My beloved Asia
Colorful clothing at the local bazaar
When I visited Sri Lanka and a few South East Asian countries in 2016, I made a promise to myself to come back and to not forget the connections I made and people I met. I volunteered at disabled homes for women and children, and stayed with loving host families who became the dearest of friends. Now, its 2021, and we’re entering a second year of a pandemic. Even though I’m fully vaccinated, as are many others in the United States, developing countries are struggling to stay afloat and are under new lockdown rules as I speak. Many countries haven’t even gotten a single vaccine dose yet.
It makes me sad to think that these wonderful places I got to experience and people I met are now even more overburdened with a lack of resources to make ends meet. What I saw was severe inequality while there: Some neighborhoods in Cambodia were filled with mansions in gated communities while next door neighbors worked day and night as tuk-tuk drivers to support a family or had their children stay home from school to go out and sell merchandise, all while not having electricity and running water in their homes. I will never forget some of the hopelessness and misery I witnessed, and I didn’t want to become another tourist who came once and never looked back. However, I also saw an abundance of happiness, resilience, and positivity. That’s what I must remember until I can once again travel to these faraway places and re-connect. And I will - my promise remains.
Dear Shenul - 3 years old at the time and the son of my Sri Lankan host family
I got married and had a baby in the last 3 years, during which I did not return. It pains me to think that someone might feel forgotten. Like my dear Shenul, who I met in 2016 and quickly became my new best friend. I stayed with a loving host family and they did everything to treat me like a part of their family. Shenul is their little boy, a sunshine and force of nature in person. He has now grown into a big boy and will soon have a little brother in May! I wish I could be with them and lend a supporting hand during these challenging times.
Temple offering at sunrise
I will remember the early morning temple visits that were nothing short of mystical and heaven-like. An offering should always be made, which you can either bring yourself, or purchase before entering the temple. It gave me a wonderful sense of peace and provided me with a strength for what was yet to come. My host family introduced me to this tradition, and I relished in it. As a foreigner, It’s of utmost importance that we don’t try to “americanize” other countries. Become a local! Take the bus, eat the traditional food, and make an effort to integrate into this new culture you entered.
Ruwanwelidaya - famous white stupa in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
Cultures differences were sometimes strongly palable when it came to male vs. female. As a single female traveler at the time, I was occasionally harrassed and made to be felt inferior. But I believe in change and when seeing all of these powerful girls, as seen in the picture below, I see potential to overthrow this misogynistic, horrible, and outdated way of doing business. Education is key on this journey and we have to do everything we can to empower girls and women so that they will have a voice in the future and stand up for what is their birth-given right. Respect, dignity, equal pay, education, control of their body. The ability to say no.
Joyful school girls stopping me for a picture
I will continue to write about my experiences in Asia, but for now, let’s remember all the things we can be grateful for on a daily basis. A hot shower, warm meals, a roof over your head, a cup of coffee in the morning, a kiss from your loved ones - you name it. And let’s not forget all the people out there suffering and not doing so well during COVID and any other time. Whether it’s loneliness, lack of money, not enough food on the table, health issues, abuse, an unstable home… we can’t forget fighting and thinking about the ones that need help, often in silence. Let’s not be blind to it.
With that, I will close this chapter. Below are a few references to get involved. Stay safe everyone.
https://www.cambodiaschools.com/
https://rapha.org/
https://www.worldvision.org/
https://www.globalgiving.org/
https://camfed.org/