"USA Number 1 !"

Ok we left beautiful, affable, peaceful Thailand to go to the Maldives.  We had to pass through Sri Lanka (otherwise known as Ceylon by the Dutch and British colonizers of the 15th and 17th centuries) for a day.  This was an adventure and certainly not for the novice or leisure vacationer.  As we were packing to leave from Thailand, we saw on the BBC that the government had to imprison its leading general and hero of the 20 year civil war for planning a military coup!!!! Of course, General Fonseca's supporters were in the streets of downtown Colombo in violent protest.  If we were at home, this would be another one of those far off news stories about people we don't know that has no bearing on our lives.  But we are not at home and we are landing in the middle of this crisis! I tried not to show it, but I was worried. I had done some reading about this civil war and it was long and there were definately some bloodshed.  As a matter of fact, they do the "Off with your head" thing around here quite frequently! Anyhow, when we got to the gate, there were plenty of Asians and the requisite crazy ass European backpackers going for vacation in a war torn country.  Anyway, they didn't look too worried, so I played right along with them. But we definately had a back up plan, just in case.... We called our travel agent to have other flights ready just in case an internet flash came across my phone saying that martial law had been called in Sri Lanka. That is a good piece of advice, when travelling overseas (besides Canada or the peaceful parts of the Carribean), I would use a travel agent.  It's worth the extra $50-$100 for emergency situations like this when you need a quick change or help with a screw up at a hotel or a pre paid tour or something. 

We got on board where I noticed a fashionably dressed kid with a blackberry sitting next to me across the aisle. He looked typically Sri Lankan, very dark skinned with straight black hair.  But he spoke remarkably clear english with an american accent rather than British.  He kept smiling at us and nodding.  So I finally spoke to him.  Talk about a small world! Turns out the kid went to Mercer College in Macon, GA on a tennis scholarship! He works for a multi national firm and travels to California quite a bit, so he was practically American.  Great, we talked awhile about Georgia and California, and Sri Lanka.  he told us not to worry about the protests or the civil war.  Sri Lankans save their violence for each other (sound familiar?) and pretty much understand that touching westerners is a big no - no.  I told him desperate people do desperate things, a 20 year civil war sounds like desperate times? He assured me, if it was going to happen it would've a long time ago.  Besides there was nothing to gain from either side for doing something like kidnapping tourists; both sides want our money!;)  That was enough for me, I relaxed and settled in.

Upon arrival to the airport we were greeted with the hardest stares I've ever encountered on my travels. All through baggage claim and outside waiting for taxis, these people studied us like we were a damn Physics book!  They really stared at Carmen.  It was almost like they were leering at her. I got all the attention in Thailand.  The women always giggled and whispered when I passed by,"Wow, big man, big man".  Of course because where we were they had never seen an african american man, and there men tend to be smaller than us steroid fed americans.  Here in Sri Lanka, the phrase was always directed at Carmen," where are you from Madam? or Wow what do we have here?" I started to say a beautiful sister who happens to be my wife, so back the hell up and give her some space.  But I refrained from reverting to the ghetto.  I like to consider myself a traveller (not a vacationer, I'll explain later) and a renaissance man, I have three degrees, I find it more challenging to think myself out of bad situations rather than just knocking people the f--- out! However, I started to feel that swagger coming on.  the hair on my neck was standing up and I could sense Carmen was becoming more uncomfortable with every new stare.  We got in the cab and drove out of the airport.  There were soldiers posted at the exit and entrance of the airport checking passports.  Teenage boys with AK-47s strapped on are the soldiers posted at the checkpoints.  He looked at our passports, then at us and said,"USA #1" and smiled with the whitest pearly whites.  he dapped me up and nodded at me, "USA has best technology, USA #1".  What a relief!  It all came together, these folks love us! Especially African Americans. That's why all of the stares. They have only seen Will Smith, Denzel, or Beyonce on their televisions. Nobody like these larger than life characters in real life! I'm sure the men wondered if Carmen could move like Beyonce or sing like Alicia Keys? They probably wondered what she smelled like, hell, I wondered what she smelled like the first time I saw her :) So ladies, remember when you come to Sri Lanka the stares will be in awe not in contempt.  And please where something conservative, they don't need to see your bosom or butt crack to think you are beautiul.  They are muslim or hindi, they probably couldn't handle seeing a sister like that in real life (they are used to the European women walking around half naked). I later befriended a Sri Lankan in the Maldives and he explained to me that even though his country and the Maldives for that matter are Muslim countrys, they love America.  they think of us as the "good guys".  they don't know about slavery and our history of colonization like they do the Europeans.  This is the reputation that George Bush damaged that hopefully Obama will restore.  They love our movies, our music, our clothes, our freedom. They love that we come to the aid of other people, like we did after the 2004 Tsunami, like we are doing in Haiti, etc..  The power of the media and art, huh? They think we are all rich and powerful and can do almost anything we want.  They really only see the best of us.  The only americans that come here are engineers coming to work on their dams and power grid. They may see the occasional statesman and his entourage.  All they know is that I-phones, most airplanes, guns, and computers come from the good ole' USA.  So remember this the next time you are in a third world country and they are trying to swindle you out of a couple of dollars. They think you can spare it:) I usually let them do it, after all paying an extra five bucks for an item, is a small price to pay to be thought of as "the good guys".  Besides, it'll come back to you.  Carmen and I got the royal treatment upon arrival to the Taj Hotel which is the only five star near the airport, it was a whopping $80/ night!They put us in the Royal Palace suite and the hotel manager came out of his office to personally escort us! The star treatment!  We will definately be back to Sri Lanka. I must admit, I've been down on my homeland because of all the trouble lately.  Today, in Sri Lanka, I miss her... I miss the USA that my military father, uncles, brother, cousins, and grandgather fought for, the USA that my ancestors built, the USA where hard work and sacarifice meant something, the USA that cares about people and their freedom and not just their oil or copper or magnesium, the USA I thought I would inherit.......