News from Sri Lanka

Dear reader, 2010-02-22

My name is Cecilia Riddeback, 24 years old and living in Stockholm, Sweden. In the Spring year 2009 I was granted a scholarship, from my University Ersta Skondal, called “Minor field studies” (MFS). The MFS scholarship is issued by the International Programme Office and financed by the Swedish organization Sida for smaller field studies in developing countries all over the world.
I had decided that I wanted to carry out both my essay on bachelor level and master level in terms of an evaluating project of the “Star for Life program” in the town Matara, Sri Lanka. The plan is to look further into how the “Star for Life program” in Sri Lanka functions and what kind of impact it has on the children and adolescents in order to compare it to the “Star for Life program” in South Africa. These two countries are in two different continents with differences in cultural context, however with the same Star for Life program. So I find it to be an interesting task to investigate how the “Star for Life concept” works in a world wide perspective.
If you want to share my experiences during my eight weeks here in Matara, Sri Lanka you are more than welcome to read my articles. I will try to keep you updated once a week.

2010-02-25

I have now been in the capital Colombo in Sri Lanka for four days. I arrived last Sunday afternoon to this very tropical country. The temperature is around 34 degrees Celsius. When I left Sweden it was a lot of snow on the ground and the temperature was around 24 degrees cold. It was a dramatic change of 58 degrees just a plan trip away.
Sri Lanka is a warm and sunny country, with kind and honest people. Everyone here have taken good care of me and given me a warm welcome. So it has been easy for me to adjust to the new climate and time zone. Just have to remember to drink plenty of water!

My first days here I dedicated to find a gym where I can exercise and fill my mind with harmony and peace (to be honest with you I am an exercising maniac).
I also find it easier to concentrate and write when I have run the treadmill.

Tomorrow morning I am leaving Colombo for Matara. It will take me about four hours with car to drive down there.

I am really excited and looking forward to meet the people of the “Star for Life program” in Matara.

Until I am back with new info take care/Cecilia