Today's post! Not old!

Today I skipped Buddhism (which I’m auiditing) so I can use the internet and update things. I’ve been super busy, and I don’t know when I the next opportunity will arise, so I figured now’s a good time. Tomorrow, we go to Nilambe for a meditation…thing. They’ll teach us how to meditate, have a discussion with us, and we’ll have lunch with them (the monks there). After that on Saturday, I’m going to Anuradapura again, this time with my family to do a hike. Sunday, I have to really buckle down and write my material culture paper. It’s due Monday and I haven’t started it yet. Busy busy busy.

Scene from daily life

Sumanasena is our driver, and he’s a damn good one. He also happens to be an insane 70 year old kid. These two factors combined the other day, when we were late for classes at the university. It was really like a rollercoaster ride…dodging around people and cars, going over bumps and around corners. He was in absolute control of his vehicle and in tune with his surroundings (I swear that man knows every road in Sri Lanka like the back of his hand). Still though, it was the sort of feeling you get in a rollercoaster: knowing you’re safe, yet grinning at the sheer insanity of it all.

Opportunities

I’m getting such opportunities here in Sri Lanka that I often find myself speachless to express how lucky I am. I’m here with a group of 12 students, with an entire study abroad program set up just for us. My art, drama and lit class is with a world renowned poet and painter (Ashley Halpe), and I’m in the class with one other person. He’s trying to organize a get together at his house with his friends and acquaintances: other world renowned poets, painters, writers, and play directors. He’s invited and encouraged us to present something of our own (drawing, poem, etc.). Wow…Eeek! That’s a little intimidating, but SO COOL that we’ll get a chance to meet these people. We’re also going to be meeting the author of this great book we read in the class, and next weekend we’re going to another city to see a play. Halpe’s pulled some strings and we’re going to meet with the director/playwrite for a half hour before the play to get a rundown of what it’s all about. Hells yeah.

I told you about the monk I met on the plane? Well, I finally got up the courage (and the time) to call him, and dropped by last night. I went with my family and spoke with him for awhile. He’s the head of his monastery, and apparently it’s quite rare for someone in his position to be able to speak English. And he’s willing, and happy to talk to me! That I happened to sit next to him on the plane, and that he happened to speak English, and that his monastery is in my area, and that I have the opportunity to speak with him is such a string of fortune that I can’t believe it. One of his disciples from Nepal has offered to talk to me at any time that he’s available. This Nepalese monk teaches Sanskrit at the University of Perediniya.

There’s a history course that I’m not taking, and apparently the prof wrote the book on Sri Lanka. Literally. He’s THE leader in his field, and has a pet PHD that follows him around.

Our dance instructor and drum instructor are the best, or among the best, in their field.

Our material culture professor is friggin’ amazing as well. He’s been recovering from his surgery, but we’ve managed to have a couple of lectures with him, and he’s just been hurling fascinating facts and views at us, putting history, human sociological evolution, and technological innovation into whole new perspectives.

I could go on, but you get the idea. We’re getting individual attention from the giants of the scholasticism, the arts, religion, and all of the other fields we’re studying here. I feel incredibly lucky, and a little small. I’m a good student, but I’m not exceptional. I didn’t beat out 100 other applicants to be here. Yet I’m in the midst of such opportunities that I can’t even express my good fortune in any way other than simply describing the experiences and letting the experiences and opportunities speak for themselves.

Kassipu, Anyone?

On a lighter note, I think it’s time I told you about Sri Lankan alcohol. First, there’s arrack, which is made from fermented coconut. It tastes like a cross between vodka and bourbon, though it’s been described as “smoother” than bourbon. It’s quite strong, and this is a favorite of the trishaw drivers. As soon as the sun goes down, most of them get smashed on this before resuming the evening’s driving. Don’t worry mom, I don’t go out after dark, and my driver to school is a very respectable woman with a van.
Of course, those who don’t get enough kick from arrack can kick it up a notch with raa. Raa is illegal, so I’ve never tried it. However, it’s been described as “borderline illegal,” at least when compared to the Sri Lankan equivalent of moonshine. It’s called “kassipu.” It’s made from sugar, bananas, chameleons, barbed wire, rat snake, garbage, and God knows what else. It can be used in cars as a substitute for gasoline.

Prejudice

This may be difficult post for some of you to read, since it deals with prejudice and children suffering as well as the goodness I’ve observed in Sri Lanka. Feel free to read or not at your discretion.

It’s said at Carleton that you can’t put people into neat little categories, and that they continually shatter the boxes that you put them in. That’s true here as well. Buddhism, the very same religion that frowns upon killing an ant, has also resulted in an ethno-religious war.

Just so, having this quality or that quality, this thought or that does not make people good or bad. To try to give you an idea of this, I’d like to tell you of the prejudice that exists here in Sri Lanka, and also tell you of what good I’ve seen in the very same people.

For starters, homosexuality is illegal here. Forget gay marriage, homosexuality itself is a criminal offence. In America too, there are archaic laws against (gay or straight) oral sex and sodomy in some states, which have never been struck down simply because they are completely ignored by law enforcement, and there are never any convictions. Unlike in America, homosexuality is an offence which is actually illegal, and people do go to jail for it. (By the way, don’t let this discourage anyone from coming to Sri Lanka. As long as you don’t advertise that you’re gay, you’ll be completely fine. Even hand holding is something you see everyday here between members of the same sex, because it’s interpreted as a non-homosexual expression of friendship.)

Next, there’s the caste system. It’s not as extreme as in India, where some of you may have heard of the “untouchable” caste. However, there are a range of castes from very high to very low, and the vast, vast majority of people will not even consider marrying outside their caste (nor allow their child or relation to do so). Any person doing so is very likely to be disowned by their family, and the entire family will be shamed in society’s eyes. My sweet, giving, caring, and relatively progressive family here, believes in this caste system, and they are far from alone.

This isn’t an easy problem to understand, either. Like racism in America, where minorities are more likely to be from a lower economic bracket, thus have less education, live in a rougher neighborhood, and because of this may even be more likely to involve themselves in crime (or perhaps a biased judicial system simply convicts more minorities). This whole tangle is self perpetuating, and leads to the stereotype of minorities being dangerous or violence-prone. The same thing is here with the caste system, except to a greater extent. There’s also religion, and perceived social status/dishonor tied into the whole mess.

And you know what? Nothing really excuses the prejudices held by most Sri Lankan people. There are plenty of social pressures and customs which explain it, but not excuse it in my eyes. But you know what else? It’s not the entire picture.

Let me tell you of my Nendamma (aunt), who I met with the day I write this. I’m not sure where to start, so I’ll just mention this and that in the hopes that I can eventually give you the whole picture:

I’m in awe of Nendamma. She meditates every day. Her eyes are large, dark and deep, such that I feel as though an ancient stone statue has opened its eyes and fixed me in its serene gaze. She volunteers often in social work, like counseling cancer patients and working at an orphanage for mentally and physically disabled children. Amma told me of that orphanage before. The children are caked in filth, under-nourished such that a 12 year old looks 5. Their neck muscles are sometimes not strong enough to lift their head, and they are so weak that they have to be carried from place to place. These children have never learned to smile, nor to show affection, and due to their handicaps they are prone to lashing out in fits of anger. When you carry them, they may urinate or defecate on you, simply because they have no control, or because they are not used to the kind contact. To volunteer at such a place is one of the most soul-breaking experiences I can imagine.

Nendamma didn’t tell me of any of this. She just mentioned that she was going to volunteer again soon at the disabled children’s orphanage. Having heard about this place from Amma, I remarked in Sinhalese that volunteering there is very difficult. She genuinely didn’t know what I meant. Amma explained, and Nendamma told me that it was not difficult; that to not volunteer, to do nothing would be difficult. For someone else this would seem like modesty, and like she was deflecting compliments…but Nendamma really meant it.

How do you reconcile such contrasts? Such good people with such petty prejudices? I don’t know my Nendamma’s ideas on race, caste, etc., but my Amma is the same sort of good person, who takes on not just her problems and concerns but that of her entire extended family; gives alms to the poor; still cries two years after the death of her father; has such a big heart that I can only observe her in awe.

Okay, I just tried to post this, but I don't see it so...

So, today I took my Sinhala oral exam, which together with my written exam brings an end to session 1 of my OCS experience. I've also had the first class for most of my academic courses in session 2: Buddhism (auiditing), Women and gender studies, and art literature and drama. Women and gender studies could be good. Buddhism, unfortunately, is really boring so far. We had a hundred pages or so of an analysis of which parts of the Pali Cannon came before which others and who may have written what. In short, we have learned a great deal ABOUT Buddhism, yet have learned very little of Buddhist doctrine, belief, teachings, etc. I'll keep going though in the hopes that it'll pick up. Art, lit, and drama is really great though. The class is just me and one other student. The professor is (at least officially) retired, and clearly has a passion for the subject and a poet's soul which shines through his considerable academic experience.I've also started some extracurriculars. In Batik (a traditional Sri Lankan style of art and dying), we traced some patterns onto cloth. We'll probably start the dying next time. We also have dance and drumming twice a week. The drumming is very cool, but it's rather hard for me. On the other hand, I'm starting to get the hang of the dancing I think, and the instructor apparently approves of my progress (I've heard through others). He's actually pretty accomplished as a dancer, so much so that he's the one that teaches the president's children, dances in the place of honor in the Perahera (an annual buddhist festival). In any case, the dance looks a bit goofy at first, but has certain similarities to Aikido movements. The fingers of the hands are supposed to be in the closed position though (as opposed to Aikido), so I'm having a great deal of difficulty with that.Speaking of which, I'm not getting much Aikido practice here. I ran through the basic movements once, and in the beginning I was teaching Will Cole some Aikido, but he hasn't asked about it in awhile and I don't want to push him if he's not interested. I'd like to practice breakfalls, but I hesitate to roll around in the grass and mud since my Amma does my laundry (and is a little protective. That's less of an obstacle though.) I MISS AIKIDO! : ( Is it odd that I find myself really wanting a bokken or a katana to swing around? Maybe I should pick a fight with some machungs (Sinhala for "bro" "dude", etc., and having a rowdy reputation).

So, today I took my Sinhala oral exam, which together with my written exam brings an end to session 1 of my OCS experience. I've also had the first class for most of my academic courses in session 2: Buddhism (auiditing), Women and gender studies, and art literature and drama. Women and gender studies could be good. Buddhism, unfortunately, is really boring so far. We had a hundred pages or so of an analysis of which parts of the Pali Cannon came before which others and who may have written what. In short, we have learned a great deal ABOUT Buddhism, yet have learned very little of Buddhist doctrine, belief, teachings, etc. I'll keep going though in the hopes that it'll pick up. Art, lit, and drama is really great though. The class is just me and one other student. The professor is (at least officially) retired, and clearly has a passion for the subject and a poet's soul which shines through his considerable academic experience.

I've also started some extracurriculars. In Batik (a traditional Sri Lankan style of art and dying), we traced some patterns onto cloth. We'll probably start the dying next time. We also have dance and drumming twice a week. The drumming is very cool, but it's rather hard for me. On the other hand, I'm starting to get the hang of the dancing I think, and the instructor apparently approves of my progress (I've heard through others). He's actually pretty accomplished as a dancer, so much so that he's the one that teaches the president's children, dances in the place of honor in the Perahera (an annual buddhist festival). In any case, the dance looks a bit goofy at first, but has certain similarities to Aikido movements. The fingers of the hands are supposed to be in the closed position though (as opposed to Aikido), so I'm having a great deal of difficulty with that.

Speaking of which, I'm not getting much Aikido practice here. I ran through the basic movements once, and in the beginning I was teaching Will Cole some Aikido, but he hasn't asked about it in awhile and I don't want to push him if he's not interested. I'd like to practice breakfalls, but I hesitate to roll around in the grass and mud since my Amma does my laundry (and is a little protective. That's less of an obstacle though.) I MISS AIKIDO! : (
Is it odd that I find myself really wanting a bokken or a katana to swing around? Maybe I should pick a fight with some machungs (Sinhala for "bro" "dude", etc., and having a rowdy reputation).