Those Smiles, Though…

There are many reasons we decided to stay where we are, at Surfpoint Sri Lanka, in spite of the fact that it is a tiny bit more expensive than other places. It is right on the ocean (which here is one of the only places: the rest are on lagoons), close to kiting, the food is delicious and quite cheap, and the rooms are clean, pleasant, and have AC.

The biggest factor for me in the decision to stay here, though, is the bunch of guys that run the place.

It’s owned by a Hungarian guy named Peter, but he hasn’t arrived for the season yet, so have not met him. It’s the local guys: They are all in their mid to late twenties, exceedingly friendly and helpful, but, above all else for me, they are so welcoming. We sit every day and talk about local culture, they ask us about our culture, and they never fail to include us in family and community happenings in the town. We have been invited to, and attended, wedding anniversary parties, parties celebrating their families and church (this one we drank a giant cooler full of fruit punch made with local fruits and arrack liquor: not like any church parties I remember), and multiple occasions of sitting around in someone’s yard listening to too-loud, poorly sung karaoke.

There is always music and dancing.

And smiles.

The Sri Lankans are lovely people. You don’t ride by many people on the motorbike that you don’t see a brilliant smile, a wave, and that most endearing of greetings: the head-wobble. There is no other greeting in the world that says “hello, I mean you no harm, and I am happy to see you here” more than this simple combination of gestures.