SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka – A Return, Rewritten

Born and raised in Switzerland to Tamil parents who fled Sri Lanka during the civil war, the country was always part of my story — but for much of my life, it never really felt like mine. As a kid, our trips to Sri Lanka were less about exploring and more about visiting relatives, sitting through endless coffees and the same conversations. At some point in my teens, I stopped going altogether, choosing to travel through Europe with friends instead. I felt more Swiss than Tamil anyway — and the disconnect only grew.

But something shifted in my mid-twenties. I began to see both sides of myself — East and West — as equally valuable. That shift made me curious, made me want to return not as a guest, but as a traveler.

Backpacking through the country for the first time opened a new door. I connected with the culture, the food, the landscapes, the wildlife — and even the quiet spirituality that lingers in the air. It wasn’t just about seeing temples or tasting curries. It was about reconnecting with a part of myself I had pushed away for too long.

This trip helped me reconcile who I was with where I came from — and fall in love with Sri Lanka for reasons that were entirely my own.