Sri Lanka Newsletters

Regardless of climate change, in mid-April every year Sri Lanka swelters. The Koha’s (bird) call heralds the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. It is the period when – according to the astrological calendar – the sun moves from House of Pisces to House of Aries.

We wondered through ruins of palaces and monasteries, visited the kings elephant baths, spotted the sacred Bodhi tree, and witnessed hundreds of cheeky monkeys stealing flower offerings off Buddha in order to feed their greedy stomachs. Some of the volunteers kindly joined in with the locals to shift bricks in the grounds of Sri Lanka’s tallest temple, which is currently under restoration.

Right! Well my name is Sarah Murray and I'm from London. I chose to visit Sri Lanka as I'd heard rave reviews about it from others (such as friends' siblings who'd taken gap years before and travelled there) and I decided that it was a must! At the moment I'm ecstatic about my upcoming travels (I'm starting in Ghana then moving on to Sri Lanka 2 months teaching in each) as I depart next Saturday !!! I haven't a clue what to expect and the fear hasn't set in just yet, though I have a feeling it will as soon as I'm on the aeroplane! I'm not sure what else to include other than that I'd love to hear from people who are travelling there soon! I wish you all the very best!

Hello! My name is Alice. I’m 22 and live in Preston in the North West of England. After working full time since leaving college at 18, last year I decided to do what I really wanted and applied to study nursing at Manchester University. I got accepted and start in May! Since being accepted I have been also working parttime evening and weekends as a care assistant looking after the elderly in order to gain experience. I wanted to travel and gain more experience before I started my studies and realised that voluntary work abroad would be a great way to combine the two.

Sri Lanka may be a tropical country, but that does not prevent Sri Lankans from celebrating the Christmas season. The fact that only 7% of the population is Christian does not seem to matter. So step into any hotel or large shopping establishment and witness all the trappings of Christmas. Get invited to a Sri Lankan home and experience the holiday culinary delights on offer.

Deepavali, also known as the festival of light, was celebrated on the 8th of November this year. It usually falls on the new moon day. This festival is looked upon as the beginning of a New Year of Truth, Joy, Beauty and Prosperity. In the history of Hindu Gods, this is the day that God Krishna defeated the King of demon Narakasur. Deepavali festival was the last will of King Narakasur when he was in the death bed and he wanted People to triumph Goodness over Evil on this day. This reminds us that "Evil will never conquer".

With the other Volunteers we organised different activities during the weekends, such as a dental awareness exhibition in a primary school in the rainforest area. Furqan who is a dentist, explained the basic hygiene dental rules to the children. And together we organised an art competition. From this example you can appreciate the real action happening on the ground within the heart of the communities, all because of Projects Abroad.

Sri Lankan culture is fascinating. Nourished from Buddhism in the early 2nd Century B.C. and also influenced by Indian invasions and going through Portuguese, Dutch and British rule, Sri Lankan culture is diverse like its Natural Heritage. Known as the "Smiling People" throughout the world, Sri Lankan people enjoy a unique lifestyle that's humble, artistic and entertaining. The intimate connection between society and Buddhism as well as traditional forms of art, dance and music are the fusion of the Sri Lankan culture.

129 Km away from Colombo and 465 meters above sea level is Kandy, the charming hill capital, cultural centre of the island, and a World Heritage City. Nestling amidst low hills, and looped by the Mahaweli River - Sri Lanka's largest - Kandy is still the home of the arts and crafts, music and dance and song which flourished under the patronage of the Kandyan Kings.

An event of great historical and cultural significance takes place annually in the charming hill capital of Sri Lanka in a lunar month of Esala (July/August). This event, known the world over as the Kandy Esala Perehara is not only a religious ritual but also a folk festival which provides an occasion for local artistes and the multi-racial populace to exhibit their reverence and devotion to the enlightened one - the Buddha and to Gods and Goddesses such as Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama, and Pattini.

Sri Lanka has a literacy rate of 92%, higher than that expected for a third world country, and it has one of the highest literacy rates of South Asia. This can mainly be attributed to the free education system in Sri Lanka. All levels of education, from primary to higher education, are funded and overseen by the Ministry of Education (Sri Lanka).

The first glimpse of Sri Lanka that many visitors have while coming into land at the international airport at Katunayake is the seemingly endless swathes of coconut palm dominating the area. Indeed, the best coconut land in Sri Lanka - perhaps even the world - is located north, south and east of the airport. As a result of such abundance, the coconut palm with its slender trunk curving into the sky and crown of waving fronds is one of the most distinctive features of the landscape.

When it comes to national festivals, the most expecting, most colorful, and most vibrant festivals of the nation is the traditional New Year Festival. The festival is when the two major ethnic groups in Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese and the Tamils jointly celebrate this happy time, but in different styles according to their original tradition.

Our pre-sea lesson, involving pretend paddling on the board whilst still fixed firmly to the sand, caused much entertainment for the locals, who formed a circle around us and watched on in amusement. Finally in the sea, a boat almost ran us over and we were forced to paddle off at 'high speed'. We all paddled for what seemed like an eternity and eventually got to a spot where our teacher deemed suitable to stay in order to catch the best waves.

It's the month of LOVE so it would be a hit topic to talk about "LOVE" in Sri Lankan context. Sri Lanka being a very conservative country (as most Sri Lankans would claim it is!), courtship, house visits and love affairs are not an open topic. Though it's noticeable how this has changed through generations, you would find lovers in buses sitting and tickling next to each other or in the park having a date under their umbrella; it's not a common scene to see especially in villages.

Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka, located on the west coast adjacent to the present administrative capital of Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte. Colombo derives her name from the Port of Kolomtota ("Kola"=Green, "Amba"=Mango", "thota"=Port) which means Colombo harbour.

Do Sri Lankans celebrate Christmas? Christmas is celebrated by 1.5 million Sri Lankan Christians - that is 8 per cent of the population celebrate Christmas. Religious observances are very similar to those in the West, but the commercial aspect is less in evidence.

Diwali is also known as Deepawali, or the "festival of lights". Light is significant in Hinduism because it signifies goodness. So, during the festival of lights, 'deeps', or oil lamps are burned throughout the dayand into the night toward off darkness and evil. Homes are filled with these oil lamps, candles and lights.

Pinnawela orphanage is situated northwest of the town Kegalla, halfway between the present capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy in the hills of central Sri Lanka. The orphanage was started in 1975 by DWL (Department of Wild Life). It is covering 25 acres of land and there are proposals...

Sinharaja Forest Reserve is one of the least disturbed and biologically unique lowland rain forest in Sri Lanka. This forest covers an extent of about 11187 hectares from east to west. It was declared a Man and Biosphere Reserve (MAB) in 1978 and has been recognized by UNESCO...