team leader a sri lankan girl is waiting for me outside,
we get into the van and hit the road. The wind blows through the window, I like
the smell. The traffic is crazy, it seems like the horn is the most important
device on these roads. I'm afraid to cross the road alone. She holds my hand. I
feel safe.
I want to try
everything, each step is a new experience. What's this? How does it taste? How
do you say thank you in singhalese? Where are you from? Bright colors, strange
noises, burning taste. I feel curious.
Its hard to wash
clothes with your hands. 5 liter water is heavy to carry up on a hill. I cannot
find the words I'm searching for. I am full of questions but I cannot
understand all the answers. Its different. Packing again, we have to wake up
before the sunrise. We are a team, but sometimes we don't agree. I feel
challenged.
The sunset is
breathtaking, but it gets dark very early. The rain is heavy and sudden, even
my underwear feels wet. The waves of the ocean can crash you. Some dogs guide
us on our way. Every now and then we discover a new small pet in our house. The
water of the coconut is the best drink we can have on a sunny day. We are on
the way to our accommodation, the bus is shaking, its already dark. There is an
elephant next to the road. We stop, I barely can see him, but I know he is
there. We are all just a part of something mighty. I feel connected.
I learn a lot. The
people around me teach me. Culture, history, cooking, the bus schedule,
languages, games, dances, mindset. Sri Lankan people are the nicest, their
smile is wide and full of life. They ask a lot of questions from me, I just
want to hear their stories. I feel welcomed.
I watch the people
around me from the beginning. We all have a story that lead us here. Now we try
to create something together. We want to capture the moment, we search for the
most beautiful sunsets, we want to know all the secrets and we organize a
dinner party together. We share, we help, we argue, we learn, we laugh, we
accept. We are a family. I feel proud.
Our jeep is is going
fast at dawn. This is my last sunrise in Sri Lanka. The view is spectacular, no
camera can capture this sight. When we arrive back to our guesthouse for the
night my friend asks:
- So what are you
going to do when you get home?
I answer
immediately:
- You know I will
just grab a coconut, maybe take a tuktuk and go to Food City.
She looks at me and
smiles:
- I meant Hungary.
- OhSri Lanka become
my home. And now I have to leave my home again.
My luggage is heavier
than before. But my soul is so light it feels like I'm flying. This was a new
world for me. I fell in love. And now this new world will always be a part of
me.
Tamara Sziliki –Explore Sri Lanka 7.0
LCVP- TM
Hungary
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