AIESEC Sri Lanka Reception | Booklet

“AYUBOWAN “Sri Lanka - Reception booklet of AIESEC in Sri Lanka

AIESEC

SRI LANKA The Reception Booklet


INDEX

- 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 an 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


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 read this booklet carefully.

If you still have some questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

We are looking forward to seeing you 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


Do you know about 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 Lankan’ 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 descent. 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, groups of low

caste South Indians coming in to perform the most menial tasks.


Wannaiyala-aetto

The ‚Wannaiyala-aetto‛ (People of the Forest) is 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 have 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%


- 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 catchiest part of Sri Lankan nature, trip

with steam train to Badulla

Sri Lanka – Climate

Typical tropical country, hot with high humidity. You may sweat most of the

time.

There are dry and wet seasons, which are influenced by two monsoons

o From May to August; South-West monsoon brings rain to the

Southern and Western coastal regions and the Central hill country

o From October to January; the north-east monsoon brings rain to the

north and east part of the island

o General dry season is from December to March

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 scale 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

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 used 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.)

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.


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, which accounts more than 30% of manufacturing employment and

more than 45% of exports. Sri Lanka’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 45%), out of which

around 18% is from UK. Asia accounts to around 40% out of which India

accounts for 18%.

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. With the

end of the civil war against the LTTE more & more funds are driven into

nationwide infrastructure development.


Sri Lanka – Colombo

Sri Lanka’s biggest city (2 million 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 center Fort is

distinctly handy and very easy to get around on foot.

The Capital of Sri Lanka is Sri Jayewardenepura 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.

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 (‘aappa’), 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

‘paraatas’.

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 used to and all our interns enjoy it. The only problem

you can face is that Sri Lankan 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

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, Euros or Japanese yen, as provincial banks may not accept

other currencies. Exchange rate of U.S. Dollar to Sri Lankan Rupee 1$ = Rs.110

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 3:30pm 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 an intern is about 20,000 – 35,000 Rupees (220-

320 $/month) – 10,000 Rupees 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 approx. 400 $ for living for the first month, then another 200 $ 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 (10 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). Local food has

reasonable prices too (lunch – rice and curry would be about 150 Rs, bread – 100,

dinner in the standard restaurant – 300-800 Rs, bottle of coke – 50 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 than locals –

Sigiriya – 2800 Rs, Yala national park – 2000 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 800 – 1000 Rs, and of course

more expensive one are also available.

Entertainment – cinema 350 Rs, entrance fee to clubs – for men 1000 Rs, ladies free,

beer in a pub – 150 Rs, bowling – 300 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 (e.g. 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.

100) 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).


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 diarrhea that disappears 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 (Sri Lankans 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 than 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

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 than in

government hospitals.

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 five mobile telephone services operating in Sri Lanka. They are Dialog

GSM , Mobitel, Etisalat, Hutchinson, and Airtel. 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 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 programs in ETV and MTV are in English, but other channels offer a

variety of good English programs too (e.g. ArtTV). 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 etc.

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.

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!


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, Nano 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. But nowadays there

are Metered taxies where they charge for

the distance you travel. First kilometer is 50Rs and then 30Rs per kilometer. Waiting

charges is 100Rs per hour. Recommended always use metered taxies

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 than 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 main discos in town.

Most 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.

There are no real bars or pubs in Sri Lanka. Drinking is still a very big problem in Sri

Lanka although Sri Lankan 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, and 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). Color – usually dark such as black, gray, blue, although they like light

colors.

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: ‘Osariya’(kind of same as 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 a small warning that some insect are 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…

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 than 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 an intern or what you should definitely not leave at home: (prepared

based on discussions with interns)

.



AIESEC in Sri Lanka

AIESEC in Sri Lanka was established in 1995 and has 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 a unique experience to the incoming interns.

We have 4 local committees (LCs) and 2 Expansions.

Colombo North Local Committee

This is represented at two universities: Kelanyia University (1hour North of AIESEC

office) LC has approximately 20-30 active members. The members are from the

faculties of Humanities, Science and Management.

Colombo South Local Committee

This is the University of Moratuwa (1hour South of AIESEC office) and has a

membership of 30-40 active members. The university is a technical university and

thus all the members are engineering undergraduates.

Ja’pura Local Committee

This is a recent development, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (known as Ja’pura

for ease and 15 min South of AIESEC offices) to realize its true potential.

Membership of 30-40 active members from Science and Management faculties.

Colombo Central Local committee

This is a recent development as well, which is based on the University of Colombo

and this is known as CC LC (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)

[email protected] MCVP Corporate Exchange

[email protected] MCVP Non Corporate Exchange

The national executive body of AIESEC in Sri Lanka consists of 8 members with two

positions fulltime and another five part-time. The positions are

President,

Vice President Corporate Exchange,

Vice President Non Corporate Exchange,

Vice President Finance,

Vice President Talent Management,

Vice President External Relations,

Vice President Out Going Exchange,

Vice President Information systems and Communications.

AIESEC Contact details

AIESEC in Sri Lanka

24/12 F,

Sri Siddhartha path,

Colombo 5,

Sri Lanka.

Tel: +94 -11- 2514715

[email protected]


Exchange information for the intern

Reception Teams

Every intern coming to the country is assigned a buddy

Who.

Discusses 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 buddy 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 buddy or the TN manager.

The buddy from AIESEC will pick you up at the airport upon arrival at almost all

the time unless there is an exceptional case. In case of no one is there to pick you up

from the airport, you will have to hire a cab and come to AIESEC office, the address

is mentioned above.

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.


Intern’s minimum responsibilities

Communicate with the buddy 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.myaiesec.net (for more

information ask your buddy) – it is a source of a lots 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

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


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 used 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, Sri Lankans 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 Lankans cannot swim, they don’t like fruits much, and 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‛


VERY USEFUL PHRASES IN SRI LANKA:

CHANGES EVERY DAY

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE

WE WILL SEE

THANK YOU AND SEE YOU SOON IN SRI LANKA!!!

Documents

AIESEC Sri Lanka Reception | Booklet