Wendy W∂⃝nders

To comfort Bill and I during desperate times when we were "shivering in the dark" (Jim Dines) my friend, Jen Sheeley sent me a link to Ted Talks. Ted Talks is an internet program featuring lectures on a variety of intellectual, scientific and social action issues. We have been grateful for Ted Talks to fill our lonely evening hours. His link is: www.ted.com

 

Ted inspired my blog. If Ted can, so can Wendy. Fortunately for Ted, he was gifted to have several fitting verbs to match his name and affording him a catchy title to his program. He had a raft of choice: Ted Talks, Ted's Takes, Ted's Table, Ted's Tabs, Ted Ticks Ted's Tips, for example. The list of catchy verbs goes on and on for Ted.

 

Now, for me, as I explored a title, I realized I had fewer options than Ted. Consider if you will: Wendy Whines: I already did sufficient whining during the rainy season. How about Wendy Whinnies? This might be appropriate and in keeping with the Morgan Horse theme, but I tire of big teeth and complaints. Wendy Weaves; well yes I weave about in my blog but somehow, this doesn't seem to fit the bill. Wendy Wanders? Yes this works, as I do wander about but it seems a bit aimless. Wendy wonders? Yes, I do wonder about many things here, so this held suitability for a title as well. I will use them both in my title: wander and wonder.

 

So, in the phonetic version of Sinhala, there are co-joined vowels. For instance in Sinhala, the "a" and the "e" are joined. Together, they sound like "eh"? In English. So, for my title, I am joining the "a" in wander with the "o" in wonder and so.... Wendy W∂⃝nders

 

Wendy W∂⃝nders

• I am grateful for pollution control in our country as here, I suck pitch black exhaust into my lungs from ancient buses spewing out black clouds and from blue exhaust spit from two stroke engine trishaws.
  
• Dodging cows, horses and millions of dogs on the road as I scooter to work
  
• Rice and curry for breakfast, lunch and dinner
  
• Beautiful trees decorated with plastic bags blowing from every branch
  
• People earning Rs. 250 per day ($2.50)
  
• A culture based on colour and religion and race
  
• Stores that sell everything and nothing ( pens to clothing and one of each in between)
  
• Severe "Plitter" (litter + plastic) primarily on the beach where people swim
  
• Virgins until marriage, men and women
  
• Perfectly harrowed rows of crop – harrowed by hand
  
• About our society that regulates all fun: hanging out of trains, riding in the back of a pickup, for example
  
• Mothers who teach and encourage their children to beg on the street and the stark necessity that drives this behaviour
  
• Staring at people as they pass is an acceptable cultural norm
  
• Soldiers on every corner
  
• Swimming in the ocean fully clothed for women (Saaris). For men - jockey type underwear
  
• Muslim men have a jauntiness about them
  
• Muslim women, despite the headscarves and black robes, don't appear subservient. They have power about them.
  
• At least three times a day, mosques broadcast chanting, by loudspeaker, into the atmosphere for all to hear.
  
• Birdsong in Kandy is deafening
  
• Gypsies with palm reading and monkey acts really do exist
  
• 150% tax on vehicles - Toyota (Corolla type) costs 41,000 US
  
• Napkins in restaurants are cut up newsprint
  
• Vendors sell peanuts and other snacks (Wae Dee) in little envelopes made of handmade glued newsprint
  
• Squat toilets and how to keep your feet and ankles dry while squatting
  
• No toilet paper in public washrooms
  
• More potholes than pavement
  
• Poor dentician resulting in gappy, bucky, toothy, gummy grins – yet paradoxically so lovely, charming, becoming and unique. Have we porcelained and whitened out teeth at the expense of variety, individuality and uniqueness?
  
• Hospitals where the overcrowding is so great, patients share beds
  
• Hospitals where the overcrowding is so great, people sleep on the floor
  
• Hospitals where the blankets are colourful and warm
  
• Hospitals where the patients are largely Tamil and the clinical staff almost exclusively Sinhala
  
• Hospitals where suicidal patients are recovering from poison ingestion in almost every ward
  
• People hit by cars are loaded into someone's vehicle and taken to the hospital
  
• Dogs with limps are everywhere
  
• Dogs with saggy breasts are everywhere
  
• Dogs with fleas are everywhere
  
• Preparing lecture handouts for clinical staff and gluing them into a scribbler
  

  
   

  The W∂⃝ndering continues, but enough for now.
  

  
   

  Just one last note. Bill is proudly breaking down gender barriers here in Sri Lanka. Our backyard is like a fish bowl as neighbouring homes sit on higher ground, thus affording the neighbours a bird's eye view into our back yard. In that regard, on some mornings, they will see the "Doctor" lady sitting in the sun enjoying her breakfast coffee, while the "master" of the house hangs laundry on the line. Bill takes great delight in showing Sri Lankan men "the way" of the future for them. Hmm, I w∂⃝der if that will ever happen?