When it comes to saving, Sri Lankans have a lower saving rate than other Asian countries. Compare for example the Sri Lankan saving rate of 23%, compared to that of Singapore (53%), and of Malaysia (33%). India and the Philippines also have a higher saving rate of 31%. Reasons for this could be the low average salary of say 20,000 to 30,000 rps (US138 to US207) per month. However it may be down to the…
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This is something a visitor to Sri Lanka will most likely see while riding a tuk tuk. The scenario will probably look like this: You’re stuck in traffic and, like most days at any given time, it’s hot, and you can see a traffic policeman up ahead directing the traffic. The tuk tuk driver reaches for a bottle of Smirnoff or another famous alcoholic brand. Screws the cork off and starts chugging straight out of…
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When visiting a Sri Lankan home Always take your shoes off (or make an attempt to) when you enter someone’s home. Sri Lankans never walk around at home with shoes on. Its very common to see rows of shoes or flip flops (which by the way are called “slippers” in Sri Lanka) lined up outside the front door. Also it’s not polite to point the soles of your feet at people. If you’re sitting on…
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Sri Lankans like using umbrellas, and that’s just a fact. You’ll see people walking around with umbrellas trying to shield themselves from the strong sun, and you’ll see them trying to hold onto them in the heavy wind and rain. But the third and most fascinating one is young couples hanging out under umbrellas. With the umbrella over their heads creating privacy and a sense of personal space, young men and women innocently touch each…
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While visiting a new country is interesting and exciting, moving to one, learning to adapt, and understanding the culture can be challenging. Some things are very obvious and easy to get used to, while there are certain other things… well, you’ll probably never get used to them. (Hint: Rice and Curry. All. The. Time.) Here’s one thing that is very typical for SriLanka, but can be difficult, confusing, or even flat-out weird to a foreigner.…
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