Saturday 10^th August 2019

We arrived in Colombo on Friday lunch time and for Saturday afternoon, we were invited to join Steve’s company employees and their families for annual Sport’s day and Talent show at Havelock sports ground.

We couldn’t miss this opportunity, could we?

We got there at 4 pm (it had been going on since lunch time), the temperature was pleasant compared with the heatwave at Easter, and we took a chance to see in first instance, what life in Sri Lanka can offer us. We were slightly jet lagged, but we wanted to try to be sociable and been seen showing some effort.

Volunteers from the whole company were split into 4 teams and each team was competing in some of the usual disciplines such as cricket, netball, football, tag of war or new to me “pin pong” beer game. You could see the team spirit and the energy, hard work and enthusiasm all of them were putting into competing. Rather them then me, I thought!

We had a very spicy curry buffet for dinner, with my favorite hoppers (they look like pancakes, but shaped as a basket with crusty edges, either plain or with steamed egg in the middle – delicious). Kids ate plain rice and hopper only. We must go slowly on them, I am sure over time, they will get used to some of the spicy food.  In the evening, each team had a performance on the stage with life music and singing. There was lots of creativity and talent showcased, but it was in their mother tongue, all we could understand is the music and using common sense to interpret the story/plot.

By 9pm, we had enough, we took taxi home, leaving Steve with his colleagues to carry on socialising..

When he came home at 11pm, he told me, that he was honoured, and pleasantly surprised, when he was asked to present the fourth and third prize!

We were pleased we went and let ourselves be exposed to the people and the environment we will be living in the next 16 months, it was a good experience and a healthy starting point for our lives among Sri Lankan people.  Great kindness and a sincere welcome.

Rennie