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Appendix: Exercises and executive summary

I used the metaphor of a book for my stay in Sri Lanka. Now that we are approaching the end of the book (flying back home Feb 18!) it has become evident that the theoretical content of the book has come to an end: All major things that were supposed to be done here have been done. Now it's time for the exercises and executive summary.

Exercises...

My objective for the stay here was four-fold: "To become mentally, physically and spiritually balanced entrepreneur." Mentally I have grown to understand who I am, how I think, what are my flaws and how to live with them. Mental balance: check! Spiritually, I've come to respect people with different belief systems and realized my one is as good as theirs though mine doesn't involve a god as such. Spiritual balance: check! Physically, now that's still a work in progress.

For the past few months I've played badminton a lot. I love that game. I used to play it before and I'm happy I got back to it. If you're playing singles it's all about power, stamina and over-witting your opponent. Not to mention breaking the mental barriers of being afraid to win people who are supposedly better than you. Playing doubles is a different game altogether: You need chemistry with your pair to move around the field and cover the empty spots while always thinking 2-3 moves ahead. Maybe not as advanced tactics as in chess but still something. Whatever game you play it's still sports, it makes you sweat and it's good for you, right? And it's so much fun!

So, what's news? I've always loved playing games. I've always been very competitive. I always enjoyed winning. Surprisingly, I also started enjoying going to gym. Now that is a biggie for me.

Sounds great, no? Dude is going to the gym regularly and playing badminton. Warning, warning, warning! Maintaining this life style can be another challenge altogether. Going to different environment, with different set of friends, with different price structure, with different climate and with different distances (now we have just 400m for the sports complex!) poses a challenge that I need to be prepared for. Finding excuses for slipping back to the old ways is very easy for me since "discipline" ain't in my dictionary. But at least I'm aware of that fact.

Executive summary...

Summarizing the competence generated here can be a tougher job than getting the experience itself. I'm talking about the entrepreneurship part now! Lately I've done a lot of translations of our Unleash Talent stuff so it could be used in Finland at least as effectively as it has worked here. Now translating is not that easy as it sounds: You're not just taking a word and changing it to another language but you got to take into account how it sounds, how people will understand it and what kind of cultural notions there might be. It is a long, detail-oriented, even monotonous process but every time I'm thinking of "how to communicate this in Finnish" helps me to visualize my near future; a future where I can't depend on anyone else for financial stability anymore; a future full of possibilities; a future packed with failures and a few successes; a future that I'm going to create. Damn excited!

posted by Tomi Astikainen @ Monday, December 17, 2007 1 comments

Finally...

...I can publish my posts again! I was waiting and waiting Azri to solve the issue with the server but seemingly the issue was that they don't host any AIESEC-related stuff anymore. Boring! Anywho, now the blog continues living and breathing in astikainen.blogspot.com.

As of late so many things have happened. Where to start... Well, work-wise things are pretty much routine nowadays. Though we got a great addition to our team, Sifaan! He was the first Sri Lankan I ever met (back in 2004 in Estonia) and his words initiated my interest towards this country back then. Goes around, comes around...

Living in the Dream House has been a bliss. I mean, who could complain of air conditioned room, own bathroom, all household gadgets (except TV that I don't miss), nice flat mates and hot water. It's really like a dream here. The dream became complete when Paula arrived about a month ago. Soon our roads depart again when she heads for new challenges in Prague with Finnpro. But at least till February we can enjoy each others' company.

Speaking of February, for a long while I was mourning that the date is becoming closer when I have to pack my bags and go. Now, however, that I booked my flight (going back 18 Feb) I've started longing for home more and more. I can't wait to see all my friends up north. Meanwhile, I've consciously or unconsciously started paying more and more attention to even small shortcomings of this country to level the emotions that will inevitably surface as I step into the Katunayake airport premises.

One of the good reasons (read: excuses) to go was the recent bomb blast that killed 19 civilians. Just before that the government had managed to pull of a major increase in the defense budget. The 20% increase would instill 160.000.000.000 Rs for the sole purpose of killing. Hooray!

When I heard about the bomb blast my first thought was "Shit, there's going to be a lot of traffic." as I was coming back from a training program and wanted to reach home as quickly as possible. My second thought was "Why is it that I don't care anymore? Why this slaughter has become so common place?". Who knows...

Off the topic... Lately different people have tried to "convert" me (or at least convince) behind different religions from Islam to some new-age Christianity. I was wondering if it really is some sort of a God who's trying to contact me through these people and say that I should change my ways, but then I realized it's just that maybe I'm more receptive for that kind of people right now. After all, my goals for my time in Sri Lanka revolved around the theme of becoming "physically, mentally and spiritually balanced entrepreneur".



Mentally I've learned a lot. I've learned how not to stress about small things or lack there of. I've learned to appreciate the simplicity and simple pleasures in life. I've learned how to smile more. I've this and that...



Physically, I've started going to the gym (which I thought I'd never do!) and I'm actually enjoying it. I also went back to my old liking, badminton. Kilos are not dropping but some of the fat is being replaced by muscle. Most imp0rtantly, I've proved myself wrong regarding three "gym myths": 1) People who go to gym are not complete self-righteous assholes (though some of them are), 2) I don't hate the gym and 3) I don't completely suck in it.



Spiritually... yet to see. At least I've learned to respect religious people more though not being religious myself. Here four major religions are living in complete harmony and even an atheist like me don't have to feel insecure or worthless.

Period.

posted by Tomi Astikainen @ Tuesday, December 04, 2007 1 comments