A Meredith group is spending part of the College's winter break in Sri Lanka. The participants, including 14 students, two alumnae, four faculty/staff members and three community members, left Raleigh for Sri Lanka on December 26, exactly one year following the tsunami that devastated parts of Sri Lanka and other Asian nations. They will return to Raleigh on January 8.

The Sri Lanka program is led by Meredith's Study Abroad Director Betty Webb, who with her husband, John Rose, was in Sri Lanka when the tsunami hit.

The first half of the Meredith trip will be spent exploring artifacts of ancient Sri Lankan civilizations as well as observing life as it is lived today in the inland regions of the country. By the time participants return, they will have seen five of Sri Lanka's seven World Heritage sites.

The second half will focus on the tsunami-affected regions and efforts currently underway to "Build it Back Better," including those sponsored by Meredith's year-long "A Tide of Hope" tsunami relief effort.
While they are abroad, members of the Meredith team will be sending frequent reflections in a journal format. These entries will be posted on the web site regularly so that the Meredith community can track the travelers' progress. Be sure to check back often to see where they are and what they are doing.

> Archived Journals from 2005