March 14th - April 9th 2012 Hamowemo!

Where did this months disappear? Remember arriving with the bus at the main street in a complete darkness, while looking in my bag for my torch not knowing if there would be a Chaminda to meet up with me … I hear something like a big tree falling?! from what i understand a bit later coming from elephants running around looking for water and food. Lucky me Chaminda turned up on his motorbike and we could take cover at the mini market by the road.

Four nights with big bonfires around the farm and fire torches to scare of the elephants with their babies to change their path made all of us quite exhausted. We all appreciated when they went back to their reserve/forest.

One of the first Sinhali words I learned was "Harack" from Helping Aia to move the cows in the morning and in the afternoon, realizing how different it can be working with cows in SL comparing with Norway. I came to really appreciate working with Aia, his smile and was of communicating gives me joy and hope for the future! I thank him for inviting all of us to his home to meet his wife, daughter and parents in law. I look forward to coming back one day.

Harvesting rice, planting papaya, chili briny, building chicken house, digging sponge in the kitchen garden, collecting coconuts, one cashew, mangos, pineapples, star fruits, planting "ginnibegrass", cooking food, grating coconuts, chopping onions, treating rice, eating rice, shitting rice, talking rice, carrying rice, loving rice takes the price …

It helped me a lot to learn som Sinhali words. It created a good connection to know a word here and there meeting non-english speakers from time to time. Many laughs and surprised faces when trying to say funny words correcting and one two three … anew friend a long the way : ) People that i Meet can be shy at first but love teaching their language to me if I show interest.

I wish you all the best with this community, Chaminda. I have learned a lot about life while staying here with you. I hope you being a pioneer and inspire your country to take care of all its beauty, abundance, rich wildlife and diversity that still exists and realize how fortunate your are being able to live with nature instead of having to master it. Many contradictions and challenges to work with and I look forward to come back maybe next year to share them with you. Maybe I'll see you in California in May - we'll see.

I hope the blackboard that we made will come well in use and bring clarity, structure and efficiency to the farm.

Best wishes, Jandi (Sweden)