An incident happened in advance for good!

I was preparing to apply for Austrian Visa for a conference visit during the last month and was collecting required documents and reading facts on the web page of the Austrian consulate at Chicago. I found out that they are closing the office and for few months Visa applications from Ohio should be directed to New York consulate general. That meant I have to either drive there which is about 10 hours or get a flight. Since the cost of the trip I estimated (without knowing this) is less, I was in trouble getting funds for another ticket from the campus. Therefore I opted to drive and get the visa. I asked for a car rental and everything was set to drive in a week when I decided to get a call to the consulate and double check just for nothing that I should come to New York.

Then I spoke with a lady from the consulate office and she asked me questions like have you been to Europe before, what are you doing in USA, etc. After I said that I had been to Europe several times and I am a graduate student in USA, she just said to me that it is okay for me to mail in the application since I have to come a long way to just to get the Visa. This is just like miracle and I didn't expect this kind of a response from them as it is said clearly in the web site that you have be there physically to get the Visa. I was very happy and days went by and the week I was expecting to travel to USA arrived. But at that time was having fever and cold and was not feeling well at all. In that condition there was no way that I could drive for 10 hours without causing any accidents as I think because it was hard for me to just stay awake for half an hour.

As I look back, I realized that this lady from the consulate asked me to mail in the package happened for my good. Otherwise, I could have been in trouble in getting to New York. I believe, this happened to a reason and I overcame the situation with a helping hand from somebody. I believe that helping hand came from somebody who cares for me and knows how the future works out. God helped me out in this situation that everything happened very smoothly and the unexpected good has happened. This is amazing when I look back what has happened with coincidental incidents as any other person may consider!

I'm reaching late 20 s ...... :) :(

It is hard to believe that I am 29 today. So many years have gone by. As I recall, after my early to mid 20s, I do not know how the rest of the years went by. All the good memories I have are before my mid 20 s. The days I went to school and campus and time spent with cousins playing and going on trips. When I was going to school, I remember, I get up around 6 15 am, then come into the living room and drink a cup of milk prepared by mom and then sleep or lie on the couch for another 10-15 minutes until I feel get up. And then that time where I feel time to get up and just jump out of the couch when time is nearly 6 45 am. The school van comes at 7 10 am. When I was going to campus, it was even crazier, as I get up around 5 50 am and have to catch the train at 6 20 am. But all the same way of getting up. School days, my sister also gets ready to go to school. She goes first into the bathroom and then me. Then I missed when she finished here school days that I had to get ready alone.

Those days are gone now and I am getting older and older. Time to accept that I am a person that I looked at my childhood days as a man. It is time to accept that I am no longer a child or a teenager. A person that I saw the living images of my father and others. So it is sometimes look scary. But I think its okay, I will get used to it.

This B'Day is my last in the 20 s. I feel old already but I dnt look like that right? Oh yeah, you always think like that but the reality may be different. Also I feel like, when I wish somebody on a B'Day I do not feel any special. But for that person, it feels and means alot. You get to feel this when it is your B'Day. Sometimes you may feel oh, I may not wish that person but you may not realize that the simple words you mention may mean alot to that person and makes his day. These are some random thoughts I got today and during past few B'Days.

I also should thank Lord Jesus for many things I have today. Wonderful parents, cousins, parents and caring close ones. The blessings  I have are abundant and he often led me into correct paths in past years. On my B'Day I thank you for everything and keep me, my family, cousins, loved ones and friends safe.

Ireland - People are good but Weather is bad :)

I had an opportunity to live in Ireland for four months where I felt I belong to nowhere now.  First, I lived in Sri lanka for about 26 years (home country) and the feeling I get in Sri Lanka is different no matter how bad the current situation is in Sri Lanka (political and economical). Because, that is where all my family, relations, neighbors and most friends are and from. Then I moved to US and felt it was great. But when time passed by, I felt that liking a country is different than where you belong. That is, I like US but I belong to Sri Lanka.

Then for past four months, I lived in Ireland and then I further realized that now I am becoming lost. Ireland's culture and community is closer to what I used to be. That is, it is a Catholic country (even though Sri Lanka is not a Catholic country, my environment was) and people loved to have little communities and engage more in social activities and casual chats where in US people are more independent as I observed. I used to go mass while I was in Ireland to the Sacred Heart church at Westside, Galway. The church atmosphere and people reminded me my home church and mass I went when I was there and a kid with my parents and family. I do not know how to explain, but I felt like it is much closer to Sri lanka than US. Event the sermons were closer to what I heart in Sri Lanka. May be its just what I imagine or may be it is the reality that Ireland culture is closer to south Asian culture (in catholic communities I mean). This may be because many missionaries from Ireland and Europe built Catholic communities in the Asian countries in the recent past.

First few weeks were harder for me to adjust as I had to walk about 3 kms everyday to work (one way) the weather was almost uniform. That is, it was always the same temperature between 0 and 10 C. neither you get snow or feel warm. the houses were built using cement and bricks and hence it feels much colder inside. Heating systems are working using oil and pipe line heating. In Ireland, it was always drizzling or raining with wind. Always and always it was. If I take weather prediction for a day during January to March, everyday it was raining between hours breaks. Sometimes I started walking in no-rain condition and when half way through, it starts raining. So weather, I didn't like at all.

Well, people are in general, most of them are friendly and helpful. There are always outliers. One day, when I was trying to get 404 bus to work I accidentally got into 405 bus. That was the first time I was trying to get into a bus to find out the route. That driver was so rude, I asked "can I go to business park?", he said "get in, I dnt know". When I was getting coins to pay the fare, he was annoyed. He should have noticed that I am a stranger and may be I don't know the ticket cost. So I had to just get alone and realized that it was going in the wrong road and then got off from the next bus stop and walked again to work. That was really really rude of him. Other than that very selfish, self obsessed bus driver, I think many others I met (Irish people) are very nice.

When months passed by, I became to realize that I am feeling I am in cultural dilemma. I was raised in Sri Lanka, living in US and experiencing Irish culture. That was the period that reminded me, I actually belong to Sri Lanka and my values are coming from there rather than from any other country. But, in the end I feel like, I like US and from Sri lanka but do not like Europe to live in for a long period :).

A Christmas Dream....!

 A Christmas dream I picture every year during the season, the season I love the most and dream the most beautiful dreams of all. Christmas is a time that we celebrate our savior's birth. Hence, it is the most joyous time of the year of Catholics and specially for me.

I will be spending the Christmas week with utmost joy with my sweetheart making delicious cakes, sweets and many more food. Shopping in the malls, looking at fancy items and buying some of them for her that we can afford. We decorate our house and light up the Christmas tree that we decorate with ornaments and our love! It will shine with white bulbs and love of our lives. Whatever she touches for decorations, is becoming illuminated with her magical touch and I sometimes stop what I am doing and just watch her giving  that special touch. CD player plays Carols and the house is full of Christmas spirit and love.

We will go to the Christmas eve mass together and celebrate the birth of baby Jesus and also take into our hearts the meaning of Chritsmas. That is, Christmas is not just commercial event that happens every year but a time that allows us to have the peace and joy of Jesus. I like going to mass with her the most because it is where the true love flows that lasts forever. Blessings of our loving Lord will be with us to strengthen our lives. The chritsmas "kiss" I get after the mass is just amazing and feels different. I am waiting for that special Chritmas "kiss" and celebrate with a wine glass and Christmas cake after the mass. I will hold her hand and look at her face to enjoy the moment while light Christmas carols played in the background. We will sit near the Christmas tree and exchange our gifts after a piece of cake. I know she awaits something more than the physical gift I present. Without that "something", her gift does not mean much for her. That is my Christmas "kiss" for her near the Christmas tree when she unwraps her gift. The moment I enjoy alot everytime. Then she would say, you are everything for me and I would say you are my Christmas present for every Christmas......!

I heard some Christmas music and suddenlky woke up. It was the Christmas radio station I kept playing before I took a little nap after the Christmas mass. I realised that I had pictured a wonderful dream which I dream every Christmas season and believe with God's grace will become true in future. Merry Christmas everybody and may the peace of the new born King be with you always!

Some thoughts on a true friend I met sometime back recently.....

I met this person accidentally and associated him closely over the past two years. It all started when I was searching for a grad school after working for 1 1/2 years in the industry. Unfortunately "fortunately" I spent most of my earnings to apply for about 10 grad schools worldwide covering 80% of them in USA hoping to get at least one to get into with a full scholarship. The qualifications I had are more than enough but people do not know Sri Lanka about studies and it was a great disadvantage for most of us when we apply for grad studies overseas. Anyway, I got accepted into about 5 of them including really top universities but no scholarship granted (there was the depression at its hike at that time in USA). So I was helpless and then said to myself "Okay, lets try for the next year and search for universities". Then I was looking for Sri Lankan students at universities in US and found out Thilina Gunaratna, who is in Indiana University, Bloomington. I found out that he is also from Kaluatara (which is my home town) and just sent him some e-mails. he responded to them and one day we talked over Skype and I said about my plans. He asked me what universities I applied for and then he said, at Wright State I have one of my friends and call him. his professor has some grants. So I contacted Ajith Ranabahu, who became my friend later and told him that my application is already been selected but no grants. So that is how, I came for grad studies and met Ajith ayya is one of the true friends I have ever met in my life. Unless for Thilina and Ajith ayya, I wouldn't be here (of course I tried my best and thats why I found out their details and made my way in).

Ajith ayya called me when I was going for a friend's funeral and told Dr. Sheth wants to talk to me and I though this is it and I have almost got it. That was one of the soothing sentences I heard for some time. Then all turned out that I happened to come to USA and to Ajith ayya's house. I had no body known here in Dayton (but now we made hundreds of friends here) and I just landed at Ajith ayya's apartment. He just got married at that time and he had no hesitation in inviting me there until I found a place for few days. Actually few days turned into few weeks. Ajith ayya was not hurrying to get me out into a place soon because he is so nice. but with my utmost force we found a temporary place for the summer. While I was at his place, they used to watch BasketBall games until late night. It was the basketball season at that time. The place I slept  for those few weeks was on their couch which could be turned into a bed. So I couldn't sleep until late night with all jet lags but it was funny. he asks me, "malli, you feeling sleepy?", I said "no, no lets watch". You know you never speak the truth on those occasions :D. I think Darshi akka, couldn't cook well at that time. May be couldn't cook at all. But I am not that selective when I am not at home. She asks me, "malli, do you have enough salt in curries?, is this tasty enough?" and many more questions. I always say the default answer "yes, yes" even though none of them were true :) . One morning she gave me a breakfast which I still bug her about. She put some jam into bread and also cheese and said here this is new kind of food we eat. try this and you'll like it. I said, okay.... and ate. You know jam and cheese never go together. Ha ha ha.......

Ajith ayya was the only one I knew  here around and we also celebrated my first B'Day here at their apartment while Hasitha ayya also came from Toledo. Ajith ayya helped me alot in buying everything when I moved out from their apartment and I also had a loan from him.  I still remember the time they dropped me to the new place and I never told it to their face before but I never wanted to leave their house. But it has to be done. I can't live at their house. So I think they also felt the same because there was no one from back home for them or for me in Dayton at that time. Dharshi akka was also just came into US and she also liked that someone is there. So I felt the feeling that they also didn't want to drop me and go and you know that moment you do not want to just leave. Keep on hanging out and telling, "malli, call us for anything, okay." , etc. I just felt like I left home for the second time within a month. Ajith ayya was always there to help me and one day he was coming early in the morning and knocking on the door with his sleeping garments because he received a call from my mom and thought it was urgent. It was like we all so close. That is all we got. It was a great experience for me and I think for them as well. I experienced many problems and i always asked help from Ajith ayya.

Actually, Ajith ayya took me on a trip to Chicago on the independence day. It was Dharshi akka's first trip in US and we enjoyed alot, walked, visited many places and it was totally memorable for me. So these experiences I will always have in my mind and when I remember them I always enjoy. We had such a great past and more than that Ajith ayya finished his PhD and started working at Amazon. A real success story for my first mentor and the best mentor I ever had. Some people are always selfish and we can't predict them when they will throw their back at you. But Ajith ayya is personally and professionally one of the best I met in my life. Always care for others and try to help. Otherwise, he wouldn't let me stay in his house just after he got married where he feels unsafe to have a stranger at his place. I am not a criminal or any person like that but he didn't know me when we first met. The funny thing was, he even couldn't recognise me at the airport when he came to pick me up because he hadn't seen me before. He was busy to look for my picture of Facebook but luckily Dharshi akka has looked for me in Facebook and identified me.

Over the past two years, I had great times with Ajith ayya and Dharshi akka where they became my responsible family in US. Sometimes I didn't think that way but when I look back now, it was the case for such a long time. The Holy Bible says, "There is no great person that one who gives his life for his friends" and Jesus also says, do help people where you can't expect anything in return so that your heaven;y father will bless you. So Ajith ayya and Dharshi akka are persons like that which I understand with all the great experiences I had with them. You meet very few people like that in your life and it is always great to be friends with them. People you hangout may not be your best or good friends but friends you share your life with will always be the best friends forever. I wish Ajith ayya, Dharshi akka and their little daughter all the very best, Almighty God's blessing and good health for many years to come. Finally, Thank you very much for all you have done for me where I did very little for you in return.

St. John Bosco Chapel dedication mass and opening 10-28-2012

Today, is a great day to celebrate in many  ways as for me and for the whole catholic and all here at Wright State community. For me, it is because we are getting a new chapel for worship and fellowship and also a B'Day celebration. When I first came to USA I was searching for a place to go for Sunday masses. With my greatest efforts I found this catholic community at the campus premises which helped me to go for masses because at that time I didn't have a car and had no way to go to St. Luke's church every Sunday for mass. Because of the way I grew up, it is one of my basic needs (not only wants) to go for Sunday masses. So today, we started dedication mass near our old chapel which brought me many memories and good friends (as I always had from my undergrads at my country). It proved me that when you meet God's people you always meet great people. It was the place we had exam crams, dinners, games, masses, etc, etc... It is not because of the building we came there but because we experienced good spirit in the middle of God. So when I looked at my right, I saw the new chapel, God's gift for us and for all of us in the campus to build the good spirit and live according to his love for us.

Before the dedication mass began, I overheard few ladies talking about how this building was a dream for many years. The spoke like how they thought it will never come true and will always be a dream as many people could not find enough funds to build it. But it was under many years or prayers and prayers and prayers. I think that is what paid off and God has his own plans and we have to believe in him. And this reminds me (strongly) to believe in him and pray for him as it is granted for a good cause. We may have thought that it is not possible after so many years as I heard that the old chapel was a temporary building for few years even though it stood for 40 years. If God wanted his people to gather in a temporary building for such a long time making that temporary building stronger than it looks, we have to believe in him that he has a plan. So here is his plan gifted to us today and we accepted with great pleasure.


It also pointed out by the Arch Bishop Most Rev. Dennis quoting that "talent is cheap but dedication is expensive". This building is an example of many people's dedication over many years and today we have this great looking building to praise God every day and experience him in a beautiful atmosphere. The chapel looks like God's dwelling place now with inspiring looks and we will make use of it to bring our good hearts to fill with God's love and guidance. Thank you Lord for giving us this beautiful gift and day to celebrate.

New Chapel at Wright State and good feelings...

We have been waiting so long to make this a reality and many have worked hard to find a way to build the building. Sometimes I feel I liked the old building because that is where I used to meet all the people but now looking at the state of the old building, it is a timely gift from God.

Throughout last few weeks, people were moving stuff into the new building and I get some time to go and help this Wednesday for a short period of time. The new church is well lit and full of people practicing hymns for the dedication mass, playing music, friends carrying things here and there and I felt like Christmas season already. It was a wonderful feeling and I felt good enjoying the atmosphere. Everybody was exited about the new building and for the first mass on this Sunday at 2 pm. It will be a big event for all of us and good times to come. Finally, we got a new building to meet Jesus and have peace of mind and enjoy his presence in a proper sacred place. I am awaiting for the time to come...