Blogs from Peradeniya, Central Province, Sri Lanka, Asia

CLASSES AT PGIS, PERADENIYA PGIS stands for the Postgraduate Institute of Science. Our trip officially began with an impressive opening ceremony in a large lecture hall on campus. Many high-level University officials attended, gave short speeches, and helped to light the 6 foot high brass ceremonial oil lamp with a brass rooster on top. We learned later that this is meant to drive out the darkness and ignorance, and provide light and understanding. Illumination, if you will. We met Prof. S.A. Kulasooriya, Jon's Sri Lankan counterpart, and the Coordinator of the Program in Sri Lanka. He welcomed us, especially as the first group in what everyone hoped would become a continuing communication and exchange between our cultures. As this trip was actually a field studies class, naturally we spent some time in the classroom. In fact, ... read more

The day of snakes and amphibians. And our introduction to leeches. Another day of rain. We are again reminded the monsoon is officially over. Rain in the tropics is different; the temperature is 77 degrees Fahrenheit. When you get wet you don't really get cold, you just get wet. When it is not raining the humidity is very high, so rain or not you are always damp. The ground is so porous that the water gets soaked up leaving few puddles. First, the lecture - cobras, vipers, and other reptiles and amphibians by Mr. Anslem de Silva. After tea, it is into the lab to see and handle snakes and lizards. Bare handed he milks a Russell's viper. Yes, it is a very poisonous snake. About 300 people a year die of snake bites in Sri ... read more

It is a little past midnight as we leave the airport and head towards Kandy. We still have several kilometers to travel before reaching our beds. The bus ride only gives us a narrow view of the countryside. Buildings line the street. We never seem to leave the buildings, mostly shops; still at two in the morning several of the shops are open. We stop to buy bottled water. A gas station is open. Several college students came down to the airport to meet us and help us with our luggage. This is our first chance to meet and talk with the people of Sri Lanka. At 4 AM the bus finally stops; the traveling is complete we have arrived at Mahakande Gal Bungalawa. The name means large rock house, built in the 1800s, and it ... read more