Good times are the "Bomb"
June 8, 2008
Ok so it has been a bit long since last I wrote. Things have been good. I have been busy which is good for me. Over Wesak I went to Mirissa (the beach) with some friends. It was good. Little beach, little reading, little fun…it was good. On Tuesday we went to Saman Villas. SV is a 5star plus hotel. It was awesome!!! My friend Navin’s dad is a partner in ownership, so all our food and the room was free. It was so cool. We didn’t stay overnight, but we had a room for the day. It had its own private pool (each room did, plus the hotel had another large pool for all the guests!!!) It was so so so so cool. It was like for one day I was super rich. It was weird.
Since, then I have been really busy with work. I enjoy that. I prefer to be busy. I should write more, but I am lazy and sleepy.
On Friday we took farmers from Koulwewa to Kandy. It was a great trip and we had a lot of fun and bonded a lot.
10 June 2008,
Ok more about the Kandy trip. We started out at 6am. We hired a bus and went. There were about 45farmers, 4 Y Gro Staff, the LDI for Koulwewa and the new and old MILCO reps for Nathandiya (where they sell their milk). We first went to a place called Kundasalle. It is the national cattle semen collection center. We got a tour and a demonstration of what happens from start to finish. I think they enjoyed it. I don’t think it is a trip that will make them more money “in the barn”, but there is value in knowing you work in an industry that is really complex and deserving of veneration. People here still don’t see dairying as that respected of an occupation. Its not really looked down upon, nor is it all that respected. I think that wears on the farmers. I hope that by seeing this will make them feel motivated, because they are part of something complex. (complex is not the right word but that is the best I can do for now).
Anyway…after that we went to the “Temple of the Tooth”. I am not sure were all the Y Gro staff went, but I got taken by the hand by one of our farmers and we went to the temple as a “family”. Srimathi, her husband, their daughter and me, along with the other farmers went to temple. They bought flowers for me to put on the shrine table. It was a bit akward, since I am Christian and need them to know that. I however don’t feel that putting flowers on a table is wrong, as I was doing it out of respect and not worship. I was unable however to communicate this rather advanced idea in Sinhala. Because, I was unable to communicate this fact I would have preferred not to make the act. However, I was also unable to respectfully communicate that fact either. So…there I was putting flowers on the shrine and sitting with a group of worshiping Buddhists. I had a nice conversation with God. I would have liked the situation to have gone a bit differently. HOWEVER this was a really good time of bonding with the farmers and I must not devalue relationship building.
After that we went to the botanical gardens. It was more good bonding time. Because this was Koulwewa village and we have technically ended our project there in March, I was more my fun self and played with the children and was silly. In the village I tend to be more professional-like. Ohhhh…At both the temple and the botanical gardens normally foreigners have to pay (Rs 500 at temple and Rs 600 at gardens). I am a resident so I get local rates, but my passport was at the visa office. Anyway, when you have 45 farmers plead your case, they let you in for the local price (free at temple and Rs 30 at gardens)
The way home was filled with Sinhala song and drumming. Good times.
On a more annoying note, violence has picked up again. 3 Colombo bombings in 1 week; 2trains and a bus. Chandran my boss made me take Mr Fernando (a van driver Y Gro usually uses) to Madampe this week. He didn’t want me to take the bus or even drive alone. There has been some fighting b/t Muslims and Tamils on the main road about 20-50km north of where I turn off to go to Madampe. He was being over-protective. (that’s not an opinion, but a fact.) He is like that. I am sure that makes my mom happy.
I will most likely drive more often now. In Colombo I will probably drive or take trishaws. My friends are beginning to voice their concern over my taking the bus. Even my friend Shazy, who NEVER says anything kind without it being draped in sarcasm simply said, “you need to be careful, taking the bus”.
The only reason I take the bus is this. How can I help people if I don’t understand them? How can I understand a people if I don’t live with them? MCC will pay for me to take trishaws, I am sure. Vino who works in Accounts at the Colombo office takes a bus 2 hours to Colombo and 2 hours back every day. What makes me so special that I should take a trishaw instead of the 30min bus ride? I am safe because I can afford it, not because I deserve (or don’t deserve) it. Seriously, how unjust is that????!!!!???
Tonight (10/6) I went to Kappangamua for evening milk collection. People come and give their milk and wait 10min for the rezulin test to be done. Most people stay longer and “shoot the poo.” I did too. It was cool. I am still rubbish at Sinhala but I sort of kept up. We talked about lots of stuff. It was really good for bonding. I am going again somethime.
Up next…
MCC Bangladesh/Sri Lanka CRs come next week for a visit. It should be good.
My birthday June 28th
Peace,
Jodi
Ok so it has been a bit long since last I wrote. Things have been good. I have been busy which is good for me. Over Wesak I went to Mirissa (the beach) with some friends. It was good. Little beach, little reading, little fun…it was good. On Tuesday we went to Saman Villas. SV is a 5star plus hotel. It was awesome!!! My friend Navin’s dad is a partner in ownership, so all our food and the room was free. It was so cool. We didn’t stay overnight, but we had a room for the day. It had its own private pool (each room did, plus the hotel had another large pool for all the guests!!!) It was so so so so cool. It was like for one day I was super rich. It was weird.
Since, then I have been really busy with work. I enjoy that. I prefer to be busy. I should write more, but I am lazy and sleepy.
On Friday we took farmers from Koulwewa to Kandy. It was a great trip and we had a lot of fun and bonded a lot.
10 June 2008,
Ok more about the Kandy trip. We started out at 6am. We hired a bus and went. There were about 45farmers, 4 Y Gro Staff, the LDI for Koulwewa and the new and old MILCO reps for Nathandiya (where they sell their milk). We first went to a place called Kundasalle. It is the national cattle semen collection center. We got a tour and a demonstration of what happens from start to finish. I think they enjoyed it. I don’t think it is a trip that will make them more money “in the barn”, but there is value in knowing you work in an industry that is really complex and deserving of veneration. People here still don’t see dairying as that respected of an occupation. Its not really looked down upon, nor is it all that respected. I think that wears on the farmers. I hope that by seeing this will make them feel motivated, because they are part of something complex. (complex is not the right word but that is the best I can do for now).
Anyway…after that we went to the “Temple of the Tooth”. I am not sure were all the Y Gro staff went, but I got taken by the hand by one of our farmers and we went to the temple as a “family”. Srimathi, her husband, their daughter and me, along with the other farmers went to temple. They bought flowers for me to put on the shrine table. It was a bit akward, since I am Christian and need them to know that. I however don’t feel that putting flowers on a table is wrong, as I was doing it out of respect and not worship. I was unable however to communicate this rather advanced idea in Sinhala. Because, I was unable to communicate this fact I would have preferred not to make the act. However, I was also unable to respectfully communicate that fact either. So…there I was putting flowers on the shrine and sitting with a group of worshiping Buddhists. I had a nice conversation with God. I would have liked the situation to have gone a bit differently. HOWEVER this was a really good time of bonding with the farmers and I must not devalue relationship building.
After that we went to the botanical gardens. It was more good bonding time. Because this was Koulwewa village and we have technically ended our project there in March, I was more my fun self and played with the children and was silly. In the village I tend to be more professional-like. Ohhhh…At both the temple and the botanical gardens normally foreigners have to pay (Rs 500 at temple and Rs 600 at gardens). I am a resident so I get local rates, but my passport was at the visa office. Anyway, when you have 45 farmers plead your case, they let you in for the local price (free at temple and Rs 30 at gardens)
The way home was filled with Sinhala song and drumming. Good times.
On a more annoying note, violence has picked up again. 3 Colombo bombings in 1 week; 2trains and a bus. Chandran my boss made me take Mr Fernando (a van driver Y Gro usually uses) to Madampe this week. He didn’t want me to take the bus or even drive alone. There has been some fighting b/t Muslims and Tamils on the main road about 20-50km north of where I turn off to go to Madampe. He was being over-protective. (that’s not an opinion, but a fact.) He is like that. I am sure that makes my mom happy.
I will most likely drive more often now. In Colombo I will probably drive or take trishaws. My friends are beginning to voice their concern over my taking the bus. Even my friend Shazy, who NEVER says anything kind without it being draped in sarcasm simply said, “you need to be careful, taking the bus”.
The only reason I take the bus is this. How can I help people if I don’t understand them? How can I understand a people if I don’t live with them? MCC will pay for me to take trishaws, I am sure. Vino who works in Accounts at the Colombo office takes a bus 2 hours to Colombo and 2 hours back every day. What makes me so special that I should take a trishaw instead of the 30min bus ride? I am safe because I can afford it, not because I deserve (or don’t deserve) it. Seriously, how unjust is that????!!!!???
Tonight (10/6) I went to Kappangamua for evening milk collection. People come and give their milk and wait 10min for the rezulin test to be done. Most people stay longer and “shoot the poo.” I did too. It was cool. I am still rubbish at Sinhala but I sort of kept up. We talked about lots of stuff. It was really good for bonding. I am going again somethime.
Up next…
MCC Bangladesh/Sri Lanka CRs come next week for a visit. It should be good.
My birthday June 28th
Peace,
Jodi
posted by Jodi Crossgrove at
2:17 AM
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