Life got in my way

Leech protection!

After five months I' ve seen a lot of this beautiful country, but still there was undiscovered beauty quite close to Morawaka.

Keep an eye on Julie, they said

Only a 45 minutes drive from Morawaka to Deniyaya, more landinwards, and we arrived at a lovely guest house called Sinharaja Rest. A warm welcome and introduction to what we could expect of the hiking tour trough the Sinharaja rainforest, which is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Site. 

The next day we left with Pali, our guide. With a very strong dedication to nature, he could tell us the name, the usage in ayurvedic medicin, the life span, the best conditions, ... of animals, plants, trees, soil, fruits, seeds, ... After 20 years of guiding experience in this beautiful atmosphere, he hadn't lost his passion and we were lucky we could enjoy this!

Termites, monkeys, worms, squirrels, millipedes, fishes, spiders, leeches, snails, butterflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, ... It's all there!

Millipede!

Huuuge worm!

Fish therapy with Eva!

Natural swimming pool!

Listen to the nature

On Tuesday there was the schooltrip with the chidlren of the both plantation schools Banagalla and Morawaka. Five adults and 40 children got on the bus to the Martim museum, an airplane, a playground and the beach. Nice to see all those smiling faces!

Ice cream!

Happy smiles!

The happy end of a happy day!

Meanwhile there have been elections, but until now, we don't know the results yet!

& Thanks to the daylight saving time, now there is only 3,5h difference between Sri Lanka and Belgium!

Hospital life and thesis things :
the last working week in the hospital started and that seems to be good. The world is shouting to be discovered! The answer to that call, comes from Eva and me together. You probably read more about it in the next blog post.
Now all the data is collected, I'd still like to meet the VP (Visitting Physician) in Deniyaya. He probably can give me some answers about the health conditions in this area, which is very valuable for my thesis.

Family feels good! - Part two

Bagage die als eerste wordt ingeladen, wordt als laatste uitgeladen. Maar dan: mama en papa die door de gate wandelen! Het begin van een fantastische vakantie, samen met chauffeur-en-gids-in-één Lalith.

Schattig, in Kandy

• Verhalen van koninginnen die gered worden door apen.

Horton Plains

• Wandelen in Horton Plains, waar World’s End een highlight is; en waar ik een stukje van mijn hart verloren heb -misschien express zodat ik het ooit wel terug moet gaan zoeken-.

Naar World's End

• De koudste temperatuur in Sri Lanka trotseren in Nuwara Eliya (uit te spreken als ‘njoereliya’), zo’n twaalf graden.

:-)

• Een treinrit door een prachtig decor van theevelden, rijstterrassen en bossen van Nanu Oya naar Ella.

 Toppie

• Opnieuw de top van de Sigiriya beklimmen, om te genieten van een streling voor het oog.

Sambar

• Ruïnes van tempels, dagoba’s, ziekenhuizen, zwembaden, … in Polonnaruwa en Anuradhapura ontdekt.

Treinrit Nanu Oya - Ella

• Shoppen, Kandyan dances gaan bekijken, wandelen, lachen en ziek worden in Kandy.

Lalith, topgids

• Twee weken slapen op zachte matrassen… Hemels!

Probleem?

• Apen, olifanten, varanen, leguanen, schildpadden, duizendpoten, sambar -soort hert dat enkel in Horton Plains leeft-, buffels, krabben, vleerhonden, pauwen, koereigers, kameleons, ijsvogels, … die de revue passeren.

Dier zonder naam

• Slapen in cabana’s en golven trotseren in Tangalle. 

Lotus

• Prachtige oldtimers -waarvan velen niet mogen worden geëxporteerd- spotten met gepassioneerden, Lalith, papa en mama.

Tempelbezoek

• Prachtige selfies nemen met mama en papa.

Mama & papa, Sigiriya

• Rijst met curry’s, curd, papaya, overheerlijke ananas, koththu, rotti’s, … proeven.

Weg naar de hemel

• Prachtige rock carvings bewonderen.

Cobra rock, ziet ge't? 

 Dankjewel mama en papa, voor een prachtige reis!

Kandyan dances

Ain't this what you came for

Come as a Belgian ...

• Drink tea, with sugar or without, with milk or without
• Try several traditional rice and curries, to finally find that one shop that makes the best
• Catch the bus while it's still going ...
• ... and enjoy a ride where you are squeezed between others
• Take a tuk tuk, after having bargained
• Know how tea is produced
• Smile
• Love this country
• Wear slippers
• Eat with your hands
• Sleep on the ground, at least once
• Show your respect to others, speak to them like they are your own family
• Sleep under a musquito net
• Cover your shoulders and upper legs
• Hang your clothes over the fence to dry
• Wave at all the kids, who are so excited to see you
• Say yes, even if you didn't understand a word
• Open up your umbrella, when it's dry and wet
• Greet a monk or an honorable person the traditional way; kneel, touch the feet, place hands together and let that person touch your head
• Welcome the geckos in your house
• Save a lovely kingfisher
• Have dinner with a local friend

... leave as an integrated!

Preparing ...

So, after all this discovering and living, loving and smiling, watching and creating there is the thesis part.
At this moment, I collected almost all the data I need. Therefore I've spent hours and hours with doctor Ravi in the medical clinic; because that is where and when the people come to have their monthly follow up-visit. The selected patients are all having a history of a myocardial infarction, an acute coronary syndrome, an ST-elevated myocardial infarction, a non-ST-elevated myocardial infarction or an ischemic heart disease. All these patients were asked about their presenting complaints, lifestyle, food habits, family history and occupation.

After analyzing these data, the aim is to find links between their life and habits and the heart disease they're having. So let's start analyzing!

I would not be able to do this alone. Thanks to willing patients, helpful translators and a doctor with a huge amount of connections and patience, this is possible. I gratefully thank them all!

For his parents, he is 'putah', son.
For us, he is 'malli', younger brother.
For him, I am 'achchi', aunty...

We ended this week with celebrating the birthday of the former teacher of the Morawaka plantation school, Deepa. A loving young mother, who cares about children as much as a woman can do. Tamil or Sinhalese, it doesn't matter; she loves them and treats them like her own, cute, six year old son!
And the reason why I have to say that she's the 'former' teacher, is the reason why we hate the owner of the tea estate so f* much: she suddenly fired her, without any good reason. She was not given a legal contract, so she cannot fight her rights. With all we have, we do not support anything of the owner's bad behavior -that is totally against human rights-: she keeps the children away from the school to clean her bungalow, she says the teacher not to spend much money to provide lunch, she takes money from donations to use it herself, ... I can continue with a list that is never ending. So please think twice before you donate money. If you ever donate, overthink your actions, give something that cannot be used for any other purpose you want it to be used for. 

Anyway, Deepa, I wish you a happy birthday and I wish you all the best with your new job! (Because yes, stupid estate owner, she has found a new job. You will never be able to stop her.)

Cooking in Deepa's traditional kitchen

... but above all, he is a little friend!

From left to right: rice, brinjal, citron, dahl, pappadam, potatoes and beans. DELICIOUS!