First language class

02.04.2013

Today I got my Sri Lanka sim card.  I had to put it in my old phone as it would not go in the smart phone.

This afternoon I had my first language class.  My teacher is warm, funny, divorced and slightly chaotic.  I am not sure some of the women in the office approve of her as they were a bit sneery when she arrived late.  What was fascinating for me and was probably one of the reasons why I failed to learn much Fulfulde in Cameroon was that she allowed me to side-track her into a wide ranging dialogue on culture generally.  I remember similar conversations in Bogo with Jean-Paul (the teacher) and a lovely novice nun who shared my classes.  I was very upset when she left Bogo after a couple of months.

Anyway, there are 4 varieties of spoken Tamil in Sri Lanka, Jaffna Tamil (elitist north, highest caste), Eastern Tamil (that I am learning), Indian Tamil (brought in to work on the tea plantations in the hills) and Muslim Tamils.  In Sri Lanka Muslim is an ethnicity rather than just a religion.  Apparently they are pale skinned with green eyes.

Along with a few phrases we discussed etiquette on everything I could think of from eye contact/ alcohol/ saying no to what to take if invited for dinner – all vital stuff to avoid alienation.  Meanwhile she was fascinated by my take on multi-cultural Luton and the fact that “in Britain?” I have to wear a wedding ring in school because to not be married at my age in my 90%+ Muslim school I can be labelled a slut.  Also, apparently Russian and Japanese girls are flocking to Sri Lanka to offer their sexual services.  All good sharing and part of the VSO exchange experience.

Despite what you read in the papers, DFID (Department of Foreign & International Development) are radically cutting back on funding.  This is why Sri Lanka, Mongolia and Namibia are closing.  The only place that is expanding is South Sudan.

Tonight I suppressed revulsion and ate prawns, but I did have to take the legs off first.  Sri Lankan style is you engorge the lot.  I hate prawns.