Be The Change

I participated an interesting workshop arranged by SEFE (the Finnish Association of Business School graduates) and inspiring coaches of Humap Oy. The workshop was about the changes involved today's work life and how they influence us, how we can lead others and ourselves when our work place is in turbulence.

We talked about the atmosphere at each others work place. Do you recognize the conflicts in your group? Or is your team always in harmony, agreeing with each others? Or are you acting to agree, and then disagree in small groups afterwards? Or do you have the trust to disagree, keep the issues dynamic and alive? What kind of climate would you like to have at your work place and what can you do to make the change?

If your team already has a dynamic atmosphere, you can congratulate yourself and your team members. If you feel that you have tried and tried, but the culture in your company, department or team seems impossible to change, then, IMHO, just move on and leave. Seek a company of those people who inspire you, respect you and you can trust.

The main insight for me was to realize that I am on the right path what comes to work life. I know now what is important for me and what are the right things to do.

I want to keep this backpacking ideology with me, even when I am not traveling. That means to be open minded, flexible, fearless and unconventional. I want to find new ways to be versatile and creative, experience instead of performing. Any suggestions how to do it? Please, remind me of these ideas if I ever get back to the same old beaten path and rat race again... :-)!

Home Sweet Home

When I arrived home, my husband put me into Sauna and all my clothes and bags into laundry. He made me a big fresh Greek salad with dark rye bread and Swiss cheese. As much as I loved traveling I love my home. A lot. I love my firm bed and the white, soft bed linen. I love my clean and spacious bathroom. With hot water. And no cockroaches. I love to wake up when it is still quiet, not necessarily 4.45 am for the prayer call and when the monkeys are jumping on the roof.

I loved meeting my husband again (oops - did I mention him after the bathroom?). I look forward to the adventures we will have together in the near future. It was great to meet all my family members as well. My parents are still going strong in their 80's.

I was able to squeeze my toes into socks and shoes but I struggled more with my jeans. They seem to have shrank one size!? Pirkka did a good job cutting and coloring my hair and Katja with the facial. So now I look like a normal human being again (?).

During this time off all my phone numbers have disappeared mysteriously. All of them. So please, call me, email me (firstname.lastname at gmail.com) and blog me! Let's have lunch or a cup of tea together.

People have been asking what I will be doing now when I still have time off from work. It seems to be important to have some kind of a goal or to achieve something, not to waste time and do nothing. Or is it me, the old me, who thinks so?

Anyways, I got an alibi. I started to study French. That really makes me feel humble. It is so difficult. I feel that I can't, I am too slow... but I am actually learning something, at least a little bit... It is fun to observe these mixed feelings.

My very own dear bathroom :-)

This is my alibi  

From Tropical Heat To Nordic Spring

I am back home in Finland. I was  already looking forward to some cooler weather and fresh spring air. But honestly, it could be a bit warmer... Spring this year is weeks late in Europe and all what people are talking about is the weather. Finnish people are very worried about the new baby potato season, do they arrive for Midsummer or not? If not, that would be a catastrophe!

I am lucky to still have 6 months off work. I don't have any big plans, I am not writing a book or I am not going to run a marathon. I will most probably do some travels, do sports, read good books and keep writing this blog! Writing this blog has been a great, new experience. I have enjoyed sharing my  thoughts with all of you.

This blog has almost one hundred page views every day! Wow! The audience comes mostly from Finland, Canada comes second, then United States and Germany. I hope to be able to write something interesting in the future too, to keep you guys happy. Stay tuned!

Climb Out Of Your Window

You are never too old for an adventure! I just read an incredible book "The hundred year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared" by Jonas Jonasson. It is about Mr Allan Karlsson and his adventures, hilarious!

We all have our windows, waiting for us to take a step and climb out... What is your window and what would happen if you just climbed out...? What prevents you to take the step? What do you need to do to overcome, what help you may need from others?

Everything is possible. Things will work out.

Happy adventures!

Darker Side Of The Paradise

The beaches are beautiful, the underwater world is amazing, Maldives is a perfect destination for honeymooners and passionate divers. But tell me why tourists and local people are mostly separated on their own, different islands? Is it because foreigners want to be amongst the other tourists without being disturbed by any locals? Or is it because the Maldivian government don't want any western influences to confuse the local people.

I am not saying that our western thinking is always right, very often it is not at all right. I believe that there's never just one truth and we should learn from others, share our experiences and ideas. Be tolerant and open minded.

I hope you can take a minute and open this web link. There's unfortunately dark sides in this culture and no one should tolerate anything like this. Please, read, think, sign and share. Thank you.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/maldives_global/?cVowobb

Asalaam Aleikum

There are more than 1000 islands in the Maldives. 200 of them are inhabited and 100 are resort islands. I chose to stay in an inhabited island instead of a resort island. Maafushi island is only 1200 meters long and 200 meters wide. This is one of the few inhabited islands with guesthouses, where foreigners can stay in a local village. And local it is indeed. My guesthouse is located in between a prison and a mosque. There's also a couple of small shops, police and a dive center. Foreigners can swim in bikinis (that's a very recent change) on a small separated part of the beach. Otherwise modest dressing is advisable.

I spent a day on a resort island. White sand, amazing snorkeling, good food, alcohol drinks available, great service, everything was just perfect. But one day was enough, for me. I was happy to come back and mingle with the locals. People are somehow shy or a bit reserved, I don't hear any "Good Morning Madam" as in Sri Lanka, or "Hello Mister" as in Indonesia. Or "what's your good name?", "you're from which country?" etc. ongoing calls. But when I greet "Asalaam Aleikum" (may peace of Allah be with you), I always receive a smile and a reply, and maybe some more chatting about how hot the weather is.

Be aware on the local islands even as a foreigner. If you consume pork, booze or porn - you'll end up here for years!

Lovely Juli.

Every sunset is different, but always awesome.

Beautiful smiles!

Late afternoon Ladies Only  moments.

Local Maafushi Beauties and the latest head scarf fashion.

On An Island Resort.

High Rocks and High Tea

I was glad to realize that I am not totally numb to new ancient temples after all. At the end of my one month trip to Sri Lanka, I visited a most incredible ancient cave temple with wonderful frescos and statues. Dambulla cave temples (3rd century BC) are built on a high rock, so you have to walk a little (and beware of the nasty monkeys trying to snatch your purse).

I had an interesting conversation with a very smart, fluently English speaking South-Korean nun. As a conclusion to our discussion, I understood that it is a men's world in the Buddhist organizations too!

I somehow survived the five hour long bus trip to Colombo. 4 o'clock High Tea at the verandah of Galle Face Hotel was one of my trips highlights. Time seemed to stop when I sat there, facing the Indian Ocean, enjoying tea, cakes and the atmosphere of this 1864 built graceful hotel.

The last leg of my travels in Sri Lanka was a 35 km train ride to Negombo. It took 3 hours! I had to change trains two times for I guess "technical reasons". I was pushed and dragged by all those people who were rushing to their homes to celebrate the Sri Lankan New Year on the coming weekend. I won't be here to celebrate the New Year (April 13th - 14th) because tomorrow morning I am taking a short flight to the Maldives!

The Ancient Cities

After I left Tangalle and yoga, I spent some time on the west coast. I had nice afternoon tea and "mocktails" in the luxury colonial hotels of the old town Galle. I stayed in a (not so luxury but cosy) Muslim family guesthouse and was able to follow their busy everyday life. Staying in the old town, inside the old Dutch fort, was like being in another country, surrounded by beautiful architecture, small cafes and boutiques.

I intended to stay longer time in Unawatuna beach, but I got bored already after two nights. I needed some adventure. So I took an eight hour long train trip to Anuradhapura, an ancient city further up north. I enjoyed the long train trip, all windows and doors open, changing landscape, people coming and going, sharing biscuits and short eats.

Anuradhapura is an ancient city with lots of ruins and old pagodas. So is Polonnaruwa where I headed next morning. Couples of hours bus ride took me there and I scared to death again. A tuktuk, three wheeler, took me around the old ruins in Polonnaruwa. But because I am more or less temple tired by now, I wasn't so crazy about all those piles of old stones. It was time to move on again.

After some more crazy bus rides I found myself in Sigiria. I found a guesthouse where I wanted to settle down for couple of nights. Most travelers pass by Sigiria fast, only to visit the huge rock. But I found this small village interesting. I climbed up the Lion Rock as well, and marveled the ruins, caves, ponds and frescos there.

Many travelers complain about the ticket prices you have to pay to get in to these World Heritage sites. They share tips how to sneak in without paying. I don't really get it. Think how little you get with that 30 $ at home, but with that same money here you can help to maintain historical sights.

I did do something almost illegal however. I went on a tuk tuk safari! A tuk tuk driver Sampa took me to see the the wild animals right outside the Natural Park. The wild elephants were calmly eating grass on the side of a busy road. They seem to be same kind of nuisance here as elks and reindeers in Finland, roaming sometimes on the roads and farms, destroying the gardens. I was told not to walk after 6 pm outside my guesthouse because of the wild elephants.

So I didn't support the government natural park program, but the local economy instead (my tuk tuk driver Sampa). I saved almost thousand rupees, which makes six euros! And as a bonus, I got a nice cellulite massage on my bum during that bouncy tuk tuk ride.

I also did some bicycle safaris on my own. I spotted peacocks, many different kinds of monkeys, giant squirrels, a snake, a turtle, butterflies and birds in different colors and some creatures I don't even know what they are. Sri Lanka is definitely a nature lover's paradise.



About The Short Eats

There is always time and  place for some snacks, or short eats, as they say in Sri Lanka. Especially on long train trips you have a good chance to discover new tastes. Every station brings along new food vendors and they walk along the compartments calling out loud the names of the food items they are selling. I will miss all this spicy food!

Short eats are normally wrapped in used office papers, pages of old books and student exam papers. I have eaten my rotis on company invoices, mathematics exam papers, doctor's prescription etc. Great way to recycle.

Thick, creamy buffalo curd and sweet honey on a Hopper is a good choice for a breakfast. So is a coconut Roti (behind).

Kotthu Roti is sort of an fast food. Roti cooked in oily spice mix and chopped together with vegetables and spices.

Cooked spicy chick peas are my favorite. 

Vegetable curry has lentils, chopped green leaves, coconut and chili, green beans and rice. That suspiciously beef looking food is Jack Fruit.

Mangostin makes a good snack between the spicy and oily ones.

Fried Dal cakes (lentils) comes with onion and chili.

Twenty Years From Now

Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.