Aquarius resort's indoor stadium was flooded by visitors for an unusual event, the German university student's fashion show.
When I was moving around I found there were some students struggling with their own make-up to make it match their dresses and to gain a right balance. They were bothering so much for a mere fashion show. I wondered how participants in a world beauty contest would care over their attire and make-up.
The lights were switched off other than a few red lights. The students were making elegant body movements and gestures just like what one sees at fashion show. They were dancing and singing at times to some melodious German songs.
Once the fashion show was over, I extended my congratulations to Nita who had performed so excellently. While I was talking to her, she related some stories and said that her mother was a German and father a Spanish.
She asked me whether I had heard of Valencia and when I said "No", her face darkened and asked me repeatedly "you never heard about Valencia?" Then she asked after a brief pause whether I heard about "Barcelona" and when I said "of course yes", she smiled and said just north of Barcelona was her father's native place "Valencia". "Do you know how beautiful that Mediterranean city is?" and continued, "I like Valencia very much" and narrated the historical importance of Valencia. Her narration was expressive of the love she bore towards her father and his land of birth.
Showing posts with label Student. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Student. Show all posts
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
German Memories in Asia - A Discussion With Baltic German
My conversation with the students from various leading German universities who were in their exchange programs and doing their undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the fields of economics, political science, social science, engineering and other disciplines gave me a chance to know more about the German history, economy and cultural issues.
Marita was doing an interesting assignment on a topic on Germans and their perception on the benefits for going abroad for a better living in their retirements for her Diploma at the University of Applied Sciences, Technology Business and Design in Wismar. As Walker told me, she is from the plain land which has a vast horizon on land and with its Baltic sea; she has shown some natural intelligence in her arguments. She answered intelligently to certain complicated issues on Germany.
While we were discussing at the restaurant, some German students were sun-bathing on the beach. They were shining when the sun-rays reflected on their swim-suited white skin. The sunshine penetrated everywhere in the restaurant through the wall-less space facing the Indian Ocean and made the restaurant into a sudden surge of brightness.
The sea wind was flowing towards the restaurant gustily. The whole atmosphere in the restaurant something different from the normal and Marita was fascinated by the change. But, the sunshine and its rays when time was passing into early twilight were cooling and the reddish sky looked so unique. The sun was about to be set in a short while.
Though Marita was traveled vastly in Europe, she hardly made any comments on other nation's social or economic issues. She said firmly, "I can't comment about other countries by staying just a few days on their cultural, social and economic issues." I also agreed with her.
Even people living together in one country are failing to identify other communities who are living with them for centuries. They fail to identify different aspirations, cultural differences with acceptance and religious differences with understanding for some reason or other, causing many of the world's conflicts from time to time. It is sometimes very difficult for a visiting tourist or a trouble-shooting diplomat to get the right picture of the social aspirations of different communities in a short stay.
Darkness had spread everywhere over the Indian Ocean and the restaurant balanced by its lights to make the whole environment out of darkness and the atmosphere had become such a fascinating place for those who want to be away from worldly struggles and problems.
Marita was doing an interesting assignment on a topic on Germans and their perception on the benefits for going abroad for a better living in their retirements for her Diploma at the University of Applied Sciences, Technology Business and Design in Wismar. As Walker told me, she is from the plain land which has a vast horizon on land and with its Baltic sea; she has shown some natural intelligence in her arguments. She answered intelligently to certain complicated issues on Germany.
While we were discussing at the restaurant, some German students were sun-bathing on the beach. They were shining when the sun-rays reflected on their swim-suited white skin. The sunshine penetrated everywhere in the restaurant through the wall-less space facing the Indian Ocean and made the restaurant into a sudden surge of brightness.
The sea wind was flowing towards the restaurant gustily. The whole atmosphere in the restaurant something different from the normal and Marita was fascinated by the change. But, the sunshine and its rays when time was passing into early twilight were cooling and the reddish sky looked so unique. The sun was about to be set in a short while.
Though Marita was traveled vastly in Europe, she hardly made any comments on other nation's social or economic issues. She said firmly, "I can't comment about other countries by staying just a few days on their cultural, social and economic issues." I also agreed with her.
Even people living together in one country are failing to identify other communities who are living with them for centuries. They fail to identify different aspirations, cultural differences with acceptance and religious differences with understanding for some reason or other, causing many of the world's conflicts from time to time. It is sometimes very difficult for a visiting tourist or a trouble-shooting diplomat to get the right picture of the social aspirations of different communities in a short stay.
Darkness had spread everywhere over the Indian Ocean and the restaurant balanced by its lights to make the whole environment out of darkness and the atmosphere had become such a fascinating place for those who want to be away from worldly struggles and problems.
German Memories in Asia - A Visit to Rebel-Held Area
We started our journey towards Kilinochchi and reached the Omanthai Military Check Point, the Northernmost Frontier of the Sri Lanka Army in the mainland and stopped for clearance.
Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene spoke to the Military Officials and we were cleared after a few procedures and set on our journey towards North. In a few minutes' time by passing the No Man Zone, we reached the LTTE Check Point. I spoke to an LTTE member who questioned me about our mission. I explained our mission and introduced the German team and others there. I told we had already informed the Political wing of the LTTE about our mission.
They were highly concerned about our mission as we were about to visit the Mulaitivu region which is an LTTE stronghold. The German Television crew had come with satellite equipment for direct transmission of disaster immediately from the spot. We thought whether we would be facing any difficulties because of the security issues. But we had been cleared and were on our way to Kilinochchi.
While we were traveling we found both sides of the highway were a blend of dense forests and the paddy lands created a lot of excitement within me. Peacocks were everywhere, busily foraging in the paddy lands.
After two hours of our journey we reached Murukandy, a stopover for passengers where a small Hindu temple is found. It has become a tradition for passengers to stop there and worship the God, which was enshrined in that small temple especially if they were Hindus. Others too used to stop there as a pastime and buy a variety of foodstuff available there. We too stopped for a while but not very long, as we were already late according to our schedule to reach Kilinochchi. We had to arrange accommodation for more than twenty-five persons. I was highly worried as there were fifteen German nationals, and they would expect reasonable accommodation for the night. When we reached Kilinochchi it was early night.
We went to meet LTTE's media spokesman who was coordinating our mission in the LTTE-controlled areas. He was startled at the number of people on our mission. He asked his subordinates to look around for places to accommodate us. Visiting NGO members and the media people had already occupied the available places. We were stalled for a couple of hours.
The German T.V. crew and the German Praktikum (Internship) students were in their vans for hours and it was sad to see their situation. Some of the youths who came with us from a local T.V. channel started to scold me, as I was the coordinator in those areas. But I had to pacify them saying after all it's a relief mission, and we were prepared to bear the hardships.
Some how or other the LTTE's Political Wing found accommodation and I had to take some of the German students to the lodgings, which had been arranged for them. My responsibility had been narrowed down. The German Television crew had also been assigned a place.
Some of the students were asking whether their rooms were equipped with mosquito nets. I had to find rooms with mosquito nets for them. But one room with nets, I had to reserve for a Sinhalese couple as promised. I had taken some extra care that they should not feel that they had been discriminated in a Tamil area. I had told the students I had to keep that room for the couple. All the students got rooms with mosquito nets in that complex except two students. Then I went to the LTTE's Political Wing office to check what was happening there.
AGSEP's Director Dietmar Doering said he would be staying where the female students and some of the AGSEP staff were staying for their safety and went with them. The young Sinhalese couple got a room at the LTTE's Political Wing office. The incident might be as surprising as an Israelit couple taking night shelter at the office of the Palestinian rebels.
I returned to one of the lodgings, where the students were staying and got into the room, which had a mosquito net, which became available, as the couple had found room at the Political Wing. I was a little worried staying in my room because of my German friends. Would they have any misgivings about me? So, I knocked at their room doors, but got no response from them.
The exhausting day-long journey had overcome them with deep slumber.
Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene spoke to the Military Officials and we were cleared after a few procedures and set on our journey towards North. In a few minutes' time by passing the No Man Zone, we reached the LTTE Check Point. I spoke to an LTTE member who questioned me about our mission. I explained our mission and introduced the German team and others there. I told we had already informed the Political wing of the LTTE about our mission.
They were highly concerned about our mission as we were about to visit the Mulaitivu region which is an LTTE stronghold. The German Television crew had come with satellite equipment for direct transmission of disaster immediately from the spot. We thought whether we would be facing any difficulties because of the security issues. But we had been cleared and were on our way to Kilinochchi.
While we were traveling we found both sides of the highway were a blend of dense forests and the paddy lands created a lot of excitement within me. Peacocks were everywhere, busily foraging in the paddy lands.
After two hours of our journey we reached Murukandy, a stopover for passengers where a small Hindu temple is found. It has become a tradition for passengers to stop there and worship the God, which was enshrined in that small temple especially if they were Hindus. Others too used to stop there as a pastime and buy a variety of foodstuff available there. We too stopped for a while but not very long, as we were already late according to our schedule to reach Kilinochchi. We had to arrange accommodation for more than twenty-five persons. I was highly worried as there were fifteen German nationals, and they would expect reasonable accommodation for the night. When we reached Kilinochchi it was early night.
We went to meet LTTE's media spokesman who was coordinating our mission in the LTTE-controlled areas. He was startled at the number of people on our mission. He asked his subordinates to look around for places to accommodate us. Visiting NGO members and the media people had already occupied the available places. We were stalled for a couple of hours.
The German T.V. crew and the German Praktikum (Internship) students were in their vans for hours and it was sad to see their situation. Some of the youths who came with us from a local T.V. channel started to scold me, as I was the coordinator in those areas. But I had to pacify them saying after all it's a relief mission, and we were prepared to bear the hardships.
Some how or other the LTTE's Political Wing found accommodation and I had to take some of the German students to the lodgings, which had been arranged for them. My responsibility had been narrowed down. The German Television crew had also been assigned a place.
Some of the students were asking whether their rooms were equipped with mosquito nets. I had to find rooms with mosquito nets for them. But one room with nets, I had to reserve for a Sinhalese couple as promised. I had taken some extra care that they should not feel that they had been discriminated in a Tamil area. I had told the students I had to keep that room for the couple. All the students got rooms with mosquito nets in that complex except two students. Then I went to the LTTE's Political Wing office to check what was happening there.
AGSEP's Director Dietmar Doering said he would be staying where the female students and some of the AGSEP staff were staying for their safety and went with them. The young Sinhalese couple got a room at the LTTE's Political Wing office. The incident might be as surprising as an Israelit couple taking night shelter at the office of the Palestinian rebels.
I returned to one of the lodgings, where the students were staying and got into the room, which had a mosquito net, which became available, as the couple had found room at the Political Wing. I was a little worried staying in my room because of my German friends. Would they have any misgivings about me? So, I knocked at their room doors, but got no response from them.
The exhausting day-long journey had overcome them with deep slumber.
German Memories in Asia - The German Hamlet
I once again came to the German hamlet of Asia.
I was invited by Dietmar Doering for the AGSEP's largest get-together at the discotheque and this time with a difference.
My visit to Aquarius this time was many-faceted.
I was supposed to meet Gunder Wagnar, a director of the International Institute of Ratings and Consultancy. Gunder Wagnar served the then East German Air Force as an officer and later started his entrepreneurial activities in the field of insurance. Pascal said he played a key role in insurance for Munich. Latter he directed his interest on the assignment of surveying the tsunami disaster which paved the way for concentrating on the activities of the IIRC.
While I was entering Dietmar Doering's room, I saw a well-built person and I guessed he was Gunder Wagner. I introduced myself. Gunder Wagner was surprised and asked me whether I was the one who wrote those articles. I had sent some of my articles which appeared in the local newspapers, the 'Ultimate Peace or War Again' and 'The Messed Paradise' where I had discussed local politics and international affairs.
Later we both went to our usual meeting place, the restaurant of Aquarius Hotel. While talking I sensed his disappointment with the US Administration of the present and past over several issues.
He is a less-talk and think-more person like his daughter Fredrike and left me to talk more and listened patiently and carefully all the time. His analytical and fact-finding mind kept the flow of information within him.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the cold war, the Russian troops had been completely withdrawn and Russian influence in Germany was a forgotten matter, but the American bases were still occupying German territory under various acts or NATO agreements, giving the impression that Americans are aggressive and intruders.
A similar was felt some time back in Japan after some incidents where US soldiers from the US base in Japan misbehaved with some Japanese girls. There are generally suspicions on countries which have military bases in other countries. There are misunderstandings over even the UN Peace Keeping Forces, though they are under multilateral decisions and their operations were executed by the UN Secretariat and its chief independently. But the misunderstanding over the IPKF in Sri Lanka led both confronting forces join together to pull out the Indian Forces under the Peace-keeping flag.
After a lengthy discussion with Gunther Wagner, I left to have a small nap. The discussion with Gunther Wagner kept recurring, especially the issues on greater European Union and the United States and the future of world peace and harmony in the coming centuries. It is a truism that all major world wars started over minor or even unrelated issues. Hostility on many issues such as economic and military superiority went to create another cold war between the major economic blocs by aligning with some of the Asian and Latin American economic blocs.
After the tsunami disaster, I was extra cautious with the sea, though I could swim fairly well. The sea has more density than tank water, but the waves are always turbulent. I enjoyed sea swimming at the Mount Lavinia beach on the western coast of the island, which is famous since Dutch times. Maritsha was telling some jokes and Stefani, Romy and other Praktikum (Internship) students were laughing all the time. I was laughing without knowing what the jokes were all about. But one knows that laughter is infectious.
Romy spoke once in a way in English and in return I told Maritsha seemed a good joker. I met Maritsha at dinner yesterday. I never met or spoke to her, but gazed at her contemplative expression while she was having her meals. But now looking at her in swim suit and the hectic joking, I thought was work-hard and play-well type of character. My guess was confirmed in a few minutes.
She was a good belly-dancer also, and she was dancing marvellously for a while. The ocean's roaring sound gave good music and melody to her dancing and the beach-sand stage with the surrounding greeneries of coconut trees made it a fascinating time for all of us. Her belly dance took me back to the belly dance performances of Lebanon and Egypt
The German hamlet of Asia is a fascinating for both intellect and fun, giving a sense to life!
I was invited by Dietmar Doering for the AGSEP's largest get-together at the discotheque and this time with a difference.
My visit to Aquarius this time was many-faceted.
I was supposed to meet Gunder Wagnar, a director of the International Institute of Ratings and Consultancy. Gunder Wagnar served the then East German Air Force as an officer and later started his entrepreneurial activities in the field of insurance. Pascal said he played a key role in insurance for Munich. Latter he directed his interest on the assignment of surveying the tsunami disaster which paved the way for concentrating on the activities of the IIRC.
While I was entering Dietmar Doering's room, I saw a well-built person and I guessed he was Gunder Wagner. I introduced myself. Gunder Wagner was surprised and asked me whether I was the one who wrote those articles. I had sent some of my articles which appeared in the local newspapers, the 'Ultimate Peace or War Again' and 'The Messed Paradise' where I had discussed local politics and international affairs.
Later we both went to our usual meeting place, the restaurant of Aquarius Hotel. While talking I sensed his disappointment with the US Administration of the present and past over several issues.
He is a less-talk and think-more person like his daughter Fredrike and left me to talk more and listened patiently and carefully all the time. His analytical and fact-finding mind kept the flow of information within him.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the cold war, the Russian troops had been completely withdrawn and Russian influence in Germany was a forgotten matter, but the American bases were still occupying German territory under various acts or NATO agreements, giving the impression that Americans are aggressive and intruders.
A similar was felt some time back in Japan after some incidents where US soldiers from the US base in Japan misbehaved with some Japanese girls. There are generally suspicions on countries which have military bases in other countries. There are misunderstandings over even the UN Peace Keeping Forces, though they are under multilateral decisions and their operations were executed by the UN Secretariat and its chief independently. But the misunderstanding over the IPKF in Sri Lanka led both confronting forces join together to pull out the Indian Forces under the Peace-keeping flag.
After a lengthy discussion with Gunther Wagner, I left to have a small nap. The discussion with Gunther Wagner kept recurring, especially the issues on greater European Union and the United States and the future of world peace and harmony in the coming centuries. It is a truism that all major world wars started over minor or even unrelated issues. Hostility on many issues such as economic and military superiority went to create another cold war between the major economic blocs by aligning with some of the Asian and Latin American economic blocs.
After the tsunami disaster, I was extra cautious with the sea, though I could swim fairly well. The sea has more density than tank water, but the waves are always turbulent. I enjoyed sea swimming at the Mount Lavinia beach on the western coast of the island, which is famous since Dutch times. Maritsha was telling some jokes and Stefani, Romy and other Praktikum (Internship) students were laughing all the time. I was laughing without knowing what the jokes were all about. But one knows that laughter is infectious.
Romy spoke once in a way in English and in return I told Maritsha seemed a good joker. I met Maritsha at dinner yesterday. I never met or spoke to her, but gazed at her contemplative expression while she was having her meals. But now looking at her in swim suit and the hectic joking, I thought was work-hard and play-well type of character. My guess was confirmed in a few minutes.
She was a good belly-dancer also, and she was dancing marvellously for a while. The ocean's roaring sound gave good music and melody to her dancing and the beach-sand stage with the surrounding greeneries of coconut trees made it a fascinating time for all of us. Her belly dance took me back to the belly dance performances of Lebanon and Egypt
The German hamlet of Asia is a fascinating for both intellect and fun, giving a sense to life!
German Memories in Asia - The Beach-Side Celebration
Walker was very friendly. His long and curly hair resembled that of a Hindu priest.
He was strange looking among the other Germans, especially the German Praktikum (Internship) students. He was a good conversationalist, and though he was not fluent in English, he managed to express himself excellently. He always asked me after every word whether his pronunciation was correct, because the same word in English and German have different sounds.
He told me in the middle of our conversation that the Germans in the northern part of the Germany are very intelligent because the northern land is a so flat everywhere and you could see the horizon everywhere, which induces the people to imagine more and become naturally more intelligent. But he quipped receding from his earlier stand that the people surrounded by the Alps and the surrounding valley regions in Bavaria too could go to the mountaintops and get a wider vision and they too could become more intelligent.
I didn't know whether it's true or not, but in my own experience and by my observations, the people in the northern part of the Indian Ocean's Island - Paradise too were usually considered as intelligent people. I wondered because of these factors, whether others too considered them as intelligent. The flat land everywhere with Palmyra trees in the vicinity might have promoted the intelligence of the people in the Northern flat land too if the Walker was right in his argument.
Walker and his friend who came with the table tennis team from Germany invited me to the beach where the team was playing volleyball. We were seated near the playing field and watching the marvelous finesse of these players. The team has come to celebrate the 2006 New Year celebration in Sri Lanka from Germany and a happy team of many who are in their late sixties to the teens, with a mixture of men and women. There is a girl in her late teens, who attracted me a lot as she was directing her staring eyes to everything in the vicinity around her, and making a deep study of everyone and everything. Two other young ladies and a young girl with an elderly person in his late sixties were playing so marvelously and enthusiastically in the playing ground adjoining the beach near the Indian Ocean.
The twilight has started to turn into complete darkness everywhere. All who played volleyball went towards the sea for a dip after having the long hours of hectic play. The sea was a little calm and quiet and they went a few meters away from the beach and now we couldn't see them as the beech has a steep end towards the sea - level from our sandy beach location. If we wanted to have a look at them we would have to standup, for they may go further towards the deep-sea area. They were there in the sea for nearly half an hour and returned back to the beach.
The young girl was coming towards us as her towel was placed near us. Her slim body silhouetted against the background of deep reddish dark sky, evoked the image more or less of an Angel coming towards us. Her smiling face while she was bending to take her towel was charming adding more to her beauty. She gazed at me with a smile, as I was the only Asian among the Germans in the area. It would have aroused her curiosity as to why I was so attached to the Germans.
She became familiar to me when we were having our dinner at the beach-end restaurant of the Aquarius Sports Resort Hotel as we were sitting at adjoining tables. After the dinner, at her table, those who came from Germany with her started to celebrate the New Year fun - game. They started to play some innovative game, which I haven't come across before or heard about. They were rolling a dice and then the winner in the rotation could select what he wanted from a covered pool of things. They had collected those valuables in Germany and brought them all the way from Germany to hold a celebration in Sri Lanka.
While there were shouting and clapping in the course of the game, she used to look at me often to see whether I was watching the game and enjoying it or drawing my attention towards them.
I gazed with fascination at the stars in the dark sky over the Indian Ocean through the wide window-less side - wall of the restaurant and then turned my attention towards the happy Germans' fun and fantasy in Asia.
The fascination of being at one with two worlds was an unforgettable experience in my life.
He was strange looking among the other Germans, especially the German Praktikum (Internship) students. He was a good conversationalist, and though he was not fluent in English, he managed to express himself excellently. He always asked me after every word whether his pronunciation was correct, because the same word in English and German have different sounds.
He told me in the middle of our conversation that the Germans in the northern part of the Germany are very intelligent because the northern land is a so flat everywhere and you could see the horizon everywhere, which induces the people to imagine more and become naturally more intelligent. But he quipped receding from his earlier stand that the people surrounded by the Alps and the surrounding valley regions in Bavaria too could go to the mountaintops and get a wider vision and they too could become more intelligent.
I didn't know whether it's true or not, but in my own experience and by my observations, the people in the northern part of the Indian Ocean's Island - Paradise too were usually considered as intelligent people. I wondered because of these factors, whether others too considered them as intelligent. The flat land everywhere with Palmyra trees in the vicinity might have promoted the intelligence of the people in the Northern flat land too if the Walker was right in his argument.
Walker and his friend who came with the table tennis team from Germany invited me to the beach where the team was playing volleyball. We were seated near the playing field and watching the marvelous finesse of these players. The team has come to celebrate the 2006 New Year celebration in Sri Lanka from Germany and a happy team of many who are in their late sixties to the teens, with a mixture of men and women. There is a girl in her late teens, who attracted me a lot as she was directing her staring eyes to everything in the vicinity around her, and making a deep study of everyone and everything. Two other young ladies and a young girl with an elderly person in his late sixties were playing so marvelously and enthusiastically in the playing ground adjoining the beach near the Indian Ocean.
The twilight has started to turn into complete darkness everywhere. All who played volleyball went towards the sea for a dip after having the long hours of hectic play. The sea was a little calm and quiet and they went a few meters away from the beach and now we couldn't see them as the beech has a steep end towards the sea - level from our sandy beach location. If we wanted to have a look at them we would have to standup, for they may go further towards the deep-sea area. They were there in the sea for nearly half an hour and returned back to the beach.
The young girl was coming towards us as her towel was placed near us. Her slim body silhouetted against the background of deep reddish dark sky, evoked the image more or less of an Angel coming towards us. Her smiling face while she was bending to take her towel was charming adding more to her beauty. She gazed at me with a smile, as I was the only Asian among the Germans in the area. It would have aroused her curiosity as to why I was so attached to the Germans.
She became familiar to me when we were having our dinner at the beach-end restaurant of the Aquarius Sports Resort Hotel as we were sitting at adjoining tables. After the dinner, at her table, those who came from Germany with her started to celebrate the New Year fun - game. They started to play some innovative game, which I haven't come across before or heard about. They were rolling a dice and then the winner in the rotation could select what he wanted from a covered pool of things. They had collected those valuables in Germany and brought them all the way from Germany to hold a celebration in Sri Lanka.
While there were shouting and clapping in the course of the game, she used to look at me often to see whether I was watching the game and enjoying it or drawing my attention towards them.
I gazed with fascination at the stars in the dark sky over the Indian Ocean through the wide window-less side - wall of the restaurant and then turned my attention towards the happy Germans' fun and fantasy in Asia.
The fascination of being at one with two worlds was an unforgettable experience in my life.
German Memories in Asia - Tsunami Memories
I was a little paralysed over the phenomena, which had suddenly developed in the region by the tsunami tidal waves.
But I took firm hold of my mind and started to speak to people as to what we could do for those who had been affected. I started to phone all my friends who are in influential positions and one was Karu Jayasuriya, a former minister of the Sri Lankan Government for Power & Energy and the Deputy Leader of the main Opposition United National Party. I knew him since he was the Mayor of Colombo.
I asked him for urgent help for the Mullaitivu area where at least 4000 - 5000 people had died. I had visited that area a number of times when I was an officer at CARE International in the war-torn period. Mr. Jayasuriya said Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, a former Minister for Refugees and Resettlement was coordinating the Party's Northern relief mission.
When I contacted Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene, he showed a great interest and told me there was a German NGO unloading plane load of goods and medicines from Germany to distribute among the tsunami affected people. He told he was planning to visit to North and asked me to coordinate with the Northern Relief Mission.
As the Mullaitivu region was under LTTE control, I spoke to Thaya Master, the LTTE media spokesman and a member of the LTTE's Peace Secretariat. The Peace Secretariat was formed after the Ceasefire Agreement was signed by then Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the LTTE's leader Vellupillai Prabakaran. I finalized with him the arrangements for our visit which would take place in a couple of days time regarding the accommodation for visiting German team.
Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene asked me to visit where the plane-bound cargo containers were being sorted for various tsunami-affected areas in different shipments. When I visited there I was surprised, there were no labourers, only the German intern students were sorting out and packing goods and medicines.
The following morning we were bound on our northern mission, which recalled my days in the CARE International nearly a decade ago as an officer in the UNHCR funded micro projects to assist locally displaced people by the on-going war.
It was so hard to accept an offer to work in a war-torn area leaving my career at a consulting firm, which was headed by Dr. C. Perumal Pillai, a retired Senior Official at the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization. There were many things I gained at Dr. Pillai's consulting firm. While on my fund-raising missions, I met the CEO of Colombo-based Deutsch Bank. He invited me very cordially for a discussion and that was my second encounter with Germans. I explained to him the mission of the NGO, an affiliate of the consultancy firm and its various activities. After he listened to the facts he offered a substantial amount as donation within a few minutes of our meeting.
My first experience with German generosity and kindness nearly a decade ago has gone a long way and when I joined with the German relief mission it once again evoked memories in me. As I traveled with Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, he introduced me to the German team in Dambulla, a sleepy town in the central part of the Island. The first meeting itself helped me a lot to make friendlier encounter with many of the students. I couldn't meet them the previous day, as they were busy unloading and sorting out goods. I met Dietmar Doring, the founder Director of the Asian - German Sports Exchange Program (AGSEP) which was responsible for the shipment of the plane load of goods and medicines from Germany. I spoke to Ramige, a veteran German documentary filmmaker and his team. We have reassessed our plans once again and moved towards the Northern frontiers.
Our six-vehicle convoy was moving in the Alpha-9 highway, which was famous when the military operation was in full swing some years ago. While I was traveling with the German Praktikum (Internship) students, I was wondering again as to what motivated these young students to serve the affected masses in far away destinations in Asia. The same question assailed my mind a decade ago when I met Maura Barry, then Area Director for Kilinochchi for the CARE International at the first interview at the Colombo head office.
I asked her what made her to leave New York, the world's busiest and technology savvy city to Sri Lanka and especially to Kilinochchi, a war-torn area and the Administrative capital of the LTTE, which was so vulnerable to any aerial attacks.
Her answer was more to analyse than to accept the human instinct to help other wherever they were from.
But I took firm hold of my mind and started to speak to people as to what we could do for those who had been affected. I started to phone all my friends who are in influential positions and one was Karu Jayasuriya, a former minister of the Sri Lankan Government for Power & Energy and the Deputy Leader of the main Opposition United National Party. I knew him since he was the Mayor of Colombo.
I asked him for urgent help for the Mullaitivu area where at least 4000 - 5000 people had died. I had visited that area a number of times when I was an officer at CARE International in the war-torn period. Mr. Jayasuriya said Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, a former Minister for Refugees and Resettlement was coordinating the Party's Northern relief mission.
When I contacted Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene, he showed a great interest and told me there was a German NGO unloading plane load of goods and medicines from Germany to distribute among the tsunami affected people. He told he was planning to visit to North and asked me to coordinate with the Northern Relief Mission.
As the Mullaitivu region was under LTTE control, I spoke to Thaya Master, the LTTE media spokesman and a member of the LTTE's Peace Secretariat. The Peace Secretariat was formed after the Ceasefire Agreement was signed by then Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the LTTE's leader Vellupillai Prabakaran. I finalized with him the arrangements for our visit which would take place in a couple of days time regarding the accommodation for visiting German team.
Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene asked me to visit where the plane-bound cargo containers were being sorted for various tsunami-affected areas in different shipments. When I visited there I was surprised, there were no labourers, only the German intern students were sorting out and packing goods and medicines.
The following morning we were bound on our northern mission, which recalled my days in the CARE International nearly a decade ago as an officer in the UNHCR funded micro projects to assist locally displaced people by the on-going war.
It was so hard to accept an offer to work in a war-torn area leaving my career at a consulting firm, which was headed by Dr. C. Perumal Pillai, a retired Senior Official at the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization. There were many things I gained at Dr. Pillai's consulting firm. While on my fund-raising missions, I met the CEO of Colombo-based Deutsch Bank. He invited me very cordially for a discussion and that was my second encounter with Germans. I explained to him the mission of the NGO, an affiliate of the consultancy firm and its various activities. After he listened to the facts he offered a substantial amount as donation within a few minutes of our meeting.
My first experience with German generosity and kindness nearly a decade ago has gone a long way and when I joined with the German relief mission it once again evoked memories in me. As I traveled with Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, he introduced me to the German team in Dambulla, a sleepy town in the central part of the Island. The first meeting itself helped me a lot to make friendlier encounter with many of the students. I couldn't meet them the previous day, as they were busy unloading and sorting out goods. I met Dietmar Doring, the founder Director of the Asian - German Sports Exchange Program (AGSEP) which was responsible for the shipment of the plane load of goods and medicines from Germany. I spoke to Ramige, a veteran German documentary filmmaker and his team. We have reassessed our plans once again and moved towards the Northern frontiers.
Our six-vehicle convoy was moving in the Alpha-9 highway, which was famous when the military operation was in full swing some years ago. While I was traveling with the German Praktikum (Internship) students, I was wondering again as to what motivated these young students to serve the affected masses in far away destinations in Asia. The same question assailed my mind a decade ago when I met Maura Barry, then Area Director for Kilinochchi for the CARE International at the first interview at the Colombo head office.
I asked her what made her to leave New York, the world's busiest and technology savvy city to Sri Lanka and especially to Kilinochchi, a war-torn area and the Administrative capital of the LTTE, which was so vulnerable to any aerial attacks.
Her answer was more to analyse than to accept the human instinct to help other wherever they were from.
German Memories in Asia - The Memorable Moments at the German Restaurant
While I was lost in the beauty of the scenic Indian Ocean's panorama, some movements in the restaurant draw my attention.
Casting a glance over there, I noticed that Marita Kantar is just wandering there, thinking of something seriously in the center part of the restaurant. She has come back again to continue her research after two months away from the Resort in Germany.
Marita is a dynamic student from the then East German part of Germany. She was doing her undergraduate studies in the field of managing social sciences at the Wismar University in the scenic Wismar City of Baltic sea area. She coordinated with me to organize the "Night of a Thousand Dinners" - a success at the Aquarius Sports Resort Hotel.
While I was approaching her she was surprised and said: "It is nice to see you again". I too felt so and as was the first day of the New Year, I greeted her with New Year Best Wishes. I once again thanked her for her valuable coordination in organizing the event.
Suddenly interrupting my thought, a small girl around four to five years came screaming and shouting towards us. She had come with her parents from Germany for the New Year vacation. She was playing with all of us around there. Eva was holding one of her hands and hugging her. They were standing near the dinning table next to our chairs.
When I looked at her and said: "Hallo" she too repeated it with a smile.
After I wished Eva a happy New Year and extended my hand towards the small girl, she so smartly took my hand and greeted me with gentle smile. I was surprised by her etiquette. I just rubbed her upper shoulder and asked: "How are you", she broke into a lovely smile as an answer to my question.
When Marita extended her hand, she wished her with great cordiality.
The following day when we were at breakfast, she was running around every table and telling a number of stories to each and every one around there. She came to me and was waving a coconut-leaf said that it was a "snake". I was wondering as to where she has seen a snake whether in Germany or in Sri Lanka or in a zoo.
Walker was translating to me all her stories, which she was narrating to me in her mother tongue, German. Her father was watching from a distance at the restaurant with a smile. I felt from their joyous mood that they were relishing their trip to Sri Lanka. Her mother was tenderly hugging her infant son on her lap.
A driver of the Aquarius Resort approached them and greeted them affectionately.
The whole atmosphere in the restaurant was one of love and fascination.
Casting a glance over there, I noticed that Marita Kantar is just wandering there, thinking of something seriously in the center part of the restaurant. She has come back again to continue her research after two months away from the Resort in Germany.
Marita is a dynamic student from the then East German part of Germany. She was doing her undergraduate studies in the field of managing social sciences at the Wismar University in the scenic Wismar City of Baltic sea area. She coordinated with me to organize the "Night of a Thousand Dinners" - a success at the Aquarius Sports Resort Hotel.
While I was approaching her she was surprised and said: "It is nice to see you again". I too felt so and as was the first day of the New Year, I greeted her with New Year Best Wishes. I once again thanked her for her valuable coordination in organizing the event.
Suddenly interrupting my thought, a small girl around four to five years came screaming and shouting towards us. She had come with her parents from Germany for the New Year vacation. She was playing with all of us around there. Eva was holding one of her hands and hugging her. They were standing near the dinning table next to our chairs.
When I looked at her and said: "Hallo" she too repeated it with a smile.
After I wished Eva a happy New Year and extended my hand towards the small girl, she so smartly took my hand and greeted me with gentle smile. I was surprised by her etiquette. I just rubbed her upper shoulder and asked: "How are you", she broke into a lovely smile as an answer to my question.
When Marita extended her hand, she wished her with great cordiality.
The following day when we were at breakfast, she was running around every table and telling a number of stories to each and every one around there. She came to me and was waving a coconut-leaf said that it was a "snake". I was wondering as to where she has seen a snake whether in Germany or in Sri Lanka or in a zoo.
Walker was translating to me all her stories, which she was narrating to me in her mother tongue, German. Her father was watching from a distance at the restaurant with a smile. I felt from their joyous mood that they were relishing their trip to Sri Lanka. Her mother was tenderly hugging her infant son on her lap.
A driver of the Aquarius Resort approached them and greeted them affectionately.
The whole atmosphere in the restaurant was one of love and fascination.
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German university students donate a boat and engine to an affected fisherman.
Germans university students with Dietmar Doering (centre) at Marawila beach.
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