Section 2: Getting There and Away

Good news, everyone!  I live in Sri Lanka now!

I'd like to tell you exactly how long ago I touched down on the teardrop island which for the coming months I shall call my home, but my body clock is more turned around than a stoned college kid staring at a fuzzy MC Escher print his roommate bought at Hot Topic the week before second semester started.  It was dark and rainy when I left New York at 11 pm two days ago, and I haven't seen the sun until about two hours ago today so...that whole circadian rhythm thing is now slave to the clock on my crappy world phone.  Everyone I spoke to before the flights all gave great advice on how to best adjust - some suggested staying up late then having a drink or four, some said time out sleep to match the schedule for when I landed, yet others pushed the ambien/nyquil/advil pm route to help knock me out on the flight to make life easier.

I of course ignored all of you.

Relying on some complex sleeping formula seemed burdensome, booze only keeps me going for longer and for some reason I didn't want to deal with the "unnatural" sleep enhancers side effects of cold medicine head the next day (like I had sooo much to focus on, right?).  Instead I employed the completely experimental and totally non-FDA approved method of chugging some sort of elixir of melanin, vitamin B and elf magic called "Tranquila PM."  After jawing with the Kazakh music producer in the seat next to me and then subsequently hiding my tears from him while watching Toy Story 3, I rocked that Tranquila and buckled in for the long haul.  Toy Story spoiler alert - unless you're a robot made up of smaller parts of other heartless automatons, you WILL well up with tears at this movie.  I'd like to quell your fears right now, because that tranquila shit worked like a charm.  I woke up like 12 hours later ready to rumble.

In a sleepy haze I worked my way through my Abu Dhabi layover, spending my time reading and window shopping Arabian gossip mags, and then napped right through the second leg of my flight and right into Colombo, Sri Lanka.  The founder and head of the organization I'm working with here came to collect me at the airport, a gesture I appreciate greatly because if any of you have ever landed at a major South Asian airport before, you'll know that the buddy system was frigging invented for those times you find yourself walking outside into the melee at 5am with no sleep in 90 degree heat. 

We hopped in a micro bus and headed the hour or so down to Panadura, on the West Sri Lankan coast south of the capital, and it was only then did it really hit me that I was living here now.  Thousands of tuk-tuks slicing in and out of traffic in a manner that would make even the steeliest NYC driver flinch, wandering dogs roving in packs through the streets, motorcycles loaded with entire families following closely behind a dump truck and just inches in front of yet another dump truck, jet black fumes pumping out of each passing bus as they struggle to accelerate through the chaos without running smack into the half dozen cars shooting across the median just to avoid waiting at a left turn - it's life in fast motion set to the soundtrack of a cacophony of blaring horns and squealing breaks.  The familiar assurances provided by the McDonalds to my left quickly faded when not ten feet away in the parking lot there was also a few loose water buffalo and at least two military guards armed with machine guns.  Kansas this ain't.

Finally, not a few moments ago, I got to the office where I'll be working and my apartment on the second floor of the same building - it's simple but nice, and I'll have my own workspace replete with ceiling fan and air conditioning unit.  The omnipresent a/c makes Eric a very happy boy.  I unpacked, putting away the few items I actually brought with me, and for the first time in nearly three days got to take a shower and lay down in a real bed.  As I relaxed, finally and restfully settling in to my new digs, I contented myself with the knowledge that I'm really doing this.  Tomorrow I'll be starting in on work so for today I can focus on letting myself believe what's going on around me.

And you know what's more?  I saw a new ocean today.  It's not everyday that you get to say that.