Archives

by Ilika Karunaratne

It makes me inordinately proud when I meet expats, particularly from the West, with luxuries at their fingertips, who prefer living here. There must be some special enchantment here, which ensnares people. Susan Nelson, is one who is enmeshed in the magic spell of our island.

Susan was born and brought up in London and her ambition was to be an Air Hostess. At that time this must have been the most glamorous job for a woman. "It was not a mere whim, but one had to be 26, as I was too young, I decided to train in other fields which would help me when I achieved my dream.

I first did secretarial training, then went on to Hotel Management and worked in a few hotels in and around London. My last job before I joined BOAC as an Air Hostess was at Cox and Kings, which was a large travel agency in London. The work of an Air Hostess was tiring, as was kept changing Time Zones, but I really loved it. It enabled me to see the world.

If one worked for three weeks at a stretch, one got 10 days off an I used these holidays to visit and explore interesting places. It opened a whole new vista for me and I met and made friends with many people. I had been with BOAC for two years when I met my husband at Heathrow airport. He was working with computers; we chatted, had lunch together and that was it. We married soon after and he wanted me to give up my job.

Did Susan work after marriage? Not in a permanent job. We had three sons and my husband was working in England. I did some part time jobs, but I felt that my presence was necessary for my sons. My husband was working very hard, and my sons needed me.

A mother at that stage, to her children, is the one person who can put things right, create order out of chaos and keep danger at bay. It is as they grow older that we sometimes feel superfluous in their lives! "Our boys were 9, 7 and 3 years old when we moved to Jakarta in Indonesia.

That was to me the most wonderful time of our lives. Our children went to school there, and I was involved in the school too as a volunteer, helping out in various ways.

I was a 'den mother' which meant organizing a group of cub scouts in various activities. I modelled in fashion shows too, organized by The British Women's Association. After Indonesia, my husband joined Phillips, and our next posting was to Hongkong. My life seemed to change completely there and I had to get accustomed to a whole new way of life.

The boys went back to England to Oakham School in Rotland, Leicestershire, and I took a mall house near the school so that I was there for them if needed and they could come to me for weekends. I used to go to England about 5 times a year, but all this was worthwhile in the end, as my eldest son ended up as Head boy and the others did very well too. I took part in various activities in Hongkong but couldn't get too committed as I had to spend so much time in England.

I did a course in Interior design, modelled for a designer shop, did the flowers at the Cathedral, and at The Ladies Recreational club. A group of us began a flower club which was great fun; we used to practise varied spectacular flower arrangements and get experts in this from England to give us demonstrations.

I worked as a volunteer in the Cathedral bookshop too, which I found stimulating. The cathedral in Hongkong was like an oasis, more meaningful than any other place, and had a wonderful atmosphere. Not only booklovers, but people who were lonely and looking for company would come in to browse and to chat. The boys came back to Hongkong for the summer holidays. We were very much part of the British community; I had to entertain a lot and the social life was pretty hectic.

From Hongkong, the next move for Susan and family was to Japan. "I wasn't very keen on moving to Tokyo, but it was my husband's decision for his work, but it was a surprise and we enjoyed it. Japan is very American orientated.

The Japanese are incredibly charming, polite and interested in everything. It was an additional bonus to have two of our sons with us there as well. Our eldest took some time off before Law school to be with us and our youngest too spent sometime with us. My husband took early retirement after Tokyo, joined Lanka Bell and we came to Sri Lanka in 1995."

"I loved it here, although it was not a very good time for business and difficult for my husband. I had a car and a driver and was able to travel throughout Sri Lanka. I think I have been everywhere except to Jaffna and Trinco. I think the hill country and the beaches are equal favourites with me. Somehow, to me, going to N'Eliya, was like going back in time to my childhood. I felt very secure and safe there. I was hoping to stay here for a long spell, but it was my husband's decision to return to England.

A combination of many experiences, contributed to make Susan's return to England a traumatic and unhappy one. "Our marriage was over, so we decided to part, my parents and my godmother died, and the closest friend I had here, gilly Trent, who had retired to Kenya, was killed in a motor accident there.I had a good run for 20 years, so I suppose 4 years of unhappiness on the down side is to be expected". It is good to be able to take it like that when some certainties are destroyed in a world which seems to be devoid of certainties. Life has some strange twists sometimes.

"I came back and forth to Sri Lanka on holiday. One day, while at a travel agents in England, I saw these flats advertised, had a look at them when I was next in Sri Lanka, and decided to buy one. My eldest son is married to a Sri Lankan from Singapore.

They are both lawyers working in Hongkong at the moment and will visit me here on their way back to England. My second son is in Corporate Finance and will be moving soon to Australia with his Australian wife and my youngest son is with Reuters in Luxembourg. This is a good base for me to visit them from.

I find living here infinitely preferable to living in England. Young people ignore you there are regard you as old and from another vintage. Living in the East for 29 years has made an indelible impression on me.

Of course, there are still a lot of things I love in England although I hate the cold. I don't feel nervous or lonely here, people are very friendly and go out of their way to be helpful. In England one finds people being categorized and put into boxes.

Here I can be myself and be my own person. I feel free here to do as I wish. I'm so thankful that I found Sri Lanka just as I was wondering where to go and what to do with my life. I have met people from all over the world including Royalty, but this is the place where I feel really accepted and this is where I want to be. I teach English as a volunteer once a week at a boys schools and do Yoga which has helped me a lot".

Susan is a woman with courage, is direct and has a welcome lack of guile.

She is irrepressibly good natured. despite all the trauma and uncertainty of the recent past, she is surprisingly calm, assured and content. Susan has been drawn by some invisible force to our country, absorbing its legends, its atmosphere, and its history. To her, this is her little corner in the world.

www.crescat.com

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager