Colombo

When I came to Sri Lanka I did not expect to be living in a busy city, and it took me quite a while to adjust to the fast pace, the noise, the crazy driving, and the smoggy air. However, as time has passed I have realized how lucky I am to be living in the capital. Colombo represents all of Sri Lanka’s different religions, including the four most common: Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism. Also, all of Sri Lanka’s racial/cultural/ethnic groups live in the city, including the 3 most prevalent; Singhalese, Tamils, and Muslims. Living in Matara and traveling through the south and central province has exposed to me that most cities and villages are predominantly Singhalese. Tamils mainly live in the northern and eastern provinces. There is relatively little racial diversity in most towns and cities, except Colombo.

Through conversations with friends I have made or with people that I meet on the street or in a restaurant, Colombo-ites (?) also express their diversity of thought. Obviously this is partially a result of people mixing together from so many different backgrounds. It is an outcome of differences in race, class, language, political, and religious beliefs (to name a few factors) among Colombo’s population. But it also has to do with the fact that people in the Colombo seem to speak their minds more freely than in other cities.

The elections really made this apparent to me. In Matara, everyone that I met was voting for Rajapaksa, his face was plastered on walls and buses all over town. I didn’t see a single image of Fonseka in the whole city. When I asked my students why they liked Rajapaksa, I often heard the response, “We just do. He ended the war.” However, when I presented political questions to my students in Colombo, many had a lot to say. Some voiced that politicians were corrupt here and that they wouldn’t have voted even if they could. Some voiced praise for Fonseka, and some for Rajapaksa. They presented likes and dislikes about each candidate. I am not suggesting that my students in Colombo are more intelligent than my students in Matara- both schools are filled with young, brilliant women. I think that diversity is the driving force behind the critical thinking expressed by my students in Colombo. It is certainly not my students’ fault that Matara is not a diverse place and that it is the only place that most have ever lived and known well.

Having the experience of living in several cities and countries, I can look back on memories and recall differences between my experiences based on the diversity of my location. I grow so much when living in a place where I am interacting with people of all different backgrounds. For this reason- I am thankful to be living in Colombo. During a pivotal period of time for this country- I am thankful to be located in a city where I can hear and see all different views. It was exciting to be here during the elections. It is exciting to be here during the first year of non-violence after 25+ years of civil war.  I am aware that many living in this city are in positions of privilege, myself included. This experience has been far different than I expected, it is certainly nothing close to the farm that I was expecting to be living on.  But, often the things that do not go as planned are the things that you learn from the most. 

That is how I feel about Colombo. It has been a pleasant/educational/growing/difficult/diverse surprise.