Some people say that Sri Lanka is a simplified version of India or a first step towards experiencing India.
I disagree.
Completely disagree.
Apart from their shared Indian ancestry, which influences their ethnicities and makes their food similar (although only the appearance of curry and dining customs are alike; Sri Lankan food has been significantly Westernized after Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonization), the impressions these two countries gave me are entirely different.
Six years ago, my overall impression of India was chaotic streets, dust everywhere, strong smells, and terrible traffic jams. I had to deal with unfriendly stares from men, tuk-tuk drivers who didn't want to give change or tried to drop me off early, and the frustration of Google Translate being ineffective since many people are illiterate.
During my visit to seven cities and towns in Sri Lanka, the impression people left me with was:
Kind and polite.
I rarely use the word "kind" to describe a nationality; I usually opt for "friendly." However, that's genuinely how they made me feel. Most people smiled when they made eye contact with you, and it wasn't just out of curiosity about a foreigner. It was more about the human connection at that moment.
Clean.
Whether in cities or towns, the streets were quite clean. Surprisingly, there were very few trash cans, yet there was hardly any litter.
Feeling relaxed.
In India and Egypt, I felt that while visiting was great, living there would be an uphill battle. In Sri Lanka, however, people seem hopeful. Given the local cost of living, it is possible to have a good life as long as they work hard. You could feel this relaxed atmosphere in the way people played in parks and enjoyed themselves in malls. Malls weren't just for well-dressed ladies but a place for friends to hang out and for students to relax after school.
If I were to draw a comparison, Sri Lanka is more like early Taiwan. Taiwan, however, was much luckier, successfully transforming and achieving an economic takeoff.
Of course, there are some annoying aspects here, especially in Colombo. When you're out and about, you may frequently be approached by people trying to take you to a clearance sale or offer you a tuk-tuk tour, which can be hard to avoid.
However, whether it's India or Sri Lanka, I like both countries very much. If I have the chance, I would love to travel to both of these countries again.