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2008-03-24T09:43:00.002+02:00

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Author's Notes

2008-02-12T11:04:00.000+02:00

Friends, family, strangers… whoever has been reading this blog… it’s time to come to a closure. As any good book also the good experiences come to an end. On Monday 18 Feb I'm packing my bags and flying back home. Consider these as the author’s notes on the back of the book.

What will I be missing about Sri Lanka?

Sounds of life: It´s not just tuk-tuks, music, prayers and tooting horns but also the sounds of nature. In Sri Lanka you feel as part of nature. It surrounds you. You are part of it. And every living creature around you is your fellow citizen, not just the human beings.

Being recognized: As awkward it might have been in the beginning, I will miss the fact that complete strangers greet you on the street. And for them you are “Sir”. New people that you meet are genuinely interested of where you´re coming from, how is your country and how do you like their country. For them you are someone interesting, someone different, someone.

Diversity of nature: The parrots, crabs, slugs, spiders, stray dogs and the huge flying foxes (enormous bats) are just a fraction of the nature. You observe the trees and without turning your head you see ten different ones. Within just a couple of hundred km radius you shift from city to hill country to a paradise beach. It´s all there - all you need - compact on one small island.

The beach life: You jump into a bus and in three-four hours you are in paradise (namely Mirissa beach). So far you´ve spent 50 cents. You spend your weekend there among coconut trees, crystal-clear ocean water, fine-grain yellow sand, and absolutely no one bothering you. You eat and drink well for the whole weekend and still end up spending just about 20-30 euros. It´s affordable, no? And the best thing is that it seems like made for you. Just a handful of tourists lingers on and on the low-season it´s just you and your friends.

Solitude among chaos: The weirdest thing is that though in the city (Colombo) the hazzle is omnipresent – except after nine in the evening – you somehow find a lot of time for reflection. You can walz among the chaos and still feel that it´s just you with your own thoughts.

Anti-materialism: Except for my laptop (that enables me to create text, sounds and images) I managed to rid myself of nearly all materialism. Losing cameras or phones didn´t matter that much. Going around in far-from-perfect clothes was ok. And the so called necessities like fridge, TV or an oven became distant luxury.

Tuk-tuks: No matter how much hazzle you have to go through to bargain a reasonable price or how annoying it is that 50 drivers bug you on your Sunday walk, the tuk-tuks – or three-wheelers – are a very convenient means of transport. They are everywhere, anytime! You just hop in and they take you to your destination saving you the trouble of walking or using a crowded bus.

Riding a Gizmo: Even the tuk-tuks pale in comparison to your own moped – or the commonly known brand name Gizmo. The freedom that you feel when you are criss-crossing amidst the traffic and finding your way through the smallest entries possible is just overwhelming. You can break all the traffic rules and just speed away when the cars patiently wait in the rush hour.

Kirulapone family: Regardless of poor living conditions in my first accommodation in Kirulapone the people there made it home. As we were all going through the same tough experience the bond between people was amazing.

Time freedom: Being the master of your own time and not feeling any external pressure to hurry is such a good state of being.

Food: Though you quickly get fed up – no pun intended – of rice and curry when you have it every day that will be something I will miss. So elegantly mixed tastes of different curries and sambols mixing and matching with the plain rice… and the best thing is that you could use your fingers for eating! Also the seafood, deviled dishes, kotthu, wade etc will always remain in my memories… and hopefully again on my plate one day.

Sun: It seems that I´m physically made for a place with an everlasting sun shine and warmth. I feel better, I look better, and my friggin´ skin is not dry!

What will I not miss?

Pollution: Though you get accustomed to it very quickly and it doesn´t really bother you after a while, the pollution in the city is something I will not miss. I´ll be glad to breathe the fresh winter air again.

Mosquitoes: Those vicious little bastards suck your blood and keep you awake at night. It´s not the thought of them spreading diseases but just the mere annoyance of their presence that really gets to you.

Monsoon rains: Oh boy, the infamous mid-summer rains back home are a pathetic tricle compared to these mega-showers. And they are so unpredictable! There you are enjoying the sun-shine when a cloud appears from nowhere and pours cats and dogs for the next three hours. And sometimes it just doesn´t stop! Nearly continous rain for three months is not fun anymore! Seeing a sunny day gets you hoping it stopped and then the showers return. You are wet all over and you got to walk through the shitty water on the streets that´s up your knee level.

Malfunctioning Gizmo: Regardless of the freedom and ease of travel the moped provides, finding it malfunctioning can really get on your nerves. It was not uncommon for me to try and start it for ten minutes before the poor bugger would turn on. Sometimes it drained my wallet but mainly it was the burden of getting it fixed over and over again that was really irritating.

Kirulapone residence: For a normal westerner the house in Kirulapone would be a no-no place to stay. We did. We put up with the discomfort of having no basic home equipment and sometimes not even water. We put up with the hideous bugs, rats, mosquitoes, spiders, cockroaches and whatnot. We even tolerated the friggin´uguduwa (infernal beaver-like predator cat whatever it is) peeing through the ceiling and running around in the attic. I guess the last straw was the increased discomfort of knowing that someone is watching you through the window in the night… that someone is coming in through your bathroom window and stealing your stuff no matter if the people are there or not.

Dishonesty: People trying to rip you off just because you happen to be white or someone taking your belongings is something I cannot tolerate. Full stop.

What were my most impressive experiences?

Climbing Sri Pada: Going up more than 5000 steps in the middle of the night being surrounded by pilgrims of four different religions and of all age classes from babies to grannies and grandpas is a once in a lifetime experience. Waiting the sun to rise on the top of Adam´s Peak to take away your shivering cold and unveil the beauty of the landscape is something you cannot describe in words.

Sitting on Giragala: Sitting alone on top of the parrot rock in Mirissa and watching the wide-open sea is what I did many times but what I never got bored of. The process of going there became kind of a tradition. First you get yourself to the rock – usually through shallow water. Then you go and see the diversity of fish that are gathered to swim around in nature-made aquarium next to the big rock. Finally you climb on the top and just sit there contemplating and observing the beauty of the white-foamed water that splashes against the rock revealing the crabs that hurry back and fro. Your vision is filled with the splendor of the most exquisite beach, lined up with coconut trees and caressed by the waves that change their color from deep blue to green to white as they proceed.

Nature trail in Belihuloya: Facilitating treasure hunts for the clients was just a minor part of being in Belihuloya. That place became so familiar so quickly. You would know every rock, stream, tree and paddy field in the vicinity. Still every time it was a bit different. The water levels had changed revealing things that you had not noticed before or disclosing pathways that you thought you could be using. In my mind´s eye I remember every small detail along the seven-kilometer trail. I can still feel the mud on my feet, the water on my face, and the distinct odour of the nature. I can still see the beauty of the 12-foot waterfall and I can still remember the joys of the river bath – the ultimate treasure at the end of the rainbow.

What were my worst experiences?

Bureaucracy: Dealing with government agencies in this country is a major turn off. Whether it´s department of immigration, post-office or police station there should be a huge warning sign AVOID for all the westerners – well maybe not Germans – who have got used things going smoothly. Honestly, these guys are just killing time in those offices, not actually working. The fear of the man keeps them fixed with their rigid rules, guidelines, stamping and checking processes that slow things down considerably.

Sweaty nights: Waking up in the middle of the night crying and wondering why are you sobbing just to realize it´s because of the smoke from the mosquitoe coil pervading your eyelids is not a pleasant experience. Adding to that, the extreme heat caused by the malfunctioning fan could well make it to the list of worst experiences. And of course all this happened in that lovely house in Kirulapone, without a real bed but just a mattress on the floor!

What will I enjoy about being back home?

Friends: My best friends are there. I will find time to spend time with them and catch up the lost time together, regardless of whatever urgencies the life might pose.

Sauna: Integral part of my upbringing, culture and my lifestyle has been missing for so long. I want to go to sauna at least once a week from now on.

Comfort of living: I will now appreciate more the great living standards that we have. Being home is at least as good as going to movies or dining out.

Ease of traveling: Finnish trains and buses are light years ahead of these cramped public transportation methods and slowly proceeding traffic.

Nature: Jotting down the best sides of Sri Lanka made me realize how much I appreciate being in the nature. I will go out of my way to explore the Finnish nature more than this far and stop taking it for granted.

Drinking tap water: We have the best water in the world – better than any bottled water - and we use it for washing our cars and watering our plants! I will do my best to preserve that scarce resource and enjoy every drop of it.

What willl I not be enjoying about being back home?

Cost of living: I hope I won´t be converting all prices into rupees because then everything will appear very costly. I have to start getting revenues from my business pretty soon in order to afford living in Finland.

Cold and dark: I don´t know how my system will react to the immense switch in temperature and humidity that I have to deal with going back home. It might be very depressing if I´m not able to enjoy the four seasons anymore.

What would you like to keep having/doing at home?

Sports: Going to gym and playing badminton became nearly a routine for me towards the latter part of my time in Sri Lanka. I need to build a routine of these to activities also back home. For that I need to have some company because playing badminton is pretty difficult just by yourself and I also need someone to kick my butt to the gym regularly.

Time freedom: Though the life rhythm in Finland is more hectic and people respect time more than in Sri Lanka, I will try to get the best of both worlds. I will avoid saying “I´m busy” because that´s the only way to become busy.

International lifestyle: For the past three years or so I´ve mainly used English as my first language and the diversity of people surrounding me has been stunning. If I´d discontinue this kind of lifestyle it would be odd.

How is organizational culture different in my home country from Sri Lanka?

Everything is much more planned, punctual and organized. I should not let it inhibit my ability to explore and innovate unplanned ideas every day. If I can combine these two ways of work it will be a true strength.

What are my expectations and ideas about the return situation?

I don´t expect it to be too easy. I guess I need to take the same approach as when coming here: take the whole package with positive and negative sides and withold judgement. I don´t expect anything. I can not. If I do I will be let down, disappointed, by my home culture.

What has changed in me, my world’s perception, and values?

Having gone through this experience I don´t take anything for granted anymore. I forbid myself of seeing just one side of the coin, of judging that there´s only one way of doing things, living, making decisions and co-existing with the rest of the world. Maybe it is increased tolerance or maybe it is that I´m now more ready to see and explore other ways of leading one´s life.

As for the values the family has become much more important. I know see and admit how grueling it must have been for my parents to try and raise me. I see how much my siblings have invested in helping me. I see the family as a safety net one can always fall back on. They don´t judge you. No matter what they say or do, deep within, it´s unconditional love. I´ll do my utmost for enriching their lives as they have done for me. And all they ask is that I be with them. Doable.

What has changed in my family and friends?

My mom, dad, sister and brother are all seemingly enjoying their lives. Sometimes it seems that they are even getting along with each other better than before. I hope we could become a tight-knit family with open communication and a lot of interaction. If I can be an agent of positive change in that I´m willing to see through what it takes to make it happen.

My girlfriend remains an enigma with increased independency and a curious human being seeking for more international adventures. Though it will be painful to let go again, after this common experience I know our relationship is strong enough to take whatever hits that might lurk along the way.

Many of my friends are becoming more and more stable, getting married and raising children. I fear that I will soon have nothing in common with them, or that we don´t find time to nourish the friendship. Then again, my best friends are still in their adventurous phase of life with high ambitions and future dreams. I feel that time away from them has connected me with them on even deeper level than before. That is genuine friendship worth living for.

What are the difficulties I may face? How will I overcome them?

Being an outsider: Living in a community of people who are going through the same experience for the past one and half years will no longer be there. I will be totally alone with my new perspectives if I don´t find people to share it with. Luckily I have a few very close friends who have gone through that hell already.

Work-life balance: Becoming an entrepreneur and practically starting out with nothing is a scary thought that will push me to work real hard to become successful. Then again, it is not going to be a success if I lose my mind in the process or seriously harm my closest relationships. Finding time for myself, for my business and for my closest people is going to be a balancing act.

How can I best present my experience back home?

I will take part in the re-integration seminar (Success 2008) to hear the stories of other returnees and discuss the similarities in our experiences. For our “old gang” there will be a special “homecoming party”. For my other friends and family I share what they want, without pushing them too much Sri Lanka this and that. As per my previous experience people don´t seem to care where I have been or what has happened. What they do care – and that is more important – is that I´m back with them. Still, I would like to share this extraordinary experience with others. If you are reading this it means I´ve managed to do it.

If this really was a book, what genre would it be?

Romance-action-thriller-tragicomedy.

Does passion make you scared?

2008-01-07T14:27:00.000+02:00

I'm shit-scared of starting up as an entrepreneur, to the extent that I'm unable to get a good night's sleep. For a while I didn't know why... Let's face the facts:

I've pretty much lost the interest in money: That word is nothing more than a necessary evil for me. Of course you got to make money if you're in business, but losing money is a no big deal for me.
I'm not scared of failure: Damn, I'm actually looking forward to it! I know it can be teeth-grinding misery for a while, but the best things in my life have happened after failure.

So, what am I so scared of then? Shouldn't it be smooth-sailing from here onwards? Finally going on my own and fulfilling one small part of my life dreams...

I just realized that my fear might be coming from the fact that I'm still not certain if leadership or helping others are really my biggest life passions. Can it be that I'm thinking "what if I could be doing something even more exciting?" that is causing me the gray hair?

Just recently I clarified that it's actually generating ideas that I'm truly deeply madly passionate about. I love starting things, coming up with unique - even crazy - ideas that might work. Should I already go and explore to make a business out of that, or should I just wait and concentrate on something that can bring the bread in my table? Hmph!

So many questions without answers.

Ending on a less philosophical - even vain - notion... I cut my hair yesterday. I don't know what was the final trigger in that - was it the people nagging for the past few years that I should do so, or was it just the fact that my hair looked like a bird nest every morning? Don't know. But now I feel incomplete. People say I look younger (which might not be a good thing in business where all the rest are competing with their years of experience and amount of gray hair). People say "It's not Tomi". That's exactly how I feel like. They cut off part of me... was it really me who made that decision?

Appendix: Exercises and executive summary

2007-12-17T06:22:00.000+02:00

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!

Finally...

2007-12-04T11:02:00.002+02:00

...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.

The Rise and Fall of Roman Empire

2007-10-09T11:49:00.000+03:00

I haven't been writing in a while... for a reason. Like you know, we used to live in a house called Rome. We were referred to as Romans and we even had Caesar (a two-meter water monitor guarding our property). But even Caesar was not enough for us to be saved of the cunning plans of thieves and burglars who continuously violated our privacy. The last time (a few weeks ago) someone came in during the day through our bathroom window and stole stuff worth 160.000 rupees.

Moreover we had had our share of insects and dirt, of Uguduwas peeing through the ceiling, and of mosquitoes sucking our blood. Finally, the patience of our landlord came to an end. After all he had been tolerating the multicultural community of young AIESECers for nearly five years. Since the house wasn't exactly sound-proof (or even air-tight) he got enough of us. The time had come to let the Roman Empire fall.

We started dreaming of nice clean house with a bit more luxury, something that one could describe as normal living conditions. All of us started working hard to find the place of our dreams. It seemed that all of the places we checked were either too far, too ugly or just otherwise unsuitable for our requirements.

Then we came across a newly built (2003) flat just a few hundred meters from our office. As soon as we saw the place, it felt like home. The only obstacles were a) it was a bit expensive and we were expected to pay one year's rent in advance and b) the landlord was scared of having six people in an apartment where there has previously been maximum of two people. He thought we would completely wreck the place.

It seemed hopeless for a while, but finally we managed to negotiate less financially painful terms with Kumara (now we call our landlord by name!). We also agreed to change our ways and make sure that generations after us will get to enjoy a bit of luxury during their stay in Sri Lanka. So, we got the place!

We started calling it The Dream House. It’s more than we could ever expect: fully-furnished, clean tiled placed with hot water and great kitchen equipment. We even have a washing machine! To build an enjoyable culture within the house that would serve also the needs of newcomers, we decided to come up with The Dream House Values. We didn't want to make rules as such but values seemed like a proper thing to have. Here they are... We value CLEAN:

Civilized relaxation
Living tomorrow
Enjoying comfort
All-for-one attitude
Nurturing diversity

We even made a descriptor for the house: "The multicultural accommodation for posh interns to feel like home". That summarizes what it is and why it is. Our quality of life has skyrocketed lately. Within just a week we have had a filthy expensive (posh!) housewarming party, we have joined the gym and started playing badminton on a next-door sports complex, we are cooking together and even planning a healthier diet. Somehow everything just changed when we got out of the dirt-filled Rome. Now we are living our dream, especially when Paula finally joins the Dream Team in 30 October... It's just sad to know that in four and half months we have to leave already...

Mandy - The German

2007-09-20T13:45:00.000+03:00

“Thank god for Germans!” is a sentence I’ve said a few times in situations where having German punctuality, planning ability and organized manner really saved the day and made things so much easier. Still, for Mandy I might have never said it.

She has had to bear with my stupid culturally insensitive – no… culturally unacceptable – jokes maybe more than anyone else. But I hope that at the end of the day she understands I really respect her as who she is: a great friend with a very unique personality. What I admire most in Mandy is that she never hides her feelings: If she’s pissed off she let’s others understand it. If she’s happy she shares her joy with everyone. If she needs things to get done, she damn sure makes things happen. If she’s sad she cries. If she’s hurt, she talks.

With Mandy you don’t have to put on any kind of act but just be yourself. Together we have acted foolishly, graved for cheese & salami, broken a couple of Gizmos, partied the whole night, savored Salmiakki in both liquid and solid forms, and of course – it’s all coming back to me – started the Pink Panther fan club!

Mandy also has a true passion to her work: She doesn’t speak about work much but she acts more than she speaks. It’s not uncommon for her to work home till late night, have breakfast with a laptop and after that spend a long day at the office, coming back home only eight or nine in the evening. But this doesn’t mean she would be a workaholic. No, she can also let her hair down and enjoy life.

Mandy, you might not always the easiest person to deal with. But you are you! Don’t ever change. Stay true!

Your klingelden frosch.

Shek - Roomie

2007-09-13T08:22:00.000+03:00

Having Shek as a roommate was a gift. He was the kind of guy who you'd instantly feel comfortable with. He was the person who was the first one to ask if I'd like to go on a weekend trip in Sigiriya when I had just arrived and didn't feel as part of the community yet. He was the kind of guy who I could share anything and everything with from deep feelings to random thoughts. I managed to shock him more than once with my gross stories and behavior but no matter how disgusting I was he stayed as my friend. I really appreciate the fact that he'd directly tell to my face whenever I was an ass, and believe me it was more often than once.

What I most admire of him is his determination, guts and ambition. He is much more mature than many of his age. He has dreams that he is not afraid to go after. He came to Sri Lanka to work in advertising, though he had never been exposed to the field before. In actuality, due to others' expectations he did a degree in engineering in India. Once roads and transportation didn't really do the trick he ventured out to advertising where he could better use his creativity, ideas and high working morale. It was so interesting to listen to his stories of successes and failures at work because whatever the story was it was always told with unquestionable over-riding passion.

One day we will both be entrepreneurs and he's just the kind of business partner anyone would love to have. Hopefully our paths cross again and we can make miracles happen together. And if that happens I promise not to leave used cotton buds in your room anymore. Thanks mate for the added value you brought to my life! I miss our early morning tuk-tuk rides.

Katty – Big sister

2007-09-03T14:15:00.000+03:00

When I started writing this I had a weird feeling that I’ve already done it. But no, I haven’t posted on Katty yet. Maybe the feeling came from the fact that I’ve already mentioned her so many times before or because I still think of her so often, though she’s already back in Croatia. She was – no she is – like a big sister for me, though there’s no age difference. In the beginning when I had the mindset that Sri Lanka can be a dangerous place I was shit-scared of even fire-crackers, not to mention thunder that made me shiver alone in my room. I’d go to Katty and she’d comfort me, being an ex-Yugoslavian and knowing exactly what sounds of war are like. First connecting factor with Katty was her extensive AIESEC experience. It didn’t take long for us to realize that we share many common acquaintances and one very good friend (one particular Macedonian called Petak). With Petak I had already felt brotherhood and thought maybe there’s a bloodline in my family that originates from Balkans. With Katty that feeling just strengthened.

We would share our frustrations, our moments of happiness, our dreams and hopes. There was nothing we couldn’t talk about. That led to a number of situations where we were the only ones still up when all the rest had already gone to bed. In a way, she was also my shrink: being interested in psychology and having genuine willingness to listen she’d guide me through the darkest valleys of my time in Sri Lanka.

Previously I had one brother and one sister that have always been there for me and that I love so much. Now I have one more sister. Thanks Katty for being there for me! I’ll keep my promise and we’ll meet again.

Wily - The Sinha Raja

2007-08-21T09:23:00.000+03:00

Wily wasn’t living in Rome but his social nature made him a real Roman. He was spending more time in Rome than in P-house where he officially stayed.

We were trying to get Wily working for Unleash Talent Inc but it was not because of our company that he came to Sri Lanka. Adventure Asia got him first. As soon as I saw his CV I was impressed. And it was not just empty words on paper: Wily is one of the most uniquely intellectual people I’ve ever met. His strong side was cultural integration. Though he was in Sri Lanka only for three months he learned more of the language, culture and local people than maybe any of us. He quickly made friends with the locals and his smile charmed pretty much everyone around him.

Not only was he the joke-machine for any occasion, he was an excellent cook. More than once he treated us with his Indonesian delicacies. As a matter of fact I wouldn’t mind fulfilling one of my dreams some time in the distant future with him: opening a common restaurant. That brings up another one of his several good qualities: Though only in his late 20s he’s already started, failed and succeeded with many of his own companies. One day, he’s going to make it big! Wily, you are going to be a beautiful entrepreneur!

Changing ways

2007-08-20T13:59:00.001+03:00

For a person brought up in western society the Sri Lankan Sunday paper can be quite a shock to read. There you have the classified adds as in any other country but apart from the vehicles, apartments and home electronics the most space is used by potential brides and grooms (or more often their parents) who are looking for a partner. I'm quite fine with that now that I've been exposed to the Sri Lankan cultural oddities for more than a year, but today I was shocked. I saw the following add:

"Relationships are selfish and self-centered that’s my experience; Therefore I don’t believe in long lasting marriages and relationships. Explore each other’s personalities will give us a glimpse of a new life. This way of looking at life is hard. Marriage will be an endresult but if only we both feel it’s workable. I am in my late 30’s, a Sri Lankan. Lets try to come from our traditional barriers and cultures. Even you are in a marriage, still we can discuss this new approach of life. Lets talk."

What this guy is saying is against the public opinion here, and he clearly acknowledges that fact. Still, at the same time he's using the "traditional way" - classifieds - to get in touch with people who'd share his view. I don't know whether to be impressed, confused or something in between.

Ralph – Our monkey

2007-08-17T07:19:00.000+03:00

Anyone who’s known me before I left to Sri Lanka might not believe that it’s possible to have someone even more “social monkey” like character than me but – oh yes – Ralph exceeds all the stunts I’ve ever done. When with him continuous amusement is guaranteed. He has an innate ability to make humor out of any situation.

But he is much more than a joker. We’d have loads of late night discussions with him about entrepreneurship, future, consulting, Sri Lankan business environment, relationship and what not. I could really connect with him and I was so sad when he left.

He also showed his kind-heartedness by silently organizing a fundraising campaign in the Netherlands and donating the revenue (over 5000 euros) to a Sri Lankan orphanage. He did it out of goodwill and never wanted any credit of it.

It’s good to know there’s such a great friend waiting for me when I go back to Europe. Now I have one more reason to visit Holland, a country where I still haven’t been in. Nijmegen, beware when these two get together again!

Safety of a leader

2007-08-13T12:25:00.000+03:00

I first thought of posting this to our Leadership Blog, but it became so personal that this is a better place for it.

I just heard that the Sri Lankan government officials who are responsible of escorting politicians and other top leaders have been given orders not to stop at any circumstance. I read this from a local car magazine. The editor said he’s seen massive Land Rovers being brought to repair after smashing something heavy on their way, driving at a considerably fast.

Fine, being in general public you should of course know these things. When the police tell you to stop, you stop. But what if there is no police around and you just happen to go on the street with your bicycle, car or whatever it is you’re driving? What if the VIP escort crashes you and just speeds off? Who is responsible? You are. You should have known. You are even expected to bear the costs. They don’t have insurance for something like that. You should have.

Right, so orders are orders. What to do? I’m not blaming the drivers. In the end they are just doing their job. They can’t refuse obeying the orders, otherwise they would be part of the general public avoiding the escorts, without a job.

But how about those highly important people in the vehicle behind them who are being escorted? How do they feel when they see a kid bleeding in the ground that they’ve just ran over? What leaders are so self-righteously important that they can allow something like this to happen? How would you feel being in that car?

Anyhow, physical safety is just one aspect of challenges that contemporary leaders have to deal with. Reputation of a leader, for example, could sometimes use a bodyguard, am I right? And what about mental safety of leaders who are in the spotlight? That extreme pressure can even lead to physical damage. Shouldn’t that be protected somehow?

When I was a teenager, I knew I’d be something big one day. I had ambitions – and still have – that will lead to some amount of public exposure. I thought what would happen if I’m applying for some leadership position later on in my life and the press decides to do a background check? There are more than enough silly pictures of me and there are my writings out there that can be misinterpreted in many ways. Of course all that could be used against me, so why wasn’t I afraid of making it all public?

It’s a choice – a choice to have no fear. It’s also admitting the very fact that I’m just a human being – with all my flaws, errors and imperfect history. That very fact is forgotten by so many people who become leaders. They think they’re above everyone else. They think they can have rights that others don’t have. They think they’re not responsible. What a misconception.

In the meantime, we have a generation of leaders growing up who are so used to whatever Habbo Hotels, Facebooks, IRC galleries, and Blogs that they might not even think how exposed they are to anyone who wants to misuse their conduct in the web.

Even the fact that I've chosen to publicize my contact details in this blog is questionable. I meant them for my friends and acquaintances but in reality any weirdo could pick them up and start harassing me. But that's life of the blue-eyed.

Treat your leaders, team members and peers equally and protect their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual safety. We're all just human beings, with feelings.

PS. There's one more thing that can possibly cause me gray hair with publicity; I just finished the 2nd last version of my book. I don't know if I'm ever willing to publish it, but if you want to read the draft version, you may request it by email.

Sasha – My hug-buddy

2007-08-10T14:10:00.000+03:00

This particular Russian is one of the most peculiar characters I’ve ever had a chance to know. She had a habit of having long conversations with herself, for instance. I’d be smoking on a bench just outside Rome and she’d come out of the house with a weird look on her face. Before I could ask anything she’d say that my presence interrupted a conversation that she was just having (there was no one else around). Seemingly we shared something in common in all that weirdness because we became very good friends.

Once I complained to Sasha how there’s no one around to hug anymore after leaving the “active AIESEC career”. She suggested we would have a daily hug. And we did. It was a nice start for a day, seeing her run from whatever she was attending to just to give me a hug. Now, how many people do you know who would do something like that?

From the very beginning I was wondering why she’s all the time asking from anyone if they wanted something from the shop, if she could make them tea, or without asking taking their dirty dishes away and washing them. That was behavior unheard of for me. Maybe it thought me a bit of a lesson.

I’m glad to say that one day I most likely will work with her in Finland, Russia or maybe in Sri Lanka. Even if I wouldn’t get a pleasure of working with her, I know she will always be my hug-buddy. And we’ll meet again!

I told me so

2007-08-06T13:07:00.000+03:00

When it was Katty’s last evening in Kirulapone before going back home to Croatia, we stayed up having a chat though nearly everyone else had hit the sack already. We discussed about how hard it will be to re-integrate and all the things she will miss. Back here she had arranged pretty much all practicalities when it comes to work and handling all the other nitty-gritties before leaving. There was one thing, though, that was consuming her mind: She had not found a buyer for her Gizmo (a local moped brand). For a while I had secretly hoped that she would ask me to buy it, because it seemed such and easy means to get around in the traffic wilderness of Colombo. I hesitated to suggest a possible purchase however because I know how troublesome it can be to own something, not least something involving technology.

Let’s rewind a bit… There was a time that I used to drive my own car (-89 Suzuki Swift). I liked the car since it allowed freedom and independence to some extent. Nonetheless, there was always something to be fixed and it caused me a lot of grey hair. Even my wallet didn’t like it. So, one fine summer Sunday as we sat next to a bonfire and relaxed on the beach with some friends I realized how much less complicated life would be if I didn’t have the car. In the meantime I had heard my friend talking about buying a car but not having money so I decided to do both of us a favor. I asked if he would like to buy some gasoline from me for 30 Euros. He was perplexed. I explained he would get the container for free. He still didn’t get it. I reached to my pocket and took out the Suzuki key. Next day he was a proud owner of that piece of crap. But hey, it was only 30 E.

So with this experience pounding still at the back of my head I wasn’t that ready to just go and buy some more worries for myself. As a matter of fact it was a bit against my “simple life” credo that I’ve followed for the past few years (i.e. got rid of nearly all my earthly belongings). However since it was again a similar situation where I would help out a friend to get rid of her troubles and possibly gain something myself in the deal I agreed to get the damn thing of her hands. She was happy.

Then Katty left and there I was staring at the half-malfunctioning means of transport. I was happy too. Some time passed as Gizmo was taken to be serviced. When it came back the only thing missing was some small piece from the silencer. I think I referred to this already in some previous posting. Anyways, I was dumb enough to take it for a ride and the whole silencer dropped somewhere on the street. So, after some more investments I was set to go. I quickly realized that it is the quickest and cheapest (excluding public bus) means of transport in the city. I loved it.

After just a few days of cruising around I hit a curb trying to avoid getting hit by a bus and the left pedal eventually fell of. Now, I might have mentioned how Sri Lankans tend to find quick-fixes instead of long-term solutions. In that sense (also) I’ve become quite Sri Lankan. I took some super glue and tried to glue the pedal back on. Of course it didn’t last for too long so I just pocketed the pedal and tried to start it up by using only the right-side pedal. After some sweating it worked. Sometimes, though, I have to install the other pedal temporarily and remove it after it starts. For a few weeks now I’ve been carrying the loose pedal in my pocket or back pack just in case I need it (sometimes I do).

Ok, fine, good enough for me. But then another blunder occurred. One day I was leaving from the office and the rear tire didn’t have any air. I drove the Gizmo to the nearest place where they sell (nope, it’s not free here) air and filled the tire. Since it didn’t seem to deflate I didn’t bother getting the tire patched or replaced. That was about a week ago.

This morning the same thing happened again. No air! Duh! So, I pushed the bike to a tire shop and asked them to patch it finally. I had some errands to run anyways so I could easily wait for half an hour and change the 300 rupees they were asking for her. So, after about 50 minutes (Sri Lankan half an hour) and 350 rupees later I got my baby back and started off for work (being terribly late already). After about 500 meters I heard a loud scratching noise and the rear tire locked. I stopped just to see that the chain had fallen off. Of course I didn’t have more tools than a plain screwdriver with me so I fought with it for a good 30 minutes and headed back towards the tire shop. No matter how carefully I tried to drive the chain fell off again. I went through a few moments of desperation, thought of leaving it there, and just running back home to sleep (‘cos by now I was about 300 meters from our house… good progress, no?).

I reminded myself of patience being a virtue, took the screwdriver, put the chain back on and continued for another 40 meters. Again! Had enough, took the bike and shoved it into a tuk-tuk, got myself squeezed between the trishaw seat and the bike, told the machang (dude) to drive back to the tire shop, landed there, hissed something at the fellow who couldn’t understand why I’m bringing the bike back in a friggin’ three-wheeler and, after some time of trying to calm down, explained the situation to him. The tuk-tuk driver was getting raring to go and demanded to have his money. I asked the tire shop people to pay the poor fellow but they refused saying it’s none of their problem. I articulated the facts in a very Tomi-like non-sophisticated way and managed to piss off the owner of the shop. End result? They paid him and as of now they are re-fixing the bike for free. I just hope they don’t fix a Gizmo-bomb to it and that I get it back still today.

The learning point? Who knows…

Rasmus - The "OK" man

2007-07-24T10:42:00.000+03:00

Rasmus Vido was a controversial character. For anyone who didn’t know him he appeared as the most silent person in the group. But anyone who really knew him knew also that he’s an absolute party animal and the soul of Rome.

He wasn’t exactly a party starter, but he did have an fascinating way of life: he was the “ok” man. Whatever you’d suggest to him, he would do it. Even if he was still working in the evening and you asked him for a beer he would be there in less than ten minutes. That led to interesting situations where Rasmus was hanging, climbing, crossing, and whatevering the most imaginable places. He would climb a pole and drop himself in the middle of a party. He would climb a tuk-tuk roof. He would do the craziest things, while exceeding expectations at work and taking care of his physical, mental and spiritual shape.

I used to do so much with him. He kept me active. We’d go and play football. We’d go and meditate with middle aged Sri Lankan women. We’d chase cars and tuk-tuks that wouldn’t take a hitch hiker early in the morning.

Rasmus left Sri Lanka in December and all of us climbed the roof of Rome just to commemorate all the good things he brought to us. Now he’s a consultant in Danish Post and taking steps to become a real adult. Rasmus, never lose your inner child! Hosch!

365

2007-07-19T12:01:00.000+03:00

This is the 365^th day of my internship in Sri Lanka (and #100 posting). It doesn’t differ much from the other days on the outset but it bears symbolical meaning for me. In the beginning I was trying to survive day by day, getting used to the new environment. I was counting days, weeks and months that I had done. I remember how insurmountable the time ahead felt when I had completed one month. 17/18 to go I thought.

Now I’m no longer afraid of the time ahead of my stay; I’m more ahead of the time ahead after the internship. Or not maybe afraid, but I wonder if I’m ever going to see the world as it was, if I’m at all able to adjust to the hasty European life-style, even if I have anymore what it takes to survive a Finnish winter. Not to mention the challenges ahead in the professional life. At the same time I feel a bit sad. This is my home now and after the last 1/3 I have to leave home behind. But I know I will come back sooner than later.

I was thinking how I could best amplify the importance of this posting; whether I should be talking about the 10 things I hate/love about Sri Lanka or something else that would sum up the experience so far. But it all feels so shallow. Because in the end it’s not the country as such that makes your experience complete. It’s the people around you. I realized I haven’t given enough emphasis on the people who have been there for me every day; my fellow interns, the citizens of Rome.

Jara

I start the series of introductions with Jaroslav Pekachek, or Jara, who was working at the same office with me in the beginning. He was the one who showed me around and made it so much easier to face all the peculiarities of the new culture. He was the one who offered to be my roommate when I learned to hate my lonely heat-hell (the first room assigned to me).

I admired, and still do, his adventurous approach on life. Apart from his extreme hobbies like climbing, snowboarding and mountain biking he genuinely lives for adventure. He has managed to combine his love of adventure with his tendency to help others in the project in

India

that I’ve already mentioned a couple of times.

But more important is what he is, not what he does. I never saw him angry, hardly ever even a least bit anxious. He always carried a smile on his face and made himself easy to cope with. His laid-back attitude was contagious. In his company you could just relax and enjoy. When offered a drink he wouldn’t spit in the bottle; he lived every day as it came by. If he felt like partying to 4 AM and climbing roofs he did it with genuine commitment whilst holding himself accountable to wake up at six in the morning for work.

So that this wouldn’t sound like obituary I must thank him once more for his hospitality in his home country Czech Republic. We had such a nice time together on my visit there. And yes, he’s still alive – more than ever! Thank you Jara for being such a great friend!

#99 - The end of chapter three

2007-07-13T12:36:00.000+03:00

This is my 99th blog posting. After being three months in Sri Lanka I wrote a posting "End of chapter two". Now it's a good point to reflect back on how life has been during the past nine months and close the third chapter (that turned out to be a bit longer than the previous ones)

Finns. As I found the other Finns in Colombo my life changed a bit. I saw how they are living in much more luxurious way, though not that far away from my semi-jungle dwelling. I saw how they are sticking to their own language while I'm spicing up my English with normal Sinhalese expressions. I realized they can afford AC while I'm quick-fixing my fan. I envied a bit their living conditions while I had to put up with the smell in my room where I still felt like home. I heard them planning their summer vacation in Finland whilst I thought I'm stuck here for the whole 18 months.
That triggered a change in my thinking. I realized I can also go back home for a while; and I did. I realized I can also lead a posh life every now and then; and I did. But most importantly, I realized I'm just fine with a simple life; I don't need all that glitter and comfort. All I need is people who I care about around me.

Growth & doubt. Hearing the positive feedback from our clients and seeing how hard it is to find "someone like me" to work at Unleash Talent, I understood how much I've grown professionally. I now understand my value in what I do, in what I'm passionate about. In case someone would want to employ me, they would have to pay a lot... and I'd still refuse. Of course I could go and work for someone else and collect money to have more stable basis to start my own business, but why would I postpone? The decision to become an entrepreneur is now so clear. That is what I want to do, yes, but I've also realized it's something I'm capable of. We have an excellent product and I'm ready to take up the challenge. Still, I doubt at times but mainly because of some practicalities.

Cross-cultural management. However, everything has not been that easy. The hardest part so far has been getting things done through others in a culture where a promise don't mean a shit. I hate pushing people all the time and reminding them of what needs to be done. Back home if you promise to do something, you do it. Here, you can choose not to. I have been really poor in "managing the third parties" outside our company. It seems that I'm powerless. I feel weak. I don't know how to get them to deliver. So many times I've heard people saying "I'll do it tomorrow", knowing it means that it might not ever happen but still hoping that something happens. So many times I've felt relieved that someone has said "yes", though it just meant "maybe" or "definitely not" and the person didn't want to hurt my feelings by telling the truth. The skill of cross-cultural management is yet to be developed. Oh boy, it's so different than in the university case studies...

Love confusion. I have been confused if my relationship is going to hold. I have been wondering if it's really worth waiting a common life somewhere in the future that might not ever actualize. I have been mulling over this same thing so many times just to go back to the original reasoning: "In case our relationship lasts over this period of time, it lasts everything". That has helped me always. Lately I've come to realize how much I actually love my significant other, and how much she misses me. No matter how independent lives we lead we belong together. It might be possible that we get to be together sooner than expected...

Book. Though lately I've been lazy finalizing the book I've been writing, it still is one of the major achievements during my time here. Somehow it just came together: a page after page the story just appeared on the paper (or screen actually). Maybe one day someone wants to publish that and maybe someone gets inspired or gets something out of it. The key point, however, is that I have proven myself that I have the discipline and capacity to write a full novel and not just random scribblings here and there.

How am I?

2007-07-05T12:08:00.000+03:00

I don't honestly know how I am. I'm in a bit of stagnated stage, but I kind of like since it still happens in a different environment. I don't know why I feel so numb. Maybe it's the routine that has developed. Now if someone asks how is life I usually answer "same old, same old" because that's exactly how I feel. I need some new excitement. I tried to get that by applying to AIESEC International Congress 2007 Facilitators' Team, but I wasn't selected. So, no three-weeks-in-Istanbul for me. I'm not bored... I'm just lazy. Maybe I've unconsciously shuffled my values and prioritized "Enjoying the moment" value over "Making a difference" at least for a while.

Though there has not been any major changes in my personal life, some changes are happening now a bit in Rome (our house). Katty's departure two weeks ago left a big hole in my social (drinking) life and as my beloved roomie Shek left I felt completely alone for a while. But that while was about half an hour because I instantly got a new room mate, Niall from UK. On Monday another intern Gaya from the Netherlands arrived. They are both working in Life in Red HIV project though only for two and half months.

I realized I get energy of them; seeing their enthusiasm and teaching them all the tricks of how to go about in the Sri Lankan environment. They've already been scared to death by Cesar, been unable to plug in anything to the electricity socket because they didn't know the pen trick, and lots of other incidents. Thanks guys for filling my social void.

The Leadership Blog

2007-07-05T08:58:00.000+03:00

Hola! We just started our company blog and it would be nice to get all people who are interested in leadership issues to check it out. Please comment on the blog or send your suggestions directly to me. The idea is that we post a new topic every Monday and then we'll have a conversation around it for one week (that calls for your contribution!). Anyways, just go to http://unleashtalent.blogspot.com/ and tell us what you think.

Finnishing my life

2007-06-28T07:56:00.000+03:00

On Monday evening I got a very unexpected but a pleasant surprise: A Serbian friend of mine invited us to Hilton to swim, for free! And there was a sauna!!! A proper sauna, with a proper stove. It was hot and it was allowed to throw water on the stove! It was such a good experience. For those completely unaware of Finnish culture, sauna is a cornerstone of it. For our whole lives we go to sauna at least once a week and we start that tradition on a very early age (six months or so). You can't believe how much a Finn misses sauna when being abroad, even in a hot and humid country like Sri Lanka. This was my second time in sauna in Sri Lanka. I'm still hyped up about it.

And yesterday the quality of my life jumped up a leapfrog. We got a coffee-maker! There was a Finnish guy who was leaving back to Finland and wanted to get rid of all his stuff. So I went there and picked up two coffee makers and a box full of groceries. Nice!

At the same time my friends keep sending me salmiakki, making me feel like home. At this time of the year I really miss the 24/7 sunlight. I guess all these factors defend the fact that while being far away from home, I'm trying to "Finnish" my life.

That's a stupid joke of mine that I use here a lot. Every time in a restaurant when the waiter asks "Are you finished?" it sounds like "Are you Finnish?". My response to that is always: "How did you know?" or "Are you Sri Lankan?". Boy, it makes them confused...

PS: I'm terribly sorry for the picture. It's just so Finnish. :)

The latest...

2007-06-22T11:05:00.000+03:00

Last weekend we finally dared to go to East of Sri Lanka. We went to Arugam Bay that was said to be the greatest beach on the island.

Traveling to Pothuwili, the village next to the beach, took more than ten hours. Believe me, ten hours in a public Sri Lankan bus is just sick! I got a terrible headache and my ass was so numb. I had a bump in my forehead even!

Once we reached our destination I couldn't even dream of partying. Anyways, we found a nice place owned by a guy called Mambo. He also owns a place in Hikkaduwa. Luckily he didn't remember me... (That's another story) He had a very sweet Doberman called Kai (means "maybe" in Finnish). One day I will have a dog, no matter how allergic I would be!

Saturday was a bit boring even. There was no one at the beach. The whole village accommodated maybe 10 tourists apart from us. It was sad to see how the number one happening place of Sri Lanka had turned into a drowsy fishing village.

We went for a dinner in another place. I was shocked when a blonde girl came to take orders. When she went away I couldn't help whispering "She's so white!". Then we learned that she's from Sweden so I couldn't help whispering "She's so Swedish!". It was weird enough already but then I realized that in the next table there was a Finnish girl. So I went and introduced myself and it turned out that the Swedish girl also had Finnish roots. Confusing.

Finally we ended up hitch-hiking to a party in Pothuwili Point (a remote place somewhere in the middle of nowhere). Surprisingly, it was packed! And it was packed with white people. I was shocked again. I'm not used to seeing so many white people. I think I'm becoming a racist.

Anywho, the place wasn't really a place at all. It was just a terrace of some house were people flocked and mingled. I was just standing there and minding my own beer. I was talking with an Israeli guy and when he found out my nationality he called for a small guy who emerged from somewhere in the bushes. Another Finn! But this guy was more of a Finn that any Finns altogether I've met here before. He just stood there and stared, saying nothing. I said hello in Finnish (terve). He said the same and then just disappeared. "Wow! That was very Finnish of him." I thought.

Coming back from Arugam Bay wasn't that easy. We took a trishaw to Pothuwili and heard that the next bus goes in one hour. So, we had a good lunch and waited for the bus. Then we heard that there is no bus and we should wait another 1.5 hours. We didn't appreciate that idea too much so we took action. We started walking away from the village and soon we came to a police checkpoint. There was a big yellow lorry parked next to it. We learned that it's going to Monaragala (or whatever the place was called), just our way.

We waited for about half an hour that the guy got his permission to proceed. He was happy to drive us so we climbed to the back of the lorry and started our ride. It was amazing, the best part of our trip! You know, it's beautiful down there so we were just basically checking the views and enjoying the wind swooshing by. People on the road were stunned to see white people on a lorry. We made them very happy.

From that gala place we took a public bus again but it was a bit more comfortable so I could sleep some time here and there. This time I didn't get my phone stolen, but I did break my video camera. Splendid. So only a few still pictures and memories remain. But those are good memories. I'll upload the pictures soon too.

And no, we didn't meet any Tamil Tigers or any other vicious predators.

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Off the topic, life here has become so safe and worry-less that I decided to live on the edge: I bought a half-broken moped. :) That might get me killed in no time.

Phone stolen (again)

2007-06-05T18:44:00.000+03:00

Hey guys! Just wanted to inform that my phone was stolen again. At first I was of course a bit disappointed, having to see all the trouble of hunting down the numbers again, but it was good timing. Why? Well, my lovely boss decided to give me a company SIM card. So, now my new number is (+94) 777-RUKMAL. Funny, no? It's active already but I still have to buy a new phone so it might take a while. Can you please send your number to my email tomi[at]unleashtalent.com if you wish to be in touch again. Not that I'm that active on email front either... We just moved to a new office and we're still waiting to get an internet connection there.

Yours,

Technologically limited Tomi

If "the war" was a strategy game

2007-05-28T13:39:00.000+03:00

Seeing, hearing and living amidst this whole "war" situation is somehow absurd. It's a given fact that it exists, but no one really cares about it. Sometimes it gets to the coffee talks of people if something blasts near or in Colombo. But that's it. In its absurdity I wouldn't even call it a war, but since I don't have a better expression for it, let it be "war" (in parenthesis).

Imagine this "war" was a computer strategy game. The player could choose in the beginning whether to fight with the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) or Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

In case you chose GoSL your mission would be something like this: "Destroy terrorists and maximize the generated profit while assuring the international community Sri Lanka is a great place to invest in and our cricket team is the best."

If you decided to go for LTTE your mission could state: "Destroy government forces and maximize the revenue from the diaspora while assuring international community that you're fighting for a just cause and that our cricket team is the best."

Now, the strategies of GoSL could include for example investments in military machinery, PR work for president's popularity, PR work (a.k.a propaganda) against LTTE, and assigning new ministries to confuse the general public and the MPs themselves. The points would come from the promises that you have successfully broken without having any effect on the president's popularity and of course from the success of the cricket team.

Strategies of LTTE could be fund raising campaigns abroad, recruitment and induction of promising young talent, investments in military machinery and PR work for LTTE's popularity (or against the Sinhalese oppressors). The points would come from the growing stupidity ratio of the opponent and of course from the success of the cricket team.

Of course these strategies are just internal that are not revealed for the opponent. In public the mission of both parties would be to end the hostilities and come to a ceasefire agreement that ensures peace and harmony for all the ethnic groups on the island.

You know you have been too long in Sri Lanka when…

2007-05-25T13:20:00.000+03:00

You realize that your toothpaste and breakfast taste the same.
You know “initials” are not the first letters of your first and last name but the first letters of your 4-5 names before family name.
You can’t even think of eating rice and curry with cutlery, because “it’s not the same taste”.
You don’t mind anymore if there’s no toilet paper in the washroom.
You call it a washroom instead of toilet.
You look right when crossing the street.
You find apples and oranges to be precious commodities while durian and rambutan are part of your daily diet.
You refer to friends by calling them “Machang” instead of “dude”.
You don’t make an exception with your female friends; they are simply “maching”.
You don’t understand why you need a bed if you have a mattress.
You scream and shout of happiness when telling your friends you had a chance to watch TV or take a hot shower.
You think salami and cheese are gifts from heaven.
You have forgotten how red wine tastes like.
You think Wickramasinghe or Jayawardene are typical short last names.
You feel good that you managed to haggle 50 rupees off from a trishaw ride.
You use chili sauce and call it tomato sauce; you never say “ketchup” again.
You start secretly wishing your parents would do the pre-screening of your future spouse.
You think it’s a wonderful thing that a 30+ year old still lives home with his or her parents.
You think twice before killing a bug; maybe it’s better to leave it be and it will go away eventually.
You know “short eats” is not a children’s movie or an ancient measure.
You start using the freezer compartment when you realize the fridge is broken.
You put towels on the floor when you realize the freezer is broken.
You can’t remember the time before instant coffee.
You express your anger saying “What to do?”
You express your consent with wiggling your head from side to side.
You express your disagreement with wiggling your head from side to side.
You express maybe by saying “sometimes”.
You go to a five-star hotel with your company and prefer to have kiri bath and pol sambol instead of bacon and egg.
You don’t wonder why random people just pop into your house occasionally.
You want to go and save a cow that is stuck on a green field away from its natural habitat amidst the traffic.
You go to work three hours late with clear conscience and say “it was raining”.
You announce distance in minutes.
You write a list of things that show when you have been too long in Sri Lanka