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“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
AIESEC
SRI LANKA The Reception Booklet
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
INDEX PAGES
- Introduction
- Sri Lanka (Summery)
o Population
o Religion
o Geography
o Climate
o Ecology and Environment
o Flora and Fauna
o Government and Politics
o Peace process
o Economy
- Colombo
- Arts
- Food
- Sri Lanka – useful links
- Useful Information
o Banks and Money
o Cost Of Living & Local Prices
o Tipping
o Recommendations
o Transport
o Clothes
o Entertainment
o Electricity
o Toilets
o Holidays
o Health & Medical services
o Post and telephones
o Mobile phones
o Television & Radio
o Sports
o Dressing style
o Insects
- Sri Lanka – useful DOs and DON’Ts
- Checklist for a intern
- AIESEC in Sri Lanka
- Exchange information for the intern
o Reception Teams
o Arrival and Airport Pickup
o Accommodation
o Reception and integration activities
o Sri Lanka – useful phrases in Sinhala
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Ayubowan, Wanakkam, Welcome Dear new intern!
We are glad that you have been matched to our beautiful island –
SRI LANKA – the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.
We recommend you to read this booklet carefully.
If you still have some questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
We are looking forward to seeing you here soon!
With love, AIESEC in Sri Lanka
A word from an ex-intern…
“It was only a couple of days before the start of my marketing management internship,
when I found out that I was going to spend a year in Sri Lanka. I didn’t know much
about the country, in fact, I only knew that it lies in the Indian Ocean beneath India,
that it is an island, that its former name was Ceylon, and that they have AIESEC there.
However, after receiving an email from a friend, who had been there for one month by
that time, I decided Sri Lanka was definitely the place for me to go. My criteria? I
wanted to go far away from home, to a very different culture, for a very long time, and
do something related to marketing. All my expectations were not only met, they were
exceeded.
The one thing that matters the most about any kind of internship are people who you
spend your time with – in our case the AIESEC community but gradually also other
people from the environment where we live. AIESECers are the ones who made my
integration into their culture and society very easy and comfortable. Although I hate to
generalize about people (because everybody is very unique) I need to say that Sri
Lankans are some of the nicest, most hospitable people I have met so far. They try to help
in any situation, make sure everything is going fine … they simply care.
I would recommend this beautiful island of paradise to any SN in the whole world who
likes to overcome cultural and personal challenges, learn many new things, and find out
more about you, because that is an order of the day here.
I know that some of you might be a little concerned about the safety situation here.
Media like to exaggerate a bit. I was concerned as well, but because I had generally very
little knowledge about the country, I decided to trust people here when assuring me of
no danger. I am glad I did so – I feel here just as safe as at home, that is Slovakia. I
soon learned that if a conflict occurs, it is always only on a national (Sri Lankan) level.
They have absolutely nothing here against foreigners. You see, if I had not come, I
would not have learned. So why don’t you come and experience for yourself.”
Stefan CHAMRAZ alias Stevo
Intern from Slovakia 2001/2002
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Do you know about Sri Lanka…?
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka – Population and People
“Sri Lanka is a country of really nice and hospitable people, who smile 24
hours per day and are very warm and sweet. You just have to love them as
much as they love you….”
- Intern’s comment
Ethnic Groups
Two major ethnic groups in Sri Lanka are Sinhalese and Tamils. Other than
them there are Muslims and Burghers.
Sinhalese
The Sinhalese constitute about 74% of the population. They speak Sinhala, and
are predominantly Buddhist or Catholics and have a reputation as easy-going.
The Sinhalese have a caste system, although it is nowhere near as important as
it is in India. They either belong to ‘low country’, or ‘Kandyan’. This low
country or Kandyan is then divided into several sub castes. But, nowadays caste
is not an issue except in marriages.
Tamils
The Tamils are the second-largest group, constituting about 18% of the
population. Tamils are predominantly Hindu and speak Tamil. About 50
million Tamils – far more than the whole population of Sri Lanka- live across
the Palk Strait in India. There are two distinct groups of Tamils. The origins of
so-called ‘Sri Lanka’ or ‘Ceylon’ Tamils go back to the southern Indians who
came to Sri Lanka around 1000 years ago. The other group is the ‘hill country’
or ‘plantation’ Tamils whose ancestors were brought to Sri Lanka from India by
the British to work on tea plantations in 19th century.
Muslims
Muslims comprise about 7% of the population. Most of them are ‚Sri Lanka
Moors’, whose presence goes back to Portuguese times and who are probably
the descendants of Arab or Indian Muslim traders and the rest are Malays –
who are of more eastern. Tamil is the mother tongue of most of them.
Others
The Burghers are Eurasians, primarily descendants of Portuguese and Dutch.
For a time, even after independence, the Burghers had a disproportionate
influence over the political and business life in Sri Lanka, but growing Sinhalese
and Tamil nationalism has reduced their advantage and many Burghers have
moved abroad.
There are also small Chinese and European communities and small,
downtrodden group of low caste South Indians brought in to perform the most
menial tasks.
Wannaiyala-aetto
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
The Wannaiyala-aetto (People of the Forest) are usually referred to in Sri Lanka
as Veddahs.
They are the original inhabitants of the country, and their story is one of great
tragedy. They
are by no means a homogenous group, sharing a common religion, language
and culture. And this is one of the reasons some people claim they actually
don’t exist. Some of them live deep in the forests in the south-east, and in recent
years it has campaigned hard and long for
recognition of its rights.
Sri Lanka - Religion
Religion plays an important part in the life and culture of Sri Lankans.
The Buddhist majority observe Poya Days (full moon days), once per month
according to the Lunar calendar. The Hindus and Muslims also observe their
own holidays. There are many Buddhist temples spread throughout the island
in addition to numerous mosques, Hindu temples and churches, especially in
areas where respective communities are concentrated.
Sri Lanka – Geography
Facts to know:
Sri Lanka is shaped like a teardrop falling from the southern tip of India. It is
just 353 km long from north to south and only 183 km at its widest. Its area of
66,000 sq km is about the same as that of Ireland or Tasmania in Australia.
It is worth traveling all around the country:
- visit coastal areas and beautiful beaches (Unawatuna in Galle, Trincomalee,
the best beaches are on the south-west and east coasts)
Sri Lanka religiosity
religion
percent
Buddhism 69%
Hinduism 15%
Islam 8%
Christianity 8%
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
- climb the highest mountain in the spectacularly beautiful hill country region –
Piduratalagala (2524 m) and Adam’s Peak (2224 m)
- travel by train through hilly up-country to Kandy (by observation wagon on
the back of the train as there is so much to observe on the way)
- follow the route of Marco Polo through the most catchy part of Sri Lankan
nature, trip with steam train to Badulla
Sri Lanka – Climate
- Typical tropical country, very hot, with high humidity that occurs that you are
Sweating all the time,
- There are dry and wet seasons, which are influenced by two monsoons
- From May to August – south-west monsoon brings rain to the southern and
Western coastal regions and the central hill country
- Dry season is from December till March
- From October till January – the north-east monsoon brings rain to the north
and east part of the island
- BUT the weather usually doesn’t stick to these seasons, it has changed so
nothing is sure – it often seems to be raining where it should be sunny and vice
versa
- Sri Lanka suffered from a serious drought, which led to power shortages that
influenced the industries, but at present things are back to normal with the
introduction of small scaled thermal power plants
- The average temperature in Colombo (capital) is about 28 degrees Celsius
- In the hilly up-country region is much cooler – about 20 degrees Celsius or in
Nuwara Eliya (16 degrees Celsius)
Sri Lanka – Ecology and Environment
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
There are many factors that contribute towards the destruction of the
environment in Sri Lanka to a certain extent – gem mining, deforestation,
cultivation, clearance for cultivation, sand mining, prawn farming, etc.
- Sinharaja (rain-forest) is a World Heritage Site (worth to visit)
- Sri Lanka has two marine sanctuaries: the Bar Reef and the Hikkaduwa + 24
wildlife sanctuaries
- There are laws against marine pollution, trade in endangered species or the
illegal felling of trees, but the destruction of forests continue due to a growing
population that demands more land to be cleared for settlement and cultivation
- There is no waste recycling. People usually throw everything down; you don’t
find many garbage bins here.
- In some areas you are not allowed to throw plastic or something else what can
pollute the nature (e.g. Knuckles, national parks)
- Air in Colombo is quite polluted because of a lot of cars, buses and dust (but
in some time you will get use to it ☺ )
Sri Lanka - Flora and Fauna
- Sri Lanka has a diverse plant and animal life – with elephants and leopards as
well as many national parks and reservations, which are the pride of this little
Island
- The south-western wet zone has a tropical rain-forest with lots of hardwood
trees, including
Ebony, teak and silk wood. Here you will find some of the most spectacular
orchids and many of the plants used in Ayurvedic (traditional) medicine.
- The central hill zone is cool and damp, with hardy grasslands, rhododendron
and stunted forests
- Dry zones are covered by trees with shrubs and dry grasslands that flourish
with green grass with the first rains.
- The animals of Sri Lanka are some of the most unusual and varied anywhere.
(86 species of
Mammals – elephants, leopards, deer, monkeys, sloth bears, Loris, porcupines,
jackals, flying
Foxes, wild boars, etc., 450 species of birds, 54 species of fish, 40 species of frogs,
83 species of
Snakes, 5 species of turtles, etc.)
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
- There are nearly 100 protected areas acknowledged by the government all
around the island due to more than 43 animal species that are endangered
Sri Lanka – Government and Politics
The Democratic Socialistic Republic of Sri Lanka:
- gained independence from Britain on 4th of February 1948
- First republican constitution in 1972
- Sri Lanka’s executive president is elected for 6 years and has the power to
Appoint or dismiss members of the cabinet, including the prime minister and to
dissolve parliament
- Members of the parliament are elected by the people for 6 years
- The country has 8 provinces: Central, North-Central, North–Eastern, North-
Western,
Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva and Western
- The legal system is a complex mix of English common law, Roman-Dutch,
Muslim, Sinhalese and customary law.
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka – Peace process
There had been a war between Sri Lankan government and the Liberation
Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) almost 20 years in the Northern and Eastern parts of Sri
Lanka.
These were generally ethnic and religious rather than class conflicts. The
conflicts in
Sri Lanka illustrated the operation of some of the most combustible factors in
ethnic
Relations: language, religion, long historical memories of tensions and conflict,
and a
Prolonged separatist agitation. (but some would argue that it’s all political )
The war was esp. on the north and east of the country that is quite destroyed
and not developed now.
From February 2002 there have been ‚peace talks‛ between government of Sri
Lanka and LTTE so situation is quite safe now. People can go to areas which
were closed to ‚normal‛ people before (Jaffna, Trincomalee,<), there are no
attacks, no curfews. For more information:
www.peaceinsrilanka.com.
Sri Lanka – Economy
Before independence the Sri Lankan economy centered on plantation crops (tea,
rubber, coconut) – a legacy of the colonial regime. While plantation crops
remain important, the
Economy today is considerably more diverse. The top earner is the
garment sector, whichaccounts more than 30% of manufacturing
employment and more than 45% of exports. SriLanka’s main export
crops are tea and rubber.
The main markets for Sri Lankan tea are Russia and the Middle East. Sri
Lanka’s fishing sector provides about 60% of the country’s needs. Fish
farming is centered on prawns, which is mainly done by the private
sector
.
Tourism, an important income earner, suffered a major setback
following several of LTTE attacks at important places in Colombo (1996
– Central Bank, 1998 – Temple of Tooth in Kandy, 2001 – airport, etc.)
Most tourists generally come from Europe (around 65%) and only about
3% from Australia.
Economic liberalization started in 1977 with the main thrust focusing on
reducing the size of the public sector and enhancing its efficiency. In
1995 government initiated a public sector reform program.
Privatization included most important companies like: Sri Lankan
telecom, National Development Bank, Sri Lankan Airlines, Colombo
Gas, etc. There was and still is a great expenditure on defense – more
than US$850 million annually.
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka – Colombo
Sri Lanka’s biggest city (two millions people) is the commercial capital of Sri
Lanka. It holds less of obvious interest than many other parts of the island – but
it’s a colorful place. Colombo is by no means overwhelming and its centre Fort
is Distinctly handy and very easy to get around on foot.
The Capital of Sri Lanka is Sri Jayewardene Pura Kotte, it was made the capital
of Sri Lanka by Sri Lanka’s first executive president late J.R.
Jayawardana.Before that Colombo was the capital under the British and in the
first four decades of Sri Lankan independence.
Colombo is broken into 15 postal code areas. Colombo’s main train station, Fort,
is for example in Pettah, where many buses start and it is known as Colombo
11. Then you get for example Bambalapitiya, which is Colombo 4 and so on. It is
very easy to orient in Colombo that way. For the intern is always useful to buy
the 73 page A-Z Street Guide and carry it in case you get lost. It includes also
suburbs of Colombo, where interns usually live.
Colombo is a normal happening place where all necessary facilities to live
comfortable are available: ATMs, banks, cinemas (English, Sinhalese), theatres,
night clubs, sport clubs, fitness centers, cricket grounds, temples, Christian
churches, Hindu temples, tourist information office, post offices, internet cafes,
bookshops, libraries, cultural centers, universities, laundry services, etc.
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka – Arts
Sri Lanka’s famous Kandyan dance (nowadays considered to be the national
dance of Sri Lanka) and kolam (masked dance-drama) have their origin in
South India, but have developed a uniquely local character. The devil dancing
is very typical for the low country and almost certainly predates Buddhism.
There are many interesting rituals and costumes connected to all of these
dances, but the best is to experience it than just talk or read about it.
Sri Lanka – Food
Rice and curry is the food of Sri Lanka, and the variety of vegetables, meat and
fish make every meal an adventure for the newcomer. With rice you might get
crisply fried popadam, surrounding the rice are spooned different curries and
sambols (hot spicy relishes made from coconut, chilli and onion). Fried rice is also
very popular (rice mixed with some vegetable and fried on the oil). The cooking
medium for most curries is coconut milk, made from grating the white coconut
flesh, mixing it with a little water and straining off the milk.
Traditional breakfast consists of hoppers (appa), which are prepared from a
batter of rice flour,
coconut and palm toddy. Variation of it can be egg hopper prepared the same
way but with a fried egg in the middle or string hoppers – made also from rice
flour. Very popular is ‘roti’ as well – round, flat unleavened bread with a dash
of coconut and chilli. It can be also with egg inside (egg roti). Other variation is
parathas.
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a place of a big variety of fruits and vegetables! All the possible and
impossible things you can get here!
Food in Sri Lanka is eaten by hands, esp. right hand, what you might find a
little bit weird but it is very easy to get use to it and all our interns enjoy it. The
only problem you can face is that srilankan food is spicy (they use a lot of
pepper, chilli so if you are not use to it, you don’t enjoy the food at the
beginning).
Sri Lanka – useful links
http://www.lonelyplanet.com
http://www.srilankatourism.org
http://www.lacnet.org
http://www.ilovecolombo.com
http://www.yahoo.com – countries - Sri Lanka
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
http://www.lanka.net
http://www.lankanews.com
http://www.infolanka.com
http://www.lankaweb.com
http://www.srilanka-travel.com
http://www.srilankan.lk ( National Carrier )Sri Lanka – useful information
Banks and Money
Sri Lanka has a decimal currency: 100 cents to the rupee. Foreign visitors should
bring US dollars, pounds or Japanese yen, as provincial banks may not accept
other currencies. Exchange rate of U.S.Dollar to Sri Lankan Rupee 1$ = Rs.100
Approx.
If visitors arriving in Sri Lanka have more than US$ 10,000 in foreign currency
they must declare it on a detachable slip affixed to the Disembarkation Card,
which has, in theory, to be surrendered to the Customs on departure. All
unspent rupees changed from foreign currencies declared on arrival can be
reconverted to hard currency upon departure. It is good to keep some of your
receipts, as well as exchange certificates, to make conversion easier.
Banks are closed at 4:30pm usually and are closed during weekends and public
holidays. Some banks are open half day ( 9:00am-1:00pm ) on Saturdays. Visa,
Master and Cirrus cards are accepted in most of the banks and you can
withdraw money easily from ATMs that are available in Colombo and bigger
cities (Kandy, Anuradhapura, Bandarawella, etc.) but are not available in
smaller towns and cities.
Other cards (e.g. Visa Electron) are accepted only in a certain banks so it is
better to have cards mentioned before.
Cost of living
Sri Lanka is generally more expensive than India, but nevertheless still
pleasantly economical. Generally, the salary of a intern is about 20,000 – 35,000
Rupees (220-320 $/month) – 6,500 is the price for an accommodation (average),
15,000 – 20,000 for food (it depends how hungry you are, where you eat, this is
average), 500 for laundry, 500 for traveling within Colombo and the rest can be
easily spend on traveling and entertainment. (Weekend trip would cost you
around 2000 Rupees, trip for more days 5000 - 7000 Rs).
Recommendation:
Take app. 400 $ for living for the first month, then another 150 $ for your
residence visa,
Another 200$ for advanced payment (Key Money) for your accommodation
(everybody has to pay it at the beginning, you will get the money back 1month
before leaving). If you plan to buy some clothes at the beginning then take some
extra money for that.
Public transport is totally inexpensive (6 Rupees for one kilometer by train or
bus). Distance buses and trains are also reasonable (A/C Bus Colombo – Kandy
– 220 Rs, Colombo – Anuradhapura – 150 Rs, buses without A/C are cheaper).
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Local food has reasonable prices too (lunch – rice and curry would be about 150
Rs, bread – 250, dinner in the standard restaurant – 300-800 Rs, bottle of coke – 5
Rs, etc.). You can buy some European food in big supermarkets, for 1 week
average expenses will be 3000-7000 Rs..
What is expensive for foreigners are entrance fees to all tourist places (With
residence visa you can pay sometimes as a local, otherwise 2x-3x more then
locals – Sigiriya – 750 Rs, Yala national park – 1500 Rs, etc.).
Clothes are very cheap in Sri Lanka, e. g. clothes in House of Fashion (one of the
most popular places to buy clothes) are usually around 400 – 800 Rs, and of
course more expensive one are also available.
Entertainment – cinema 150 Rs, entrance fee to clubs – for men 500 Rs, ladies
free, beer in a pub – 120 Rs, bowling – 180 Rs per game per person, pool – 300-
400 Rs per hour. You won’t save money in Sri Lanka, sometimes you have to
spend your money, but the experience is so big that you won’t regret the
money.
Tipping
Tipping is optional. If you tip, about ten percent of the bill is a fair tip.
Electricity
The electric current in Sri Lanka is 230 – 240V, 50Hz. If you bring sensitive
electronic equipment to the country (eg a laptop) take a voltage stabilizer. Most
sockets here have three round pins, but an ever increasing number is starting to
have square pins as well. Adapters are available in electrical stores for about 2$,
but if you want to be better prepared, bring an adapter with you.
Toilets
Most of the time you will encounter sit-down toilets, squat toilets are used
usually out of Colombo. Toilet paper is available in supermarkets and general
stores (Rs. 35) and local people don’t use it at all (they use water and left hand).
Holidays
Sri Lanka has a five-day week, sometimes six-day week (they work a half day
on Saturdays). Beside weekends, every full moon or poya day is a holiday (once
a month). All places of entertainment (including cinemas) and bars are closed
on poya days. If you want to drink, you have to make all the necessary
arrangements day before. Some more holidays are during the year. Sri Lanka
has the most holidays of any country in the world (23 in all).
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Health
Sri Lanka is not a dangerous or unhealthy place but still it is recommended to
consult with the doctor what kind of medications and vaccinations to get before
coming to Sri Lanka. It is recommended to get vaccination against hepatitis,
typhus and it is good to take anti-malaria tablets with you to Sri Lanka as well.
Some interns get the vaccination here if they don’t have enough time before
coming or because it is cheaper for them. Also anti-malaria tablets are available
here and they are cheaper. Do not start taking anti-malaria pills if you are
coming for the longer period as body can develop immunity against them. Keep
them and take them only before visiting rainforests or jungles in Sri Lanka.
If you do not have a stomach resistant to South Asian bugs, be prepared to have
a stomach upset at some point during your visit. You should be consuming
only boiled or filtered water, never directly from the tap. Papaya, curd and rice
are particularly soothing upset stomachs at the beginning.
Sometimes you can get stomach problem or diarrhoria that disappear next day.
If you have any specific allergy, bring medicines with you; otherwise all basic
medicines are available in Sri Lanka. You should definitely bring multi vitamins
with you and take one every morning during your stay until you get used to the
local food (srilankan don’t eat a lot of fruits and vegetables that is why you
need to take the
pills for balance).
Very important is to be aware of mosquitoes. They can cause malaria but worst
then malaria is
‚dengue‛ – it is faster then malaria and there is no medicine against dengue.
There are 3 basic types of dengue so it depends what kind you get; sometimes
people die. So it is good to use mosquito net (you can buy it very cheap here –
450 Rs) or some repellent or mosquito coils.
Medical services
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Government hospitals throughout the island provide free medical attention.
The best services are probably in Colombo, but do not expect Western high-tech
medical facilities. There is no shortage of chemist shops in Sri Lanka. There are
also private hospitals where you have to pay. The service is of course much
better then in government hospital.
Post and telephones
Private post offices have sprung all over Colombo and they
are the quickest and easiest places to make international calls
or even buy stamps. Telephone services are also quite
developed and anywhere in Sri Lanka you find many
telecommunications centers, from which you can make local
or international calls easily. Local phone calls are cheap.
There are also many phone booths scattered around the city
of Colombo and the other major cities.
Mobile phones
There are four mobile telephone services operating in Sri Lanka. They are
Celltel, Mobitel, Hutchinson and Dialog GSM. They all cover Colombo and the
suburbs, as well as the other major cities in the Island. There is also coverage of
the other (non urban) parts of the Island, in varying degrees. They offer varying
tariff and service packages, and it is best to study all before picking on one.
Television & Radio
Sri Lanka has two state owned TV channels RUPAVAHINI and the
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NETWORK (ITN). In addition to these, there are
several private channels, some of which are MTV, SIRASA TV, TNL, ETV and
SWARNAVAHINI. Most of the programmes in ETV and MTV are in English,
but other channels offer a variety of good English programmes too (e.g.
DynaVision).
In addition to the state run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), several
new private radio stations are on the air on FM bands. Some of them are in
English and they play rock, alternate, pop, hip-hop.
Newspapers
English Dailies – The Daily News, The Island and Daily mirror On Sundays –
Sunday Observer, Sunday Island, the Sunday Times, the Sunday Leader,
Weekend Express Wednesday - Midweek Mirror.
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Transport
In Sri Lanka, the vehicles go on the left side of the road - NOT the right. This is
the opposite of how vehicles go in continental Europe. So make sure that you
don't look in the wrong direction while crossing the road!
In addition, Sri Lankan drivers are not noted for obeying the road rules. So be
very careful when crossing the road. Don't assume that drivers will stop when
you're on a pedestrian crossing.
Buses – The government’s central transport board has an island-wide network
of buses and many local services. There are also numerous private minibuses,
which drive quite fast and whose conductors try to cram in as many passengers
as possible. The merit of both types of buses is that they are extremely cheap.
Buses for short distances are usually not air-conditioned.
Taxis –There are radio-controlled taxi services operating in Colombo and
suburbs. They are Kangaroo – Quick Cabs, GNTC Cabs and Metro Radio Cabs.
They have meters count and are recommended when you are not sure about
rates and distance.
Three-wheeler’s / Trishaw’s / Tuk-Tuk’s
- Indian-made auto rickshaws are the
next step up the price ladder. But be
warned – they do not have meters count!
- so prior agreement on fare is strongly
recommended. Make sure you have a
rough idea of the rates and strike a deal
before you set off.
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Rail – There are rail lines to most of the country’s main tourist destinations, and
Inter-City services to Kandy. There is also intra-city transport within Colombo.
Travelling by train is usually longer then by bus but sometimes you can see
very nice scenery.
A word of caution while traveling by public transport in Colombo
Pickpockets are active on public transport. Never get on a bus or train with
your shoulder bag unzipped – in fact, don’t even walk down the road with it in
that state. If you are carrying any valuables such as passport (interns have to
carry it all the time), you are urged to keep it in a money belt or a pouch under
your clothes (in other words, out of sight and out of reach).
Women may find going by buses not so comfortable sometimes. Fellow
passengers sometimes can’t keep their hands to themselves. As ordinary buses
are so crowded it is virtually impossible to avoid bodily contact with other
passengers, but if someone is making a concerted effort to invade your space,
such as it is, you have few options: if you are carrying a shoulder bag, put it in
between you and the other person, stick out your elbows so they are at least the
first point of contact between you and your unwelcome neighbors, move to
another part of the bus if you can. If things are unbearable, get off and catch
another bus.
If you are touched or robbed, shout loudly, try to grab the perpetrator’s arm
and draw attention to them, humiliation seems to be most effective. Or you
could say: ‘Epaa!’ (‘Don’t!’), or shout an
appropriately stern phrase in English.
Nightlife and entertainment
The best nightlife is definitely
in Colombo as in other cities it
is still not socially acceptable. If
you like dancing and clubbing
you can spend the night at one
of the three main discos in
town. All three are in big hotels
and the best one is Blue
Elephant at the Hilton (also the
most expensive one).
There is always an entrance fee for men: women can go in for free. It has an
intimate atmosphere but it is usually very crowded. Dress rule is very strict:
smart casual, proper shoes and no jeans. Drinks in nightclubs are rather
expensive to local conditions. There are several places where live music is
playing – rocks fans would find it very interesting.
From other entertainment opportunities very famous are: Dancing at Bistro
Latino, playing pool, bowling in Millennium Park, cinemas or just spending
your time in the pub on the beach.
Buses during the night time are rare in Colombo so you might have to have to
hire a cab or to have your own car to go home.
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
There are no real bars or pubs in Sri Lanka. Drinking is still a very big problem
in Sri Lanka although Srilankan should not drink. On full moon (poya days) it
is very difficult to get a drink anywhere.
Drinking is also very expensive ‘hobby’ in Sri Lanka. The most favorite drinks
in Sri Lanka are Beer and Arrack (local alcohol made out of coconut).
Sports
Many hotels in Colombo have swimming pools, some of which are open to non-
residents for a fee. ‘Power World’ fitness center is widely used by interns in Sri
Lanka as it is not as expensive as fitness facilities in hotels but provide you with
the standard of Western fitness studios. Jogging, running and cycling is not that
common in Asia Pacific because of the climate, but you can swim in the ocean,
play beach volleyball, play badminton which is very popular and of course
cricket and rugby.
Dressing style
Daily dress: People wear the same clothes as in Europe – shirts, T-shirts,
blouses, trousers, skirts
(preferably long ones), 3/4 trousers, rarely shorts (mostly for trips or to the
gym). Colour – usually dark such as black, gray, blue, although they like light
colours.
Office dress: mostly (smart) casual wear - Shirt with short sleeves (sometimes
with long sleeves), sometimes tie and trousers for men; blouse (suitable T-shirt
is possible) and skirt or trousers for women. In governmental institutions
women wear national clothes (Saree). You can consult a colleague at work to
ensure that you wear appropriately for work.
National dress: saree for women and sarong for men.
You as a foreigner can wear what you want but you can be sure if white girl has
short skirt and low neckline
that she attracts attention a lot.
Swimming suit: women use
next to swimming suit some
clothes wrapped around the
body or t-shirt with shorts,
men sometimes t-shirt and
shorts or only swimming suit.
As a foreigner again you can
wear what you want but if girls
have bikini all the men will be
soon close to them.
Insects
Just small warning that some insect is always everywhere so don’t be scared if
you see it, they are not dangerous, e. g. ‚home insects‛ - ants (you have to hide
your food very properly), small lizards, cockroaches of size 5 cm, spiders,
mice<
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka – useful DOs and DON’Ts
Temple Etiquette – When visiting a Buddhist temple you have to remove your
shoes and hat and, if carrying umbrella, furl it. Your legs and shoulders should
be covered, never enter a temple in beach wear. You should never take a photo
of a monk without asking permission.
Photos should not be taken with your back to statues of Buddha.
In the more visited temples you will likely be asked to make donations. The
traditional practice is that you make a donation only if you wish. If you would
like to give something, never hand money directly to a monk, give it to a
responsible layperson.
In Hindu temples you have to follow same rules as in Buddhist temples.
Visiting homes – If you are invited to someone’s home, it’s customary to bring a
small gift. Do not bring flowers as they are not considered to be special. A
packet of tea or quality sweetmeats are ok.
Don’t be offended if the gift vanishes without comment; it’s considered to be
rude to inspect gift in front of its giver. You’ll be expected to dress decently and
remove your shoes before entering.
Right hand rule – Always give and receive and eat with your right hand. The
left hand is used for an associated with unclean functions and it is bad to use it
for eating (it is not so strict in Sri Lanka, sometimes you will see people using
also left hand for eating but mostly they eat with right hand).
Bathing – Nudity is absolutely not allowed anywhere. This include beach as
well. You will notice people bathing in streams and tanks all over the country.
But you will also notice that they do so covered with thin cloths and they
manage to soap and rinse themselves without removing the cloth.
Wedding, funeral, home coming – you can be invited from your colleagues or
some friends. These ceremonies are different then in Europe so be sure before
going there that you know what you are supposed to do.
Smoking – is forbidden in publics places!
Checklist for a intern or what you should definitely not leave at home:
(prepared based on discussions with interns)
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
.
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
AIESEC in Sri Lanka
AIESEC in Sri Lanka was established in 1995 and grown fast during the past
few years. We are a young AIESEC country which has made quick progress in a
short time. We have realized many management and development internships
during this time and takes pleasure in providing an unique experience to the
incoming interns.
We have 2 local committees (LCs ) and 2 Expansions.
Colombo North Local Committee (cn.lk@aiesec.net )
This is represented at two universities: Kelanyia University (1hour North of
AIESEC office) LC
has approximately 15-20 active members. The members are from the faculties of
Humanities,
Science and Management.
Colombo South Local Committee (cs.lk@aiesec.net)
This is the University of Moratuwa (1hour South of AIESEC office) and has a
membership of 25-
30 active members. The university is a technical university and thus all the
members are
engineering undergraduates.
Ja’pura Expansion (jp.lk@aiesec.net )
This is a recent development, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (known as
Ja’pura for ease and 15min South of AIESEC office)
To realize its true potential. Membership of 10-20 active members from Science
and Management faculties.
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Colombo Extension
This is a recent development as well , which is based on the University of
Colombo and this is known as CX (and 10 minutes North of AIESEC office)
There is around 10-20 active members and most of them are from management
Faculty and Science faculty.
Member committee (MC) ( srilanka@aiesec.net )
The national executive body of AIESEC in Sri Lanka consists of 6 members with
three positions fulltime and another three part-time. The positions are
President, Director – Exchange, Director – People Development, Director –
Corporate Relations, Director – Finance, Director – Community Development.
History of exchange program in Sri Lanka is very much connected, as
mentioned above, with DT program (development internships in nonprofit
organizations) as that’s the area where
AIESEC contact details
AIESEC in Sri Lanka
20/1 A,
Pamankada Road,
Colombo 6,
Sri lanka
E-mail: srilanka@aiesec.net
Tel: +94 -11- 2366947
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Exchange information for the intern
Reception Teams
Every intern coming to the country is assigned a ‚Servicing Team‛ ( a team of
four AIESECers from different backgrounds, with the company responsible being an
automatic member )
Which is
responsible for taking care of the intern: preparation and
communication before arrival,
Discussing intern’s expectations, creating a learning plan for the intern,
responsible for day-to-day communication with intern and company,
measurement and evaluation of the internship, coordinating reception
activities for the intern, home stay, etc.
If any problem occurs a ‚Servicing Team‛ member should be the first person
contacted and asked for help.
VISA
You will receive information on VISA separately ( inquire if not already
provided with )
Arrival and Airport Pickup
Make sure to communicate the arrival details (full name, date of arrival, time of
arrival, flight Numbers, photo, etc.) in advance to the members of the reception
team.
The reception team from AIESEC will pick you up at the air port upon arrival.
Reception and integration activities
Reception and integration activities that interns are involved in can be divided
into 4 categories: (here are examples of some activities from past interns history)
Cultural integration activities – cultural presentations done by the
interns for AIESEC members and companies.
AIESEC involvement activities – welcome package, running training
sessions for AIESEC members and companies, participation on LC
meetings,
Professional and personal development activities – participation on
training sessions that are being run for companies (as a delegate or
trainer), presentations at universities (in professional area), help with
raising funds for AIESEC, many opportunities can be found based on
intern’s interests and requirements
Community involvement activities – very important part of
involvement interns into day-to-day life of Sri Lanka and one of the
greatest expectations from us to you, there are many opportunities for
interns to be involved in society involvement and community
development projects.
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Intern’s minimum responsibilities
Communicate with the Reception Team and the company before arrival
- Take all the documents necessary for arranging visa + photos (3 for visa)
- Send arrival note
- Have all the vaccinations required for Sri Lanka (hepatitis A, B, typhus,
bring malaria pills)
- Have a complete insurance for the whole stay in the country
- Have enough money for the first month in the country (visa, rent, living
expenses, Advanced payment for accommodation – together about 450$)
- Be subscribed to community SRI LANKA in www.aiesec.net (for more
information ask members of your Reception Team) – it is source of a lot of
information
- Submit expectation form
- Provide evaluation forms during your stay
- Perform the job properly according to the initial requirements
- Pay monthly accommodation rent to AIESEC if you live in AIESEC house or to
landlord if you live
in intern house.
- Participate on reception activities organized by AIESEC
- Present your country on welcome party/at the university/at the recruitment
sessions/in the company
- Cook at least once national food for AIESEC members and company
representatives
- Do ongoing evaluation of the internship with the company
- Participate on Community and other involvement activities
- Maintain a diary (reception plan) for AIESEC measurement purposes
- Submit final evaluation report to AIESEC and to the company
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
Experience of our interns
Positive “agents of change” of Sri Lanka – more experience from interns
- no matter where in the world you go for your internship, you will go through
a life changing learning experience, which will add great value to you
- Try to get from the culture as much as possible – you can achieve that if you
are open to, new things, to changes, to new experiences, if you talk to local
people, if you spend ,some time with them, if you do the same what locals do,
etc.
- don’t expect that Sri Lanka or Asia is the same as Europe that you can find
here everything you are use to having at home
- Don’t be disappointed if all your expectations are not filled, esp. job
expectations , sometimes you can do something else then it was in your job
description
- working style in Sri Lanka is different, everything takes long time, Srilankans
are usually, not punctual, they have their own ways how to do some work so
don’t think of them that they are stupid
- try to understand the people ,you will see that there are many things that you
will like but also many things that you will hate<.but it is the culture so respect
everything
- Sometimes happens that AIESECers have exams and nothing much is
happening. So don’t criticize them, be proactive and do something to overcome
this period
- People here are very friendly, always smiling; they have very close contact
with each other, for them their family means a lot, they are always very helpful
- Some people cannot speak English but usually you won’t have problem to
find someone who speaks English, at the beginning you might not understand
Srilankan English because of the different accent
- Sri Lanka is very beautiful country with beaches, mountains, waterfalls,
elephants; you can experience hot and cold, sun and rain
- Most of Sri Lankan cannot swim, they don’t like fruits much, some of them eat
rice three times per day
- Sri Lankan like gossips, everybody usually knows everything, they don’t
speak directly,
if there is something regarding you, usually people around you know
everything but not you.
- I definitely got more than a lot. My stay here over-exceeded all my
expectations by far
and I feel like receiving a double pack for the price of one.
“AAUBOWAN “Sri Lanka Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka
VERY USEFUL PHRASES IN SRI LANKA:
CHANGES EVERY DAY
EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE
WE WILL SEE
THANK YOU AND SEE YOU SOON IN SRI LANKA!!!
[This reception booklet is developed by Tager Natalia who is currently the
National Support team member for non- cooperates for AIESEC Sri Lanka and
She is a Management Trainee in Weblook International. We thought that the
reception booklet will be more completed if it is written by someone who is not
from Sri Lanka and so here it goes.
Contact Details :
Tager Natalie | NST ICX Project 2010-2011 |
Skype - nati_ivy
E mail - nata.tager@gmail.com