2018 Mar 28
Be it for university or your career, sometimes life takes you far far away from your Lankan family. But when you finally get a chance to visit them again, things get real interesting.
Stage 1: The initial hospitality
As soon as you get home, your Amma and Thaththa insist on treating you like a guest at a five-star hotel. The moment your mom exclaims “Putha you’ve gotten so thin!! Let me feed you”, you know that the days of easily fitting into your jeans are long gone. The Lankan family buffet will feature all your favourite meals; string-hoppers, boiled egg curry, pol sambol, and spicy chicken. Then, there is also the excessive kindness you’re showered with. “No no, I will wash the plates baba you rest!” To be honest, this really is the best stage. (Spoiler alter: it won’t last for long)
Stage 2: The outings
“Putha shall we go out today?” Since you’re still at the early stages of politeness, it’s hard to say no this question. Your Amma and Thaththa will exploit this to the maximum and drag you everywhere. Shopping, temples, the Katharagama devalaya, the kottu shop, and the relatives tour. It’s a bit tiring yes. But since you’re getting the free clothes/food, blessings and attention you’ve been deprived of, you’re not complaining…for now.
Stage 3: The Tension building
At this point, the politeness and patience slowly start to melt away. Now when your mom tries to involve you in more adventures in the unbearable traffic and hot sun, you easily reject this proposal with a simple “Not today Amma”. When you didn’t wash the dishes that you were once excused from, you can hear achchi disapprovingly whisper to Amma “Stop spoiling this child. Make her wash her own plate”. As you ignore this and retreat into your room, in your heart you just know…that all these events are leading up to big explosion…
Stage 4: The Bickering
BOOM goes all the family hospitality! You know how Taylor Swift went from sweet country songs to destroying a vintage Shelby AC Cobra in “Blank space”? Well similarly, for some bizarre reason the Lankan family that treated you like a king is now going bananas on you. “You think this house is a hotel? Well it’s not a hotel so wake up early and do some work around here!” Meanwhile, Aachchi will attempt to add fuel to the fire by complaining to mom; “How can you let this child just eat and sleep all day?” Yup…now is the time you realize that your vacation is officially over.
Stage 5: The hard goodbye
Given all the tension and bickering, you would think that leaving home would be easy. But despite any disagreements, saying goodbye to your Lankan Family is always going to be painful. “Call me as soon as you get home,” Amma will say with her face red as ever and flooded with tears. A Lankan father’s goodbye is of course much more silent and yet, emotional nevertheless. But hey, a wise bear stuffed with fluff once said, “how lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?” Plus the thing is, you never really say goodbye to your Lankan family. No matter where you go in this world, you will always have them to come back to.
