Cindi Bigelow Travels To Sri Lanka: Dinner with the Ambassador

Previously, we shared that Cindi Bigelow was heading to Sri Lanka to explore tea fields and tea auctions.  Cindi shared her first full day and her experience of a tea auction and the importance of long term ethical tea partnerships.  In today’s post, she shares her experience of having dinner with the Sri Lankan amassador to the United Nations.

Sri Lankan ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Palitha T.B. Kohona

We finished the evening having dinner with the Sri Lankan ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Palitha T.B. Kohona.  That was another experience beyond words. To spend hours listening to the ambassador (who by the way was the foreign minister before this current position), talk about the history of this little gem of an island country they also call “Serendib,” was a true gift. The history, the people, the culture, and global influences he shared with us were so eye opening.  I learned more than I ever could have dreamed. Then his nephew joined us, Kasun, who (yes, you guessed it) was a tea trader. So of course that spurred another whole round of “tea talk.” We ate and chatted till midnight.  Then, completely overwhelmed with my new experiences and unsure how we managed to fit so much in one day, we headed back to our hotel, where we had to get up at 5 a.m. to head up into the mountains.

Wheeeee what a day!  Could not have prayed for more.  Okay tea gardens, here we come….