A lot of things has happened since the last entry. Basically a trip to Sri Lanka, a trip to Sweden for Christmas and another trip to Sri Lanka. Lucia was in Colombo at the time of the tsunami, although she had considered going to the beach before it happened. Luckily she didn't, but some of her friends did and literally had to run away from it. Afterwards, she went with the UN as a volunteer. During and after Christmas, my relatives, friends, collegues and neighbors back home donated 1000 Euro as well as three full bags of medicines and other medical supplies that I took to Sri Lanka first week of january. To make a long story shorter, we located a refugee camp in Panadura. The director told us they had received basic aids except shoes for the school children. So we bought 199 pairs of shoes for 900 Euro and the last day I was there AIESEC had organized a day long event for the kids in the camp with ball games, singing and shoe delivery. I think they were happy. The remaning money went to a fund for supporting the women at the camp to help them get started with small businesses, like bakeries etc. Lucia is organizing this too. The medicines were given to the Slovakian rescue team who took it to a hospital in Galle. We also went traveling round the country and saw many places, both destroyed by the tsunami but also unaffected places (the tsunami only destroyed part of the coast of course). It is important that the tourists come back as soon as possible since the country is relying on this income. 50% of the beach hotels were partly or totally destroyed but many of them are already back in business. We visited the hotel (the excellent Ypsilon hotel in Beruwela) which had been half destroyed. We were told that they would already open again on february 1! Here in Switzerland, I have just started my new contract that will last until summer. Our wedding will be on August 27 (new date), but will probably get legally married already in april to speed up and simply the visa/residence permit application.
