We're here! What now?

It occurred to me one morning quite recently that I've finally reached the "destination" of a journey I struggled to get to for about a decade. Last year around this time, I was working nearly 70 hours a week to ensure that ships met the regulatory and statutory regulations to leave the port and join the global fleet of vessels that extract and process fossil fuels. And before that, I was weighed down with student loans and stuck around in unsatisfactory jobs without a way out. Compared to all that, now I go to classes that teach about species extinctions, struggle with trying to memorise hundreds of animal species in local animal guide books, visit National Parks, associate with people who have devoted their lives to conservation efforts, and (on a similar level of joy) wake up without an alarm clock.

It is definitely not a happy ending or a final destination, but I'm going to camp at this checkpoint for awhile.

Often times, we spend a lot of time planning a journey and being involved in the act of getting to the destination. And when we finally get there, we don't realise the magnitude of the achievement. Or we might (like me) find ourselves ill-equipped without knowing what to do next, because we realise that we concentrated most of our efforts and energy on just the journey!

Whether it be starting a new family or finally getting that dream job, it applies to many life goals for various people. If we are not mindful enough, we might even run the risk of gambling away a big "achievement" because we forget the bigger picture (like how much we wanted it, or the sacrifices that went into it, or the people who helped us get there) and not make the most of a given situation. Also, it's probably a good idea to constantly remind ourselves that most good situations remain "good" for as long as we play an active part and things can change in a moment's notice. This way, we are less likely to be complacent, take it for granted or be too devastated if it was all gone. 

As of late, I'm rediscovering the natural beauty of Sri Lanka. The country stretches for 430km from North to South and 230km from East to West, and towers to an altitude of 2524m at its highest point. Within these confines, exist flora and fauna that have led Conservation International to list Sri Lanka as one of the world's 36 Biodiversity Hotspots.

Two weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to join a team of researchers and their students as a volunteer evaluator for an environmental impact assessment. They were very accommodating and down-to-earth folks. Although I was the newbie (and still a "small fry"), it didn't take us too long to bond because beneath the professionalism, they were a fun-loving bunch. We were on the road for 3-4 days, driving through beautiful rural parts of Sri Lanka, conducting field surveys and observing plenty of wildlife along the way.

 

We had to stop a couple times (at a safe distance) to let wild elephants cross the road.

People in these parts were accustomed to minor traffic blocks caused by wild elephants. Similar to when trains cross over highways, the vehicles had to stop and wait till the elephant passed.

This is what remained of the lake during the last month of the dry season. This small amount of water helps many elephants, birds and other animals survive till the rains come later this month.

The assignment involved interviewing 35 families (primarily rice paddy farmers) which were beneficiaries of a lake expansion project which took place 2 years ago. My team helped me in getting familiar with certain terms in my native language (which I'm not an expert in) so that I was able to use it during the interviews with the villagers. These were resettled families from previously war-torn areas. Unfortunately, many acres of forest (previously elephant territory) have been cleared to make space for homes and agriculture. Although we were just there to collect data from the villagers, it was a moving experience to hear about their struggles like elephant conflicts, job insecurity, difficulties to send children to schools, flood season and losses when adverse weather destroys their crops. Most of the parents worked very hard as farmers, wage labourers and small shop owners to build their houses and give their children a good education so they can move on to better prospects. Children juggled school work and helping out at the family fields. Several families offered us whatever they had like fruits and vegetables from their home gardens, tea, delicious sweets and even curries for our lunch. 

This little boy followed us with a lot of enthusiasm and his parents let us have our packed lunches in their home. He is seen here making a fishing rod to play with.

This boy showed me around his house and shared a piece of raw woodapple. 

Raw woodapples are sour yet yummy!

One family showed us their newly adopted pet. 

Some of the villagers were small shop owners who depended on visitors to a nearby temple to earn a living.

Overall, I'd say the assignment was an eye-opening experience. Not only did I learn something about the type of work conservationists do, it made me want to get more involved in beneficial community projects like these and reminded me to stay humble.