The Meandering Life

  2018-19 was one of the best years in Sri Lanka modern history. Tourism was booming and the country was finally able to leave behind its tumultuous “war” past and making its mark in the world. April, 2019 changed all that. There were whispers and reports of radicalization in country and it manifested its ugly head during Easter celebrations when bombs ripped through Colombo. The country showed fortitude and eventually & around October / November 2019 was surely on the path of recovery; and then CoVID struck. Life came to a standstill and since then it has been a struggle for survival for this lovely yet vulnerable island nation. Will try and outline the reasons, which in my opinion has led to this economic crisis. The high dependence on “debt” to fuel economic growth always comes with significant risks; the debt which fuelled projects and infrastructure, if fail to generate projected revenues will lead to disaster. Quality of Projects implemented - cannot comment on that - h...

And finally, CECA is back! After 5 months of spending time cooped up at home, maintaining social distancing and adjusting to the new normal, we took a break – though nonetheless in a guarded way. The joy of meeting one another; sharing, from a laugh to a meal warms the heart in unfathomable ways and that to me defines this wonderful community: Colombo Expats Cultural Association. We   had come to Sri Lanka in troubled times last year; the Easter blasts had shook the very foundation of peace and prosperity and the tension was palpable in the air. We reminisced of the times of unrest which this beautiful country had shaken off few years back. We were guarded and apprehensive as to how our tenure will be - but then we were yet to be enrolled in this beautiful community.  I remember the call from our dear Captain, whose initiative and unfailingly kind welcome, introduced us and many of our fellow members in the group. I also remember Chanchal Da’s immediate call, after joining the...

Time flies! It will be a shame to think otherwise, when you reflect. It was early April last year (2019) when I was flying to Mumbai from Bhubaneswar to attend the interview for the role in Sri Lanka and here comes another April of our lives - wherein I and my wife have spent nearly an year in the country - however, which has brought so much of uncertainty to the fabric of normalcy in our lives, with the fight against Corona Virus taking centre-stage across the world. An April wherein I cannot be back to my home land, even if I choose to! This year has been a steep learning curve both in my professional as well as personal life. Knowing how to be living in a distant country, learning the "dos & the don'ts", exploring the culture, the language and so many other aspects of the daily life has been fulfilling. Learning the nuances of the Foreign Trade has also been very gratifying. Couldn't thank my organization enough for the opportunity to live the "exper...