Kindness, Smiles & Coconut Water – Jilua’s Sri Lanka Story 🇱🇰✨
Kindness, Smiles & Coconut Water – Jilua’s Sri Lanka Story 🇱🇰✨
A young traveler from Germany discovers the beauty of Sri Lanka through
its people, nature, and everyday life
Julias
Arrival
My name is Jilua, and I came to Sri Lanka from Germany with a
backpack and an open heart. I wanted to see elephants, eat rice and curry, and
maybe climb a mountain. But what I found was much bigger — kindness,
connection, and coconut water!
🕌 The Places That
Made Me Wonder
My journey began in the busy streets of Colombo, full of colorful
tuk-tuks and food stalls. But the real adventure began as I moved deeper into
the island.
- I stood in front of the giant
stone lion paws of Sigiriya and climbed to the top of the rock
fortress — huffing and puffing, but smiling all the way.
- I visited the sacred city of Anuradhapura,
where people lit lamps and prayed under the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree,
one of the oldest trees in the world.
- In Kandy, I walked around
the calm lake and visited the Temple of the Tooth, where a golden
box holds one of Lord Buddha’s sacred teeth!
- Then I rode the famous train
through the hill country, waving to children along the tracks and
watching tea gardens roll past like green waves.
- In Ella, I crossed the Nine
Arch Bridge, ate fresh fruit at the edge of a waterfall, and even
hiked to Little Adam’s Peak — barefoot!
- I saw real wild elephants
in Udawalawe National Park, quietly walking through golden grass.
- In Galle Fort, I ran along
the ancient walls and watched the sun melt into the ocean.
- And on the final weekend, I
danced in the waves on the sandy beaches of Unawatuna, laughing
with new friends as the sky turned orange.
🏡 The Village That
Stole My Heart – My Days at Ami’s Home
But my favorite place of all? A peaceful little village close to both Colombo
and the airport, hidden away from the tourist trail — where my dear friend Ami
lives.
Her home stood among tall coconut palms, banana trees, and singing
birds, surrounded by rows of vegetables and fruit trees bursting with papaya,
mango, jackfruit, guava, and more. Spices grew everywhere — cinnamon,
black pepper, cloves, and curry leaves. The soft breeze carried
their scent through the garden, and everywhere I looked, something was growing.
It felt like the earth itself was smiling. 🌿🍍🫚
🌅 Days Full of
Meaning
The very first day, I came straight from the airport to Ami’s home at
night. The moment I stepped inside, I felt the warmth of home — a home I hadn’t
expected to find so far away.
Each morning began in the gentlest way. The house smelled of fragrance
powder burnt in the charcoal, mixed with the perfume of garden flowers
and fresh tea. We listened to pirith chanting on the radio — soft
Buddhist blessings that filled the home with peace.
The family gathered at their small shrine to light an oil lamp,
and offer milk, flowers, and water to Lord Buddha. I stood with
hands together, eyes closed, feeling a calm I’d never known before. Their
prayers were filled with maithree — kindness — wishing peace for all
living beings.
Very first day morning, they took me to the village temple, a
quiet place with big trees and white walls. The monk welcomed me warmly. He
tied a pirith thread around my wrist and chanted blessings for my safe
travels. I visited twice more — once to talk about Buddha’s teachings,
and again to learn about meditation. After each visit, the monks gave me
fruit, sweets, and tiny gifts with so much love.
🍽️ Food, Family
& Togetherness
In Ami’s house, no one ever ate alone. Even if we had just a single loaf
of bread, it was cut into pieces and shared fairly. Every meal was cooked with
care — by all of us together.
We grated coconut, picked fresh curry leaves from the garden, ground
spices with a stone, and made delicious curries every day. Dhal, brinjal
moju, jackfruit curry, mallung, sambol — every dish
was different. I even learned to make my favorite: coconut sambol!
The variety of food amazed me — 3 home-cooked meals a day, made
with fresh, organic ingredients straight from the garden or local
market.
🧴 The Coconut
Queen Returns
I became known as the Coconut Queen!
Ami’s family quickly noticed my obsession with king coconut water.
I drank it three to five times a day — cold from the freezer, after
gardening, with breakfast, and even before bed! Everyone laughed and said,
“This one’s for Jilua!” and handed me another golden coconut with a smile.
🌿 Nature,
Neighbors & Cinnamon Trees
During the day, I sunbathed on the beautiful balcony, surrounded
by towering trees and birdsong. I played with the neighboring kids,
walked hand-in-hand to the paddy fields, and felt the cool breeze
whisper through the golden rice plants. One day, we even stopped by a tiny
water stream to sip tea and watch dragonflies dance.
And guess what? I even bathed in a traditional village well, just
next to the paddy field. It was fresh, cool, and one of the most fun things I
did!
Back in Ami’s garden, birds chirped, squirrels played, and
sometimes monkeys came to steal fruit! We swept the yard, watered the
plants, and even peeled cinnamon bark from the trees. Before I left, Tattha
tied a little bundle of homegrown
cinnamon with string and gave it to me.
“Take this home with you,” she said.
“It’s a part of us now.”
The neighbors, hearing about the foreign guest staying with Ami, came one
by one. Some brought mangoes, others gave me handmade bracelets or
drawings by their children. Nobody asked for anything — their gifts were pure
kindness.
🌺 The Gift of
Belonging
On my final night, as we lit one last oil lamp together, Amma held my
hand and whispered:
“You’ll always have a home here.”
I smiled through tears. Not because I was sad — but because I had found
something truly rare and beautiful.
Not just a country…
But a family.
Not just new places…
But new pieces of myself.
Not just travel memories…
But a feeling I’ll carry forever.
👪 A Culture of
Respect — Not Just Names, But Family
One thing that really surprised me during my journey across Sri Lanka
was how people don’t usually call each other by their names — especially
not in families! Everywhere I went, people used family titles instead.
Mothers were always “Amma,” fathers were “Thaththa,” and
grandparents were “Seeya” and “Archchi.” Even brothers and
sisters had special names like “Ayya” (big brother), “Malli”
(younger brother), “Akka” (big sister), and “Nangi” (younger
sister).
They explained that calling elders by name is considered disrespectful,
even if you're close. That’s why children don’t say their parents' names, and
even parents don’t usually say their kids’ names out loud. Instead, they say
loving words like “Duwa” (daughter), “Putha” (son), or sweet
nicknames like “Chuti” (little one) and “Loku” (big one).
At first, it felt a little strange to me — but soon I realized it was
beautiful. Everyone treats each other like a big, caring family, and
even strangers are often called Uncle (Mama) or Aunty (Nenda)
with so much warmth. It’s a lovely way of showing respect, kindness, and
connection — something I’ll never forget.
💬 Jilua says:
“If you ever visit Sri Lanka, don’t just visit the places — feel the
people.
Stay with someone like Ami. Eat together. Cook together. Meditate together.
Walk to the paddy fields. Bathe in a well. Share a cup of tea by a stream.
And drink king coconut water until your heart is full.
Because in Sri Lanka, kindness is the greatest treasure — and it’s free
for anyone who opens their heart.”
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