Last night I had the opportunity to go to a reception and dinner at the Ambassador of Sri Lanka's Residence. The event was organized by the International Club of DC and the Embassy of Sri Lanka. The evening began by being announced then allowed to enter the residence of Sri Lanka's Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya and his family.
(The photo to the left is me with the Ambassador)
Sri Lanka is one of those countries you hear about once in a while but don't know much about the country nor its people. All I knew prior to the experience was that the small country was to the south of India. While there I learned that Sri Lanka was named the #1 on the New York Times lists of 31 Places to Go in 2010. It's a tropical place surrounded by water were elephants, monkeys, and buffalo roam free.
The evening began with a little mixing and mingling. Waiters walked around with various beverages native to the country including a very tasty rose milk drink. We tried to figure out what exactly was in it but all we ended up figuring out was that it was good so we gave up. We listening to a brief greeting from the Ambassador, the President of the International Club of DC, Sanjaya Hettihewa (a native of Sri Lanka) welcomed the group, then there was a presentation by Jettway Airlines who is hosting a 10 day trip to Sri Lanka from DC later this summer.
We continued sampling drinks then were ushered into another room where we sampled a traditional Sri Lankan meal prepared by the Ambassador's chef and were treated to some live music.
After dinner, we were lead downstairs and into the Ambassador's private garden where several dancers performed to live music. Everyone gathered around the young dancers in their beautiful, vibrant native costumes and watched them elegantly dance to the beat. It was quite a sight. After the performance, we thanked the Ambassador for graciously allowing us into his beautiful home and for his hospitality.
What a way to be welcomed into the International Club of DC! I love to travel and being around diverse people has always excited me. I can already tell being a member of this organization will continue to expose me to new cultures and people whom I wouldn't typically come across on a daily basis. I'm definitely adding Sri Lanka onto my list of places to visit.
Last week I stumbled across an amazing website for the International Club of DC or ICDC (http://www.internationalclubdc.com/). I've been planning to attend some embassy events for a while so I did a Google search and came across the site which lists not only events at various embassies but numerous activities focused on developing relationships with the international population in and around DC.
Some of the upcoming events in June that I found to be of interest are listed below but there are hundreds of events posted on their website.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Discover the Tropical Island Paradise of Sri Lanka: Dinner Reception at the Sri Lankan Ambassador’s Residence to experience Sri Lankan music, dance, culture, and traditions. Escape with us to the tropical island paradise of Sri Lanka! Join us for a delightful reception at the residence of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka that includes a traditional dance and music presentation. Enjoy a dinner feast of traditional Sri Lankan delicacies and learn about Sri Lankan culture, art, music, dance, and traditions while discovering one of the world’s most exotic travel destinations. Cost: $55/$89, must pay in advance. For more info, click here.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Rooftop International Happy Hour at the Embassy Row Hilton Hotel.
Join us for Washington's international Happy Hour with the best views in town. Enjoy panoramic summertime views of downtown as well as surrounding monuments while you meet, socialize, and network with other ICDC members in a relaxed and friendly setting after work. Cost: $5 with online registration for ICDC members (membership is FREE) and $8 at the door. For more info, click here.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 7:45 PM
Learn to dance the Argentine Tango as danced in Buenos Aires Argentina
The International Club of DC is pleased to invite you to "An Evening in Buenos Aires." The Argentine Tango is known around the world for its romance and bold flair. Don't miss this rare opportunity to learn how to dance Argentine tango from an expert instructor and meet other ICDC members in a friendly and relaxed setting. Dance the night away to a great mix of tango and Latin music! Cost: $16. For more info, click here.
