Sri Lanka, the „Pearl of the Indian
Ocean“, welcomed me with endless dreamlike beaches, beautiful green tea estates
and breathtaking mountains. I don’t know what I expected when I went there, but
it was definitely not that diversity of beauty… Every area has its own special
beauty, own climate and somehow even an own smell in the air…
Teaching in a preschool in a place so
different from what I had known so far was a challenging, life-enhancing and
wonderful experience. People around the school, children, teachers, parents and
everyone else have been so kindhearted and willing to help that it was a real
pleasure to be there.
Except the fact that I taught English
to preschool students, being in Sri Lanka taught me a lot myself. During my
stay I became more independent, open-minded and definitely more patient. I’m
hoping to keep that feeling of serenity for a while…
Within the 6 weeks of my stay I have
met a bunch of interesting people and made some beautiful friendships. To me,
srilankan people always seem to be happy. And by happy I don’t just mean that
they are in a good mood or friendly, it’s more that they seem to be satisfied
with their life. That feeling was remarkable for me because in Germany or maybe
in Europe in general having a “good life” is always measured by the wealth and
people always aspire to have more. More money, a better job, a bigger house… So
to witness and to realize that different understanding of happiness was a once
in a lifetime experience.
Looking back, I gained so much more
during my stay than what I dreamed of…
