Trip Summary

General Statement

The DP Orientation was a 3-day trip to Kitulgala during which we canyoned, abseiled, and participated in a plethora of other amazing activities. Throughout the trip, I bonded with my peers and strengthened my relationship with nature as global and local issues such as climate change and the construction of the Kitulgala dam were brought to my attention.

Day 1

A day of  Action

Activities

I assist Alex as she prepares to jump off a rock ledge. (Credits: Ian Lockwood)

DP orientation began with a 3-hour bus ride through the winding roads of Southwestern Sri Lanka as we traveled inland to the mountainous region of Kitulgala. Upon our arrival, we immediately began the first activity of our journey: canyoning. Throughout this activity, we navigated a complex system of canyons along a river running through Kitulgala, jumping off of ledges and sliding down rock faces. After a brief lunch on the bank of the river, we began our afternoon activity of whitewater rafting. Kitulgala is home to several class 2 and 3 rapids, and, in fact, whitewater rafting is one of the main tourist-based activities of the region, and the rafting was certainly the highlight of the first day for me.

Reflection

The activities of day one pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged teamwork and cooperation, and allowed me to strengthen the bonds I had with my peers. These explorations of constructive risk-taking helped myself and others grow and develop a deeper connection with nature. Conclusively, I deeply enjoyed the day’s activities and look forward to the next step in my journey; the abseil down the Sandun-Ella waterfall tomorrow.

Day 2

A Day of Reflection

Activities

Karven and I prepare to abseil down the Sandun Ella waterfall (Photo Credits: Ian Lockwood)

The day began with a lengthy hike to the Belilana cave, at which we were introduced to Plato’s allegory of the cave. We discussed it extensively and drew maps of our journeys to the cave as a response to the allegory and how it forces us to consider representation. After this, we began another steep hike to the top of the Sandun-Ella waterfall, at which we received a safety briefing and began to abseil the sheer 150-foot drop. We went in pairs, and my friend Karven and I were the first to go. As I neared the end of my abseil, I realized that the hardest part of it was not the abseil itself, but making the choice to participate.

Reflection

The activities of today were extremely crucial in the development of my open-mindedness throughout DP orientation. Primarily, the theory-of-knowledge-based discussion regarding Plato’s allegory caused me to consider how representation affects perception and granted me a deeper appreciation of having real experiences. Furthermore, the abseil

Day 3

A day of Service

The Kitulgala dam under construction (Photo Credits: Ian Lockwood)

Activities

Day three placed its focus on understanding the community of Kitulgala. To do this we began the day by interviewing a local resident about the effects of the construction of the Kitulgala dam on the town. Immediately afterward we visited the site of the dam and made observations about its size, its effects on the flow of the river, and what it hoped to achieve. This concluded our DP orientation trip, and we left reflecting on how our experiences throughout the three-day adventure had changed our relationships with each other as well as nature.

Reflection

Visiting the dam and discussing its implications with local people greatly increased my understanding of the positive and negative effects of modernization on rural communities. Firstly, I gained a more thorough knowledge of the unintended consequences of modernization. For example, my discussion with a local woodworker helped me realize the negative impacts for the economy that the dam had, such as the disruption of Kitulgala’s tourist industry as a result of the loss of several of its famed rapids due to insufficient water flow. Furthermore, I learned that the dam did not necessarily benefit the people of Kitulgala in any way, as the electricity was supposedly going to be used in Colombo. Thus, discussion with locals helped me to gain a better understanding of the ways in which modernization can actually hurt rural communities.

Summary

DP orientation was an extremely valuable experience as it allowed me to bond with my peers and understand nature as well as the culture of rural Sri Lankan villages. I was pushed out of my comfort zone on several occasions, I considered the implications of representation and its effects on perception, and I gained a more thorough understanding of the effects of modernization on small communities. This incredible journey has prepared me for the two years ahead and has provided me with much more meaningful relationships with my classmates, nature as a whole, and the beautiful island of Sri Lanka.