Second impressions

A few more impressions of the early days of life and work in Sri Lanka…

· In Nepal I was almost always called (elder) sister “didi” – in the street, in shops, in meetings, in restaurants and even in the doctor’s surgery. I have to stress that the elder reference is more a mark of respect than seniority in age of course!!! In South India and in Sri Lanka so far, I seem to be called Madam everywhere.
· Fish! Fish available everywhere – from the wee guy nipping in and out of gates in the residential areas with a pole balancing two containers of extremely fresh fish for sale to the (smelly) aisle of dried fish in the supermarket.
· Curried banana flowers – mmmm.
· The removal of alcohol, meat and eggs from sale every full moon.
· A different dress code for women in Colombo – there are traditional Sri Lankan saris with a little frill (I’ll get a picture as I cant easily describe it), Indian saris and a few shalwar kameez, but in the main women of all ages wear blouse and skirt – very different to Nepal and India.

And finally – a little moment to share. On Friday evening, as I was enjoying a lovely cold beer with a friend to mark the start of the weekend, the waiter helpfully topped up my friend’s glass. He did this with a rather interesting technique, holding the bottle well above the glass and pouring with quite a flourish – with the result that the beer promptly produced an unbelievable amount of froth. The waiter responded to our amusement by blaming the beer! “Little bit bubble coming up”, he announced! Little bit bubble?? My friend’s beer was proudly sporting a 6 inch head of froth!!! It’s incredible how much a little bit bubble can lighten the mood and make you laugh!

Taking a moment to think of others

This week has been momentous in my profession. And for reasons I wish were different.

It is two weeks since Burma was ravaged by Cyclone Nargis and the extent of the disaster is still emerging. Now we have some news about our friends and colleagues there and send all strength and wishes to tackle the immense tragedy of the disaster and moreover, its after effects.

In the midst of images of the carnage in Burma which were challenging us in our comfort, the news of the earthquake in Sichuan started to break. Now, 6 days after the disaster there I am stunned by the images of the devastation and the extent of the loss of life. In the coming weeks we will begin to understand what this means for families not just in terms of loss of life, but how on earth to begin to rebuild homes, livelihoods, communities and to deal with the intangible losses. Even though I have been inside a building which was damaged during a major earthquake (the earthquake of December 26 2004), I cannot begin to imagine the terror and fear of the people who lived through this horror.

My friends and colleagues are working round the clock and in conditions far beyond the comprehension of many of us in both of these emergencies. Their dedication and professionalism is both inspiring and humbling.

All those affected by and working in these disasters should be in at least our thoughts, and preferably our actions.

Ground rules

I have now managed to get a connection at home so here is a progress report, putting things into context a bit and being rather more serious than usual.


Life and work here is one of contrast. Colombo is a green city, relatively uncrowded and easy to live in. Food is great and although prices are steep due to high inflation and the situation here, there are many nice places to hang out - and you can even get beer! Now, if you have ever been based in Chennai you know that is a change!

However, not far underneath the surface is another reality. In another world, the north of the island is in the grip of fighting and in Colombo bombings are sadly a fact of life. On Friday, we were out of the city when phone calls started coming with news of an attack in the busy Fort area of Colombo. Phones were buzzing as details and reassurances were sought, and calls from concerned relatives overseas even reached us. But I want to be clear – this blog isn’t about that. While I chat about life and work here, there is a very serious side that is not up for public discussion.

But there's plenty that is..............

The next chapter

Finally, finally, finally I have arrived!

It's been a long haul, and a long silence but after weeks of preparation and waiting I have now taken up the next stage my life and work. I stepped off the plane in Colombo in the early hours of Saturday morning just over a week ago, and into my new job and home within hours. And within hours I had bumped into a former friend and colleague from Nepal which was a real bonus.

The context will be very different here, but will have similarities to India and Nepal. In terms of settling here, the city is green and the area I live and work is really pleasant. The climate is a good 10 degrees cooler and a lot less humid than in Chennai. India is also experiencing a real heatwave at the moment, so the cooler temperature is really welcome. However, it is still warm and sticky so the walk to work does mean that I arrive very warm and sticky!

First impressions of Sri Lanka?

• The traffic is slower, there is less of it and it is much easier to cross the road then in Chennai!
• Less fruit available for sale on the street.
• A whole aisle in the supermarket devoted to car cleaning - dashboard cleaner, bumper cleaner, upholstery cleaner and cleaner for every conceivable part of the car.
• the tri-shaw or auto driver has the same marketing approach as in India - screeching to a halt across the road, and stopping in front of you, with a shriek of "TAXI MADAM?"

a few impressions for starters, as I am settling in and getting into the new life here.

Optimism and promises

I am back in India, and happy that not much has changed in the past couple of months. Delhi is in a state of construction, in preparation for a better tomorrow which is good news for us all. And in the gym near my friend's home in Chennai I was happy to learn that all sorts of facilities are on offer - including

Weight reduction programme!

Gym facilities!!

Aerobic classes!

Height gaining!

Height gaining??? Well, I know what I am signing up for!!

On the move again

Unusually it was snowing as I left Lismore. Very little snow was lying on the island itself, but the surrounding hills were glistening white in the watery sunshine. Very poignant and moving - and approriate.

I have been in Scotland for two months now, spending most of my time on Lismore, but now it is time to head back to India. Emotional farewells, and no firm start plans for the next job so continuing in the unsettled vein of the year so far.

It has been a real privelege to spend much longer on the island than I have been able to in the past, getting to know the islanders and the community better. There have been a few puzzled faces though by the sight of this stranger wandering around the island!

It will also be good, though to get back into circulation electronically, after a time in the electronical wilderness!

All change - but looking forward

A guid New Year to one and all!

Well it has been a tough end to my work in Chennai and a highly emotional start to my visit to Scotland, but now I am at least able to get back on track with FBG!

Reaching Scotland in stormy, snowy and freezing cold conditions was a real shock to the system, not helped by the fact that all of my luggage stayed cosy and comfy in Dubai. My warm weather clothing, the little that I had, stayed in my case, where I had strategically packed it - right at the top, ready for me to grab it on arrival at Glasgow airport.

I was faced with a number of challenges. firstly keeping it all together with the baggage handlers while I was extremely fragile emotionally. Secondly, getting socks, shoes, essentials to see me through the first days at breakneck speed. Third, travelling up north on a 3 hour drive so that I caught the last ferry of the day. Fourth, braving the blizzard conditions on the way up which really did try to sabotage the drive - though I did catch the ferry by the skin of my teeth. Fifth, working with the few garments I had, trying to make sure I was decent and appropriate for the funeral the next morning. I am very thankful that family were glad I had made it and excused and ingonred the strange garb I was in.

Now the dust is settling a little, and I am spending some precious time with my father on Lismore, the remote Scottish island where he lives. I am enjoying daily walks in this beautiful place, while starting to reflect on recent months and plan for the next phase.

What's next? Who knows! A few possibilities are coming to light, in various places. For now I am just going to focus on what is important and let the rest fall into place.

Connectivity is a little limited, but I also want to fill in some of the gaps from the last months too, so there is plenty on the horizon to share in the coming days.