Galle, Sri Lanka

I'm finally in Sri Lanka! It is 5:19 pm Saturday the 2nd and I am in
an internet cafe in Galle. Very slow connections so pictures may be
difficult to upload. These updates from here out may be more of a
factual nature than anything else. I don't have time to be creative
at the moment! There is so much for me to catch up on this blog but
so little time available to me right now.

The flight from Bangkok was uneventful but much different than my
previous flights. First off, I was exhausted. I slept nearly the
entire flight. I didn't drink anything or eat the dinner. My body
was rejecting the thought of everthing but sleep. It was basically a
system crash. I sat next to a lovely girl from England who has been
in Thailand for 7 weeks and just loves it. She was in SL to attend
her boyfriend's uncle's wedding.

We landed at 12:30 am and walked down the stairs of the portable
jetway. Entered a bus which drove us across the airport to the
terminal. I stood in line at customs for about 45 minutes. Out of
the 12 lines I picked the one with the guy who could care the least
about efficiency or us. He didn't ask a single question and looked at
me once. After about 5 minutes of pecking at the keyboard he handed me my stamped passport and I was officially in Sri Lanka!

Inside I found the baggage carousel and both bags made it checked thru all the way from S.F! I loaded them on a cart and made my way to the exit which was crawling with taxi drivers and signs. None had my name on it so as soon as I passed them i was approached and asked if I needed a ride. You are so exhausted by that time all you can do is say, "sure." Into a car we go and 5 minutes later I'm at Full Moon Garden Hotel. A lovely place with equally lovely people. I'm checking in at the desk outside when another van pulls up. This is all about 2:00 am. Out comes a guy a recognize from Bangkok. His name is Zach.

He's 20 from New Mexico but has just come from Austrailia and New
Zealand where he has been hiking and camping for a month. We are
quickly becoming good friends. He and I comprise just about the only
Americans in our group. Most are from England, a mom and daughter
from Kentucky, a couple from Virgin Gorda BVI, and two guys from BC Canada. Fantastic people all.

The Sri Lankans are the friendliest, kindest and warm hearted I have
ever met. Dispite all they have been through and the living
conditions which we would call appalling they are quick and eager with a shout of HELLO! from a window while waving and flashing their big beautiful white toothy grins. You cannot help but fall in love with them. When asked where I'm from I say Tennessee but they ask, "America right?" I say yes and the joy spreads over their face. It's almost as if meeting an American is a life goal. I've never felt sooo
humbled. I have addresses thrust upon me asking for pictures to send back that I take of us together. They want nothing more than to say hello and meet you. I guess I am as exciting to them as this place is to me.

The Galle Road from Colombo to Galle makes NASCAR look like amateur hour. Horns, brakes, and swerving all done without arguments or even concern. It's right hand drive here and it's just the way it is. Nobody gets upset or raises a voice. All horn honking is actually a system of signaling other pedestrians and motorists. It is a dance of traffic which I cannot understand.

I am forever comparing here with home and ask myself how can we have so much and complain about everything while these people have comparatively nothing and only want a happy life. It's fantastic. This is what life is about. People. Not the pusuit of stuff. This is it's own reward and I am forever changed.

As I am typing this a young man next to me is asking me where I'm from and wants my email address to correspond. He says he wishes all people had our hearts and is very grateful for us being here. I didn't even tell him why I was here. They just know.

The monsoon season has started early and rains on and off during the day. Work is slow due to mortar work getting wet and we haven't actually started construction yet. This will change in the morning. If weather delays us tomorrow I am going to find another site called the Galle Project that may have rain work for us. I met a British medical doctor named Christa in the morning after my first night at Full Moon Garden. We had breakfast together and she had been here for 5 weeks. She gave me the Galle project info as a backup plan and was very helpful and a delight to talk with and then she caught a plane back home. That's how it is here. Friends within minutes and then part ways.

My mind is a blur right now. So much to tell and so little time. Zach and I walked in the monsoon rain to Galle just now to experience what most do which is walk the streets. It was about 4km and a great walk. We are experiencing the hero's welcome which was promised in Iraq. Smiles and hellos the entire way. People stopping offering us rides, for a fee of course, but they politely smile and wave when you
say no thank you we're walking. I cannot feel anything but the knowledge that I am exactly where I should be. I've never felt anything like this. I explained to Christa about my Serendipity experience and how just that morning I noticed my backpack of 3 years had a "Made in Sri Lanka" tag inside when I was packing for Galle. How many things do you know of made in Sri Lanka in your home? Not many I'm sure. What are the odds of that??? I cannot tell you how weird that was. Christa just said, "So it's happening to you." I knew what she meant. She said that is more common than you think. When you are acting out of pure love and intent things have a way of falling in place. She told me similar stories which she experienced.
About needing supplies or an expert in some field which seemed near impossible to procure and they would arrive the next day on site without warning.

I cannot state enough how fantastic the Singhalese are. They need our help and support. So much more than they are getting. Govts get in the way as does greed. Many many only see relief from efforts such as ours. You don't need to sign up with GC. Just get on a plane to SL and hire a car to Galle for $30. You will be taken care of. Everything else is just details. This is where it's at.

I met James today from I think Minnessota. He approached me after orientation and we introduced ourselves. He said my site is how he found out about the project and seemed very pleased to meet me. I was more than pleased he told me. I cannot explain what that feels like.

Sorry for the rambling and I'll try to put my thoughts in better order but this past 48 hours has been surreal. The flight, the volunteers, the surroundings, the people and the purpose make it all perfect. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else on the planet. Take care until next time and find love in each other and in what you do. If you can't then come here and the Singalese will teach you by example. Love is all
there is.

I'm off to find my group. They left the cafe 45 minutes ago. I'll try to burn some pics and upload a few next time. Take care and I
wish you all could be here. They want you here and, trust me when I say this, you need to be here as much for them as for yourself.

Chris