The Gift of Generosity

by Claudine Marie Victa (Qatar)

Making a local connection Sri Lanka

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For my 38th birthday I decided to travel alone. I longed to be away from people. It was one of the times when my patience is thinning out. Like in most hospitals, there are more patients than staffs. My body is weary and my soul is exhausted. You will be fine. You just need to arm yourself with plenty of research. These are the thoughts that ran through my head as I revised my one week itinerary to Sri Lanka. Friends who had been there all wanted to go back. They were raving about tea plantations, scenic train rides and the low cost of sapphires. I look down at the hand written itinerary in my hand and crossed out the trip to Yala National Park. Elephants and leopards will have to wait as I have chosen to gift myself with my birthstone ring. I have arranged my accommodations and activities to complement the train rides that I have in mind. I was glad to find out that one of the hostels in Colombo offers airport pick up and purchase of train tickets. The hostel manager was very accommodating from the first email and even more so in person. He gladly assisted me with my bags. I plan to stay with them at the last leg of my trip. For a small fee, he will keep my luggage in their storage. . He told me that if I do not mind the exercise, I can save money by walking to the Colombo Fort Station. The train station does not open until 2 hours later. He took me in the dining area where a handful of backpackers were having breakfast. He introduced me to those that are also heading to the train station. I gave him money for the food plus tip. He shook his head and told me that my breakfast is free. It was his way of welcoming me to Sri Lanka. I am in high spirits while I was sitting on the train. I took my phone out and messaged Athulya. I found his silver jewelry making class online. I was in contact with him ever since I booked a class. He was the one who informed me that some of the gates in Yala are closed and that I have underestimated the travel time of my train journeys. Thanks to him, I had changed my itinerary to a more relaxed paced. A far cry from my always on the rush routine. I shared to him that it is going to be my birthday at the day of my class. I told him this information hoping to get a discount for the birthstone ring that I will be making. On the day of the class, he sent his cousin to fetch me from my hostel in Galle. Ashan related that his father’s parents were into jewelry making. The business was then passed on to his father and uncle. They make handmade jewelry which over the years was overtaken by big businesses that have machines and shops within the touristy Galle Fort. His parents encouraged him and his sister to go to a different path to have a better life. It is his father who mainly does the work but customers were scarce. Athulya made an account on online travel sites to promote his uncle’s craft. Upon reaching Ashan’s house were the workshop will be held, I was greeted by the sight of balloons and handmade paper flowers on the wall. There are small flags that spell out Happy Birthday. Athulya turned on the speaker. A fast paced birthday song is being played. Ashan accompanied it with his hands beating a hand held drum. Am-ma brought out the cake that she herself baked while her daughter Amali arranged the food on the table. Thaath-tha was smiling and clapping his hands. I was hoping for a discount on the ring that I will be making, and was gifted with a party by people that had just met me. I was intent to be in solitude for my birthday and found myself being treated as one of the family. Sri Lanka’s greatest gem is not it’s sapphires but its people.