Week 1 in Sri Lanka nearly complete.

I “worked” in the pediatric ward in the hospital this week, which mainly consisted of me following doctors around and reading charts. It has been slow, but should pick up next week when I work in general medicine.

The hospital conditions are....interesting.

I’ve never seen stray cats in a hospital before.

I’m also trying to adjust to seeing squirming, screaming children getting pricked with needles. I force myself to watch, although I am cringing all the while...I have to get used to it if I want to be a doctor! Eeek.

My host family is great—I am staying with a family that consists of a husband and wife, their son and his wife (they are just a couple of years older than me), a grandmother, and a cook. I don’t quite understand what exactly a housewife does if she has a cook...I mean, how much sweeping can you do in a day? I would rather cook than clean. If I were to be a housewife and for some reason had to hire someone, I would get a cleaning lady and do the cooking myself. Well, that is if I had to hire someone to do something I would normally have to do myself—obviously a masseuse or a personal trainer or someone you pay to be your friend would be preferable choices. Anyways, my new Sri Lankan family is incredibly sweet and they love to tease me and learn all about America—they are especially interested in Area 51, which surprised me.
Neighbors also seem to wander in and out of the house, in particular this little old man who yells at me about his hearing problems and how they are “such a nuisance” and tells me “it is going to rain” as it pours outside.

I have been getting lots of stares since I am one of the only white people in this town. It hasn’t bothered me too much, as everyone seems very nice and for the most part respectful. Women smile at me shyly, children hide and smile or sometimes leap at the opportunity to practice their English, and men for the most part don’t pay much attention—young men and teenagers always try to talk to me along with the other girl volunteers, but so far nothing offensive. Very old men also talk to me frequently, which I love—they are so tiny and cute and don’t have many teeth, and they are very polite and inquisitive. Apparently one volunteer was the first white person a Sri Lankan had spoken with! Strange...there are white people in all of the advertisements and on television, but they are so rare here except for the touristy areas, so everyone becomes very excited when they see one of us magical TV people. I feel like I am in a parade while walking down the street—everyone is gawking at me as I smile radiantly and wave at small, entranced children. I should throw candy.

WILDLIFE UPDATE!
Still no monkeys, but I have seen some interesting specimens—fireflies, geckos, small cranes, lots of stray dogs and cows, colorful butterflies, a pretty dead fish, a huge bat, and a monitor lizard!! The monitor suddenly appeared out of the bushes as I was walking down the street, so I leapt out of the way and got a snapshot before hurrying away.

There are also lots of adorable little crabs all over the beach.

This week was the Sri Lankan New Year, so everyone was out getting ready and buying new clothes, but now it is suddenly dead as everyone goes to visit their families and shops close for the holiday. Neighbors brought over sweets last night, and families visit temple and fast and eat at auspicious times to ensure good luck for the New Year.