My dancin' outfit!



I've been in Sri Lanka now for about as long as I was here last time.  This is a bit of a turning point for me (dancer pun intended).  I feel a bit like Samwise Gamgee leaving the Shire: "If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been."

When I'm not sick, dance has been going well.  Kandyan dance continues to be difficult.  I realize how much I like doing things that I'm already good at, so starting as a beginner has been challenging.  As respite, I took a ballet class in Colombo the other night.  After class, the school's owner asked me to teach ballet and contemporary workshops.  I've never taught contemporary before, but I'm looking forward to choreographing my own combinations.  Perhaps this could lead to more choreography work when I return to the States.  The workshop I'm conducting at the Fulbright Commission at the end of November is drawing nearer, and the word is spreading around dance communities in Colombo.  Hopefully I'll get a good turnout.  We're thinking about making this an ongoing class with a small performance at the end of March.  I'm very much looking forward to my choreographic debut!

Now I'm sitting at Barefoot café, waiting for bar trivia to commence.  It's fairly easy in Colombo to live a life similar to what I'd experience in the States.  To be honest, I'm a bit nervous about moving to Kandy in December because it's much more difficult to live a western lifestyle.  In Kandy, things shut down at around 6:00 pm and there are far fewer opportunities to make friends.  Good thing I have my cross stitch and This American Life to keep me company.  I'm constantly looking forward to visits from family members.  I would also very much appreciate letters or postcards.  I haven't given out my address yet because I've had a bit of a shaky living situation, but I'll send out my Kandy address once I get there.  Write a return address, and I'll send something back!  



 

Don't worry folks, I'm still alive, but just barely.  I've spent the last several days battling a flu-like illness.  I suppose it wasn't THAT bad, but I could've really used some sort of mom-like figure to take care of me.  The other Fulbrighters did a great job making sure I was fed and comfortable while sad, sick me crashed on their couch.  Unfortunately for me, almost all of them left Colombo today for their teaching or research posts.  But now I have friends to visit in many interesting locales.

A couple of weeks ago I made a short trip to Kandy.  I visited my old host family, who were much like I had remembered them.  My host grandfather can't speak much due to illness, but in greeting he just gave me a little slap across the face much to my host grandma's amusement.  Good ol' aththaa.  I also paid a visit to my guru and one of the most well-known traditional dancers in Sri Lanka, Mr. Peter Surasena.  He lives next door to his son, also a dancer, who has a dance studio in his house.  I will live with the son, his wife, and their two adorable children while I am training in Kandy, beginning in December.  It's a beautiful area, surrounded by palm trees and paddy fields, and not nearly as sweltering as Colombo. Much to look forward to.

This weekend I took a day trip to Galle with two Sri Lankan friends to show me around.  The Dutch colonial fort in Galle is quaint as can be.  We also stopped by the resort town of Unawatuna, just a few minutes' drive from Galle.  I got overly excited about the ocean and jumped right in.  It was absolutely glorious. 

Life aside from weekend excursions is business as usual. Dance is beginning to hurt less, and I'm catching up on the steps rather quickly.  It feels great to have had a good workout and feel exhausted at the end of the day.  In addition, the Fulbright commission has asked me to put on a dance workshop for the community at the end of the month.  It will be a good experience to be in charge of such a project. 

There have been some expected and unexpected challenges living here, but with each one I learn so much and am stronger for it.  I've been managing to survive, learn dance, and have some fun, so I can't ask for much more.