Even though Sri Lanka is a great place to live in, sometimes life will take us far away from home. Maybe you got a job abroad, maybe you’re leaving to study or maybe that’s just how things turned out after you got married. But no matter where we end up going to, Sri Lankans will be Sri Lankans. Here are 6 Lankan habits you will always have no matter where you are in this world.

1. Lankans Eat Like Lankans

We may move to America or UK, but we won’t give up on our rice, chicken curry and dhal (quit calling it “Lentils” that sounds like a disease!). And all Sri Lankans know that such food is meant to be eaten with your hands. However, I get the pressure to change. It’s your first lunch break at your new high school or work place, you dig in with your hands and your new buddies give you the ‘duuude what are you doing?’ look. But have you ever seen Americans using a fork and knife to enjoy their traditional food?(you know,burgers or pizzas or chicken wings). So really just be yourself. After all, we Lankans know that food just tastes better with our hands. But make sure you wash them first 

2. We Carry Our Own Medicine

Despite foreign countries having a variety of effective medicine, we like to stick to our very own SL remedies. So when Lankans go abroad, we carry a mini-pharmacy with us consisting of Siddhalepa, Samahan, Kothamalli, Condis and maybe smuggle some papaya if possible as well. “Amma, my new friend Kevin had a bad headache. But he drank an aspirin and it went away so fast!” This would definitely prompt Amma to say; “Cheh! You don’t get used to these aspirins. I got an e-mail once on how it’s bad for your liver. Just have a warm shower and put some Siddhalepa”. Sounds familiar? And so it goes. Having a cold? Steam with Siddhalepa and have some Samahan”. Feeling gastric? Papaya will solve all your problems.

3. We Always Need Our Parents

Sri Lankan parents can be quite strict. So in the beginning, maybe you were a bit happy to move abroad. You’re finally free from having to answer a 100 questions before you get permission to have a night out. But a true Lankan will never be like your new friend Clair who only calls her family to borrow money. When our new job is crappy, we call our parents to complain about it. When we hear noises in the attic, we call are parents to ask about an exorcist. Gained weight? We send selfies to our mom just to confirm. “Ane putha you’re like a stick. I think aunty Ramani lives nearby. Shall I ask her to pack some lunch for you?” Yup, we Lankans will never let our parents stop being parents

4. Drinking Boiled Water

Drinking water for Sri Lankans is a very careful constructed process. We boil our water well, pour it into a jug whilst using a strainer and THEN drink it. But in most western countries like the UK, people just drink water straight out of a tap and try to convince you to do the same. Do we listen?? here no! “Tap water doesn’t look clean enough. I’ll just boil it” “oh no, I don’t think it will taste that good. Boiled water is the best” You see, for Sri Lankans water isn’t tasteless. Even if in all honesty, tap water and boiled water taste the same and is equally safe to consume, we will always feel the difference.

5. Dropping the Miss and Sir

We know well that if a student called a Sri Lankan teacher by their name, that’s a sure way to get sent to the principal’s office, expelled and then blacklisted from all other Lankan schools. So, since nursery school  we have been taught to say ‘Miss’ and ‘Sir’. But foreign university have a more relaxed culture and hence, you must have ran into lecturers who said “Oh you don’t have to call me Sir. Andrew is just fine!” However, after more than 18 years of being trained to address your teachers formally, you will be compelled to helplessly say “yes sir I’ll try!” (I mean what if they were just testing you right?)

6. Our Love for Tea

It seems that in countries like America, people are constantly trying to brainwash you into liking coffee (I mean there is a Starbucks or Costa in every corner!). Perhaps other nationalities may give in to the coffee conspiracy but to Sri Lankans.. tea is life. So companies can try as hard as they want with their white mocha cold brew, cookie dough Frappuccino and oversized Freakshakes (oh, so much working-out would be needed to burn all that ). None of that matters because Lankans will stick to a creamy cup of tea for the most part. And we are loyal to our own tea so don’t try to sell us any!

By: Erangie Kulathilake