There is a fine German Travel Blog called "Reisespinne"
Usually it gives traveler's advice in a fashion similar to Thorn Tree of Lonely Planet.
Ever since Christmas members seem to be somewhat against us as well as most of our activities.
Only recently we received some sound advice as well as a single donation of 200 Euro from one of their members.
In recent frank discussions many misunderstandings surfaced, for the first time for us to realise:
1.) Our sarcastic remarks and account of events at Christmas were totally misinterpreted
2.) This piece of traumatized bravado was designed to shame all the guys who all left us when we needed their help most
2a) And it was designed to install a kind of normality into our life again, a pretence of course.
3.) We were obviously upset that the biggest 'cowards' were made into the biggest 'hero's' back home
4.) Our mission at the time was to install the pretence of a sort of 'normality'
5.) We pushed locals hard, too hard perhaps, but we managed to install pride and confidence in helping themselves
6.) Our work-for money program, right from day one, was only successful until the NGO's arrived
7.) This alone provided confidence and pride in men who managed to support the rest of their families
8.) Most well meaning NGO guys spoiled just about everything we stood for by treating all natives as incapable morons.
9.) None of them even trusted the natives to continue to go our shopping in nearby PottuVille for themselves
10.) Instead all sorts of weird exotic items had to be imported and handed out in a blaze of specially organised publicity
11.) The fact that most of such unknown things like excellent Polish Ghulash in unmarked tins was only used a dog food was not filmed however
12.) Kids were couciled into realizing that they suffer sudenly from terrible loss, have a trauma; even now they still appear to have a complex
We know now, after having received and digested much good advice from Reisespinne, that we would have been be far more popular and successful if we would have played our cards in the accepted, tear forcing way.
Telling everyone silly hero stories, true or not, showing and advertising our work and achievements and refraining from comments about others, specially the mighty NGO's who are openly at war with us as a result.
It is no longer a secret that we are long singled out for punishment by the ones who are sitting on donor's goldbags.
We still try to have the capacity to see things from the other point of view"
After about 2 weeks the most 'brave' NGO's finally reached Arugam Bay - it is after all a long, bumpy way from the Happy Hour at the Light House in Galle.
Expecting cheering dark locals with brilliant white teeth there to embrace them was a differend reception once they managed to cross the lagoon at Arugam Bay:
All essential work was long done, there were no more true emergencies, a good self-help program was in full swing, there was plenty of food and water and shelter for everyone.
Worse stiill, there was a functioning free bar and good restaurant, Internet, TV news from all over the globe and a good generating station, a hub of activity they came here to establish, perhaps.
Buy unfortunately they were 2 full weeks too late!
In desperation they had to find excuses and made up all sorts of projects, none of which made much sense to us here, but maybe they looked good at home for donors and distant management to impress.
This -in a nutshell- is what we think has gone wrong at Arugam Bay.
That is why we still have never received even one single rupee, and that is why we are at loggerheads with all the organizations.
But the bottom line is that the Bay is on the right track for a full self recovery, there is confidence, there is hope for the future.
And personally we feel that we have done the right thing and history will prove us to be correct.
But maybe we should have been more diplomatic in our entire approach?
But we still fail to understand all the 'heros' from the hill top who simply disappeared when everyone needed help most.
Many of such guys even critisised us from a safe distance, raised funds for whatever - but never had the bottle to face us; never mind about any kind of support in words or kind.
We only made one mistake and that is that we were too modest.
We did not wish to add yet another sob story to the world.
We wanted to show that life goes on, that we look forward and face fresh challenges.
We are still certain that we have done whatever was in our limited power to help everyone in this predicament.
There are plenty of real heros, like:
Uncle Shelton,
Neelu
Somlak,
Farzi,
Pranom
etc.
None of them were sitting on heros hill being looked after and pampered upon arrival.
In fact none of them have ever seen a 5 Star hotel from the inside.
That is why they are ignored to this very day?
