Quillian International Scholar Study Abroad Seminar in Sri Lanka

As I mentioned in my last post, this summer I had the tremendous opportunity to travel to Sri Lanka as part of the Quillian International Scholar Study Abroad Seminar. We spent nearly two weeks there, and it was an unforgettable journey.

Some highlights for me included:

• Hiking Sigiriya and visiting the cave temples in Dambulla, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• Enjoying cultural performances like this one from the University of Colombo’s Sri Palee campus
• Constantly reflecting on Howard Thurman’s journey to Sri Lanka and the ways our experiences at times paralleled his
• Meeting and chatting with scholars at institutions such as Sarvodaya, the Sri Lankan Buddhist Academy and the University of Peradeniya
• Learning about religious nationalism in a non-U.S. context
• Observing the legacies of colonialism and capitalism in Sri Lanka
• Eating as much dahl curry as humanly possible
• Running along the beach in Galle
• Spotting countless elephants, monkeys, and peacocks
• Deepening connections with fellow faculty and Randolph global scholars