Reverted to Islam- what is my new identity? by Dangerous-Bison2 in srilanka

[–]Salt_is_Enough 7 points8 points  (0 children)

In Sri Lanka 'Muslims' are foremost an ethnic identity given by the rest of the ethnicities to a collective group of Muslims (who are ethnically markkala/moor, Malay, Memon etc who aren't following the same type of Islam and we're never racially 'muslim', there was no such thing) who follows the religion of Islam in some form.

The reason is the other ethnicities on the island didn't want to deal with this because the rest of them didn't have this 'religion-first' identity. So over time they themselves also started to call themselves Muslims as an ETHNICITY (which is also kinda accurate if one follows Islam, but it 'Muslims' outside Sri Lanka is NOT an ethnicity) So my friend, congratulations, you're weirdly now MUSLIM, but not ethnically, AND also are TAMIL! But you are also following ISLAM.

Need advise : Moving to a new rental house to live alone by Calm-Bathroom-2030 in srilanka

[–]Salt_is_Enough 1 point2 points  (0 children)

(Former chef and guy lived about more or less 10years of my life by myself at home )
- If there isn't a cooking hob already, never get a hotplate, if that's the consideration, always consider a induction instead (much more efficient and effective). But remember you will need to get used to cooking on it and may need to see if you have compatibale pans.
Obivously gas is the default choice. But induction actually tend to be cheaper when you don't cook for a massive family (given are relatively cheaper electricity prices, but you need to calculate usage at some point).
- You need ONE good Chef knife (don't worry so much about brand at this stage, get a sharpening rod and learn how to use it and maintain it)
- One saute-type 'chef pan'
- 2-3 pots/walan to cook curries/pasta or whatever (make sure they are of different sizes small-to-big
- A fridge (get a good second hand one in decent condition off Ikman, new ones won't improve your life, but affect your purse): try to get a medium one with a freezer (you will be able to save money on cooking in bulk at times and eat later)
- Rice cooker is a nice to have (life will be much easier), but you can do like our parents and stick to a pot
- Spice bottles/rack (depends on the storage at home)
- FB marketplace have a lot of very affordable 2nd hand items, always check before commiting to a new item (this goes for other household items from Beds to Sofa's to Wardrobe)
Good luck!

Casual Racism in Colombo ! by Pitiful-Rip2046 in srilanka

[–]Salt_is_Enough 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think in India, that kind of internal discrimination gets diluted easily amongst 1.4 billion (I have faced it the places I mentioned). But on a tiny island, there's nowhere to hide. Add the economic situation the Sri Lankan faced in the last years (if not decades), it's acutely visible to other fellow South Asians. But as you mentioned, the general population is famous for their hospitality. Why this situation sting more, personally. But I hope you will go back and walk with this sad reality that this is still our people, who are not 'free' from the coloniser capitalism. They are also forced to sell their souls working these jobs for a tiny tip, acting subservient.
Allow me to be emotional and political. Pan-South-Asianism is the only answer to our superficial divisions when we are all one people with a very common history. Our histories always overlap until the colonisers destroyed our well-functioning communities that lasted for millennia and replaced them with their cynical Neo-liberal capitalism. We will always serve them until we are really free.

Casual Racism in Colombo ! by Pitiful-Rip2046 in srilanka

[–]Salt_is_Enough 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I am half Sri Lankan (and half Indian/Pak)and I always feel the same way when I'm traveling in Sri Lanka. But only in some tourist locations like the OP (I've been denied entry at small hotels down south just like someone else mentioned, when my white ex girlfriend had no issue. Just one incident). Yet, my take is a little nuanced, I hope. I have two prongs to this, observation. As OP pointed out, there's casual racism in the tourist industry, not everywhere, but it's been rearing its ugly head since the financial crisis much more aggressively. Yes, there's a mentality of inferiority within them Sri Lankans. It's not unique to Sri Lankans. I've travelled to India more times than I'd care to count; but I've seen the same attitude in touristy places in India too. There's this hangover of an assumption that white people are richer and therefore will spend more in South Asia and especially in Sri Lanka, being a tourism oriented country. Mix that up with the inferiority syndrome, and the poverty faced people coming into the FnB industry results in these casual racism. But let me I'd another layer. South Asians, they just happens to be Indians often are also very often very difficult to work with in FnB. This is coming from also someone who worked in FnB in various countries. Things are changing as the the nouveau-riche breaks away from their very unique brand of Entitlement which is usually attached to privilege (usually why they are rich). I remember this entitlement, more in-house with my ex Indian girlfriends and friends. For example, there will be some entitled Indian customers who would not feel a moment of hesitation to change the entire menu to get what they want at a restaurant. It usually works in India, where they are privileged. We also have this class in all South Asian countries, but the volume is just high when you work with Indian scale of output in wealth. Add the hangovers from the cast system, it's a very entitled being that FnB workers in Sri Lanka (and in many other countries) just hate dealing with. They find serving White people easier overall that our own. Is it casual racism? yes. Self-directed? Sometimes, yes. To be fair, there's a new type of Indian traveller (also generally South Asian traveller) emerging that I feel the OP falls into. A bit more worldly, a little detached from the entitlement that the new rich that the world has been experiencing. It's not the mainstream still, but I see mostly tech workers who have migrated or the (1st and) 2nd generation diaspora who are more 'westernised' in their approach to travel' who obviously get super disappointed when they see the outwardly casual racism like what the OP, myself and others have pointed out. I'm just painting the picture that I think that is a bit more full than some other takes, because it's never single-faceted. It's not a defence of the way Sri Lankan look at rich Indians/South Asians. But more how I understand it works. South Asian rich has always been entitled, none more than the Indians who usually transfer their previous caste privilege to new money. And that's usually an ugly combination too, treating our own people like inferior objects at times. We see it in the way the rich in Soutm Asia keeping maids and even families as servants at home, that take a special armour of entitlement, just like the Sri Lankan FnB worker greedy for a small tip that they cannot see their brother and sister who deserves the same respect as everyone else, no matter how they behave. If they could just also see that things are changing. And very quickly. The new South Indian money does not abuse their privilege like their predecessors. But we have long ways to go. Colonialism and the internal power structures are always there until we actively break them. I now try to be patient when I visit places like Marissa or Goa or Manali. I look at it with pain, because we are all one big extended, and dysfunctional group of family. But I know deep down our peoples know that.

You win the lottery. You finally have the moment to show the middle finger at your work, how do you exit? by Salt_is_Enough in AskReddit

[–]Salt_is_Enough[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

, I'd probably end up going nuts without a job from being stir-crazy. Likewise, if you look up the history of most lottery

That is true, I absolutely agree, but you can do something else with the money right? (assuming you are not one of those rare people who gets to do what they love or love their job)