Blonde goes Sri Lankan !: 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