I was finally off. After backpacking in South America (also with AIESEC), I made a pit stop in my native Norway, grabbing some milk chocolate and collecting the best wishes from family and friends. Not a single person seemed to understand why I would go down to Sri Lanka for a whole year, and to be fair, I don’t think I did either. Other than the wish of adding experience to my CV, I just wanted to see if I could succeed in a foreign environment. Leaving Colombo I must say I did it really well!
The first months
Wow. I was overwhelmed. After laughing my ass off through crazy traffic and sweating myself over meals that seemingly only consisted of chili, the joyous spectator became the moody and frustrated westerner. Packed buses, endless queues, the smothering heat - I was experiencing my first symptoms of culture shock. Trying to live a normal western life in the middle of the crazy melting pot that was Colombo, I was on a collision course with my surroundings. Coming from a place where everything’s organized, where silence is an actual thing, I was expecting order where there simply wasn’t any at all. Tuk-tuks were driving everywhere in all directions, bus horns with the roar of a jet engine, and people everywhere. I struggled to get the food that I wanted, and cheese had the price of gold. I remember the confused faces at the rotti shop when I asked them to cut the amount of rice in half (the Sri Lankans love their rice): “The hell do you mean, less rice?!”.
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| View of the neighbourhood, Mt. Lavinia, Colombo |
Before I knew it, I had slowly worked myself into a routine with the help of a supporting office and an amazing gang of expats. Suddenly I found myself enjoying the kamikaze bus rides, the spicy food and the wonderful nature the country had to offer. Weekend trips were a great escape from the busy city and along the coastline I experienced things I’ll remember forever. Riding tuk-tuks to the surf in the morning became the norm. I was having fun!
The office
I was lucky enough to work in a company with a Norwegian supervisor. Some would call it “cheating” when it comes to cultural immersion, but it was a great help in difficult times. My first major mistake at the office came when one of our interns stopped by my desk to say her goodbyes. Knowing little about how the locals conduct themselves, I gave the girl a big bear hug in a typical Norwegian fashion, which was a big “no-no” as you’re not supposed to touch people in an overwhelming manner. I could hear the giggles in the office as the girl froze up like a mannequin. I promptly apologized and wished her the best of luck, but the awkwardness of the situation hung on for at least a day. I strictly changed to formal handshakes after the incident!
The most difficult part was understanding when my co-workers were actually agreeing to something. In my experience, Sri Lankans will say “yes” to almost anything. They hate to disappoint people, and so they never turn you down. It actually took me a while to realize that I couldn’t expect work to be done with a simple agreement, actually, asking 5 times with confirmation became the necessary procedure. I also learned that lankans love to mingle around the office, something that meant a lot of activities after office hours. At first, I viewed a lot of the office interactions as time wasting, but I also learned to appreciate a more relaxed office environment, and it’s something I definitely will take with me. They simply had another approach to work than I was used to.
I was extremely lucky to be handed a lot of responsibilities and to work in different teams with high tech expertise. The learning curve was rather steep, but I learned more as an intern than I did in 4 years at school, which says it all really.
Travelling
Sri Lanka’s coast and inland are sheer beauties. You can sunbathe, relax and party on a variety of beaches, drink world class tea in the impressive mountains and walk around in majestic temples. The highlands around Nuwara Eliya offered a range of activities with the train being the most memorable one with an absolute stunning view. To be fair, public transportation in Sri Lanka can be a pain in the ass, but with enough time and planning it can also be very pleasant. Taking the two-hour train from Hikkaduwa to Colombo, fresh out of the surf, was one of the highlights of the week.
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| Magnificent view in the highland |
Eating local was a big part of the experience as well. Western food was generally bad, so whenever I had the chance, I stuffed myself with the locals. Kothu (shredded roti bread with vegetables and/or meat), roti (flatbread with filling) and my everlasting lunch favorite, rice and curry, were the dishes I enjoyed the most, and by far the cheapest and most convenient ones. Find yourself at the right shop, and you’ll eat like a king for next to nothing. Oh, and try the banana lassi, delicious!
Sri Lanka is also a famous surf destination. The island offers a variety of waves, A-Bay in the east and Hikkaduwa in the west being the most famous ones. I bought my first board in Colombo and tried to jump in the water whenever I had a day off. Inconvenient at times, I still found it to be a great way to see new places and villages. People in the countryside were friendly, helpful and extremely interested in who you are and your story. A nice change from the hassle in Colombo.
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Weligama is a small town known for friendly beginner waves.
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Back to reality
Before I knew it I was heading towards the last couple of months of my stay. It had been a great year, with ups and downs, which I learned a lot from. Being more than a tourist enabled me to embrace more of the culture, but also made me more aware of the negative sides of the country. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka struggles with corrupt police, poverty and drugs. Seeing people without limbs begging for money outside your shop makes you realize how well you’re off, and how lucky some of us are. It’s something that always comes to mind when I go home.
Leaving was a bittersweet feeling. Though I felt it was time to move on, I also missed the nice weather, the relaxed lifestyle and the people as soon as I landed. To me, the Aiesec experience was the perfect mix of professional development and cultural exchange. Without a doubt one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Bohoma istuti, Sri Lanka.
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Done and dusted: Last day at the office
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