The Sri Lankan Girl

Lately I have found myself grappling with a multiple number of challenges that can only be understood in the context of what it means to be ‘good sri Lankan girl’.   Some people might think this is pretty straight forward right, well it’s not!!!

There are many pitfalls when trying to maintain this persona of the good sri Lankan girl. These pitfalls are generally known as ‘good sri Lankan boys’ and our love hate relationship with them. Throw in a few more cultural pressures such as; every aunty in the area knowing your business, Your only career options are being doctor, engineer, lawyer or accountant ( otherwise your screwed) , You are shunned if your ‘dark’ and encouraged to apply copious amounts of fair and lovely, The closer a garment is to your arse the ‘easier’ you become, your expected to be freakishly clean and tidy to the point OCD is considered a positive,  your parents constantly remind you that the roof is theirs ,you can only leave home when you marry or safely dead and if you aren’t married by 24 your destine to be old maid or  married of to a divorcee, all this makes navigating the seas of a good sri Lankan girl a perilous journey.

Like Viharamaha Devi many of us sail these good sri Lankan girl seas not knowing where the hell we will end up, but one thing is sure we must all reach land without drowning and it can only be reached if you stay good and catch the eye of a ‘Nivicha’ Lankan boy who will want to marry you!

Most of my contemporaries have reached land, leaving me quite lonely. They are no longer interested in the challenges I face and to be honest I am so far gone that they find it difficult to even relate to my challenges. So here I am talking (writing) to myself, a bit like an odd better looking version of Robinson Crusoe and in you shall be my little coconut companion that keeps insanity at bay.