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Sri
Lanka Journal:
Entry Number 2
Rotary Dinner
This
afternoon Rifky and I met with Rienzi Martinez who is the Rotary
volunteer in charge of counseling for tsunami survivors. He has already
contracted one program to do a pilot project in three locations. But,
he wishes to set up my visiting three other sites in light of seeing
what sort of support we can provide there in a different type of
program focusing on long term counseling for survivors who have lost
relatives. The meeting was very positive. Rifky is very well informed
and Rotary is taking a role in the rebuilding of schools and other
projects. He also hopes that we might be able to give some guidance
regarding the training of teachers in the schools. He suggested that
Rifky and I visit three locations this week which we will do.
After the meeting with Rifky, we went to the "Prawnerie Restaurant".
Needless to say, the menu was filled with items made from prawns
ranging from the ever popular "Prawn burger" to the comprehensive
"Prawn Galaxy" platter. I was concerned since the tsunami seems to have
contaminated the fishing industry here but Rifky told me that fish from
the lagoon is alright.
After the huge lunch we had with the governor, I was hoping that this
meal would not be too extensive. However, it was a banquet of Rotary
members and there were about 24 people there. The event was the
celebration of the birthday of one of the more prominent members of the
Rotary chapter. There were about six courses of salads, soups, prawns
and more prawns, chocolates, birthday cake and coffee. I managed to eat
enough to be polite but even that was more than I was used to. The
dinner ended at 11:30. Since this place was down the street from
Rifky’s house, we parked his van there and walked back. Before he drove
me back to the Hilton, I took a picture of the sign at Rifky's former
business "Philadelphia Technoland" adjacent to his house. He is
converting that building into apartments having exhausted the
possibilities in the computer business.
Tomorrow we head out for our visit to affected areas and will be
staying overnight en route.
Charles
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