On the 15th of January I arrived in Sri Lanka. It was a terribly long journey, 3 flights, and an almost deadly delay in Athens, where the Greeks enforced some stereotypes about how they work. I always hate flying, and so I felt terrible when I arrived in Colombo. I cant say much about the city, as I simply slept 1 night there. Before arriving in Sri Lanka I had arranged some volunteering at a hostel. I love volunteering, as you more quickly create a social circle, you settle and find inspiration. Personally, I hate fast travel, the constant unpacking, repacking, the same hostel chats. These experiences such as volunteering slows everything down, and gives you a moment to breath.
The group was fantastic and it was a perfect blend of a chill & social hostel, where people did party, but they left the hostel to do so. Usually we would pass the evenings playing card games, relaxing, whilst people enjoyed beers and cigarettes. These moments are always the best, and you quickly get to know people deeply when time isn't a pressing issue. How many chats are cut short in our normal lives? Plenty. Instead here, I can talk freely, without there being some shadowy hand of time on their shoulder.
My routine at the hostel was simple, surf in the morning, lunch, and I would teach 3/4 classes in the evenings. I also had about 15 hours of reception work to complete, which was exchanged for my accommodation. Quite fair in my opinion. This all took place in Unawatuna, a little surf town about 3 hours by train from Colombo.
The train was also an incredible experience, and surprisingly comfortable. With the warm air and breeze, I actually drifted off to sleep a few times, which stressed me out slightly. I kept waking up in a panic, and seeing that I was many hours away, I fell asleep again. The interior of the train was quite aged, and certainly at the first few stations after Colombo we were rammed in together. I stood shoulder to shoulder with the locals, and in my section we had a large amount of foreigners, German or Russian. I heard both languages and both mistakenly took me for their own.
Sri Lanka has been absolutely unforgettable, and I have many stories to write up :) Thanks for reading