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!