I recently started working on Thrive Sri Lanka, a group of concerned philanthropists seeking to help Sri Lanka recover from the worst economic crisis in memory. Through the last few months and this work, I have had the opportunity to reflect on what Sri Lanka means to me.
I arrived in the United States at the age of 13, landing in New York/JFK with my parents and four suitcases containing everything we had. Since then, I have built a life here and my daughter Danika (who founded Thrive Sri Lanka) was born and raised here. I have spent the majority of my life in the US but Sri Lanka continues to have a special place in my heart. I did not visit for a long time during the civil war, but since about 2013 my daughter and I have visited roughly every other year.
So - what does being a member of the Sri Lankan Diaspora mean to me?
It's a living memory of the food, music, and other things that make Sri Lanka so special. I cook and eat Sri Lankan food every day, and search out Sri Lankan restaurants wherever I can find them (usually in New York or Los Angeles). Sri Lankan music plays in my car (old songs that my parents listened to when I was little - I don't know any of the recent artists!).
The people. My company has a wonderful team in the country - working on everything from engineering to logistics. Through them, I see daily life there, and a first-hand view of how lives have changed due to the economic crisis - whether having zoom calls where they are in the dark, worrying about whether a pregnant team member can get to the hospital when there is a lack of fuel, or understanding the changes in their daily expenses for food and necessities.
The values. Whenever I visit Sri Lanka, I am touched by the respect that everyone shows their elders - from small children respecting any adult to adults respecting seniors. I love that my daughter sees this firsthand. It was there when I lived there and it is still there today. My daughter has regular zoom calls with her cousins in the country - and through them, she learns that family can grow up together even when they are thousands of miles apart.
Sri Lanka is undergoing the worst economic crisis in its history - a history filled with countless difficulties for every citizen even before this recent crisis. As members of the Diaspora - hopefully, we can all remember what Sri Lanka has given us, and find ways to give back.
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