When I received the news from Global Experience about the nomination, I couldn't believe it.  I felt happy and honoured; particularly because Global Experience is a well-known agency.  The award motivates me to do a lot more for the students, to take care of them with lots of love.

 

Our family is originally from Sri-Lanka (originally Ceylon), which is famous for its tea.  My husband came to Australia in 1986 as a student.  We migrated to Australia straight after we got married in 1987.

 

My first job was to work for Smith & Nephew.  I was a process worker for 6 months and got promoted as a Chemist after that to work in the laboratory;  this made me an experienced laboratory pharmaceutical Chemist.  I am currently working as a Quality Assurance Manager in a food/medicine company.  I take care of the quality and regulatory status of all food and medicine products in the company. 

 

When I came to Australia I couldn't continue my teaching career as I had to do further studies if I wished to do so.  It was quite difficult decision to change my career in the beginning, although it has worked well at the end.

My husband, Samlin is a qualified Marine Engineer; he used to work in the sea sailing industry for the ships all over the world.  After we got married, he gave up sailing and he is presently working for Waverley Council in the parking petrol divison.

 

About my self; I was graduated from University with a degree in Chemistry/Mathematics.  I used to be a high school teacher before I migrated to Australia.  I taught Mathematics and Chemistry.  I lived in Nigeria, Western Africa and worked as a high school teacher for 5 years from 1981 until 1986.

 

I have two wonderful children;  an 18 year old son, Richard who is currently studying his first year at the University of New South Wales and a 16 year old daughter, Vinita who is currently in year 11.  They both were born in Australia.

 

The idea of doing homestay initially came from a friend of mine.  She knew that I had some empty rooms at home thus she told me to join a homestay company to receiving students.  I was excited with the idea.  I am very passionate about cooking a variety of dishes, whilst my children enjoy cultural exchange;  so I thought... "what a perfect combination".  Then our journey began last year.  My first student from Global Experience was a young boy, Ahmed from United Arab of Emirates, who came here for study tour purposes.  He was very lovely and treated me as his own Mother.  Our family really enjoyed his company and it was sad to see him leaving.

 

From my point of view, the main reason why students enjoy their stay at our home is because of my cooking skills and my sense of caring.  So far I had students from UAE, China and Brazil.  They all have been wonderful.  My Chinese student, Ying, even brought a friend home to taste my food. 

 

My family always tries to accommodate all the students staying with us.  My son and daughter are very friendly and love to give them company whenever they can.  I, myself, always try to help my students whenever they have problems.  So it is all about love and kindness that make them last at your home.

 

My female students love to assist me with meals' preparation.  I taught one of my Chinese girls how to make Chapatti (Indian bread).  Quite often, she also cooked Chinese for all of us.  When she turned 18, we had a surprise birthday party for her. 

 

Recently we hosted a Brazilian boy, Chris, and have spent some memorable moments with him.  It brought us tears when he left us as he stayed with us for 8 months and became part of the family.  He bought me a box of chocolate for Mother's Day and I was touched.  I remember when Chris first arrived in our home without his luggage.  He had to wait for 3 days before he could have it back.  So on the same day, we took him for shopping and bought basic clothing needs.  Chris is very clean and always looked after his room.  He used to hate vegetables; he only ate meat and fish.  Slowly, I trained him to eat lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and cucumbers.  He began to eat anything I cook. 

 

I always try to be a 'true' Mom to my students.  I guess Mom's love is the same regardless where you are from and what nationality you are.  I give my students the same love and attention as to my own children.  I take them out for shopping, seeing attractions and cook their favourite food.  It is always good to ask them about their culture and family, to make them feel closer to you and your family.

 

I am aware that every student is different.  They have different background, attitudes and own uniqueness therefore it is our duty to be flexible and open minded to accept differences. 

 

For most people, the most challenging student could be Muslim.  As you know, I am a Sri-Lankan so I am very familiar with Muslim's customs and traditions.  What I normally do, as soon as my Muslim student arrives at home, is to teach him which side is "North", so that  he can pray.  Although our family is Christian, but I don't have any problem to fulfill Halal request for my Muslim students.  If you can't cook Halal, you need to explain to them that in Australia there are limited Halal shops, thus this request may not be fulfilled.  Through my experience, Muslim students really enjoy having bread (such as Lebanese bread) and fish. 

 

When we had Ahmed at our home, we never had any problems with him.  He was so wonderful and loved to talk about his family and culture.  It was great to listen to his enthusiasm whilst at the same time having cultural exchange.

 

Another thing to remember is not to take students' expectations as personal.  We just need to be patience and accept their customs.

 

 

In India, 216 languages are spoken by a group of more than 10,000; however there are many others which are spoken by fewer than 10,000 people.  All together, there are 415 living languages in India.  The Constitution of India has stipulated the usage of Hindi and English to be the two official languages of communication for the Union Government. 

 

The Ramayana and Mahabrata are the oldest preserved and still well-known epics of India; some of their versions have been adopted as the epics of Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

 

Namaskar or Namaste is the most popular form of greeting in India.  It's general salutation that is used to greet or welcome somebody and also for bidding farewell.  While doing Namaste, both palms are placed together and raised below the face to greet a person.  It is believed that both hands symbolise one mind, or the self meeting the self.  While the right hand represents higher nature, the left hand denotes worldly.

 

Tilak (Tika) is a ritual mark on the forehead.  It can be put in many forms as a sign of blessing, greeting and auspiciousness.  The Tilak is usually made out of a red vermillion paste and it is applied on the spot between the brows which is considered the seat of latent wisdom and mental concentration and is very important for worship.  In addition, it also indicates the point at which the spiritual eye opens. 

 

Indians normally welcome the visitors and honour the God/Goddess by offering 'flower garlands'; which is made by white jasmine and orange marigold flowers.  It reflects a mark of respect and honour. 

 

Young girls and women normally wear Bindi; which is derived from Bindu, the Sanskrit word for dot.  It is a red dot made with vermilion powder which is worn by women between their eyebrows on their forehead.  Traditionally it is a symbol of marriage, nowadays it is also worn by unmarried girls.

 

In India, married women wear a necklace made of black beads called Mangalsutra; which is equivalent to wedding ring according to Western tradition.  Mangalsutra is tied by the groom around his bride's neck; it represents protection against evil. 

 

Indians also believe that giving gifts eases the transition into the next life.  Gifts of cash are given to friends and members of the extended family to celebrate life events such as birth, death and marriage.  To them, it is not about the value of the gift but the sincerity with which it is given, is more important to the recipient. 

 

If you are invited to an Indian's home for a meal, it is not necessary to bring a gift.  It is also important NOT to give frangipani or white flowers ars they are only used at funerals.  Since yellow , green and red are considered as lucky colours, you can try to use them to wrap gifts.  Unlike Western culture, gifts are not opened when received.  Hindus should not be given gifts made of leather whilst Muslims should not be given gifts made of pigskin or alcoholic products.

 

Table manners according to Indian cultures are somewhat formal, depending on their religious beliefs.  Much Indian food is eaten with fingers; however if utensils are used, they are generally a tablespoon and fork.  Leaving a small amount of food on your plate indicates that you are satisfied.  On the other hand, finishing all your food means that you are still hungry.

 

 

Ingredients  Method:

- Heat the oil in a heavy pot.  Add the onion and garlic.

- Once slightly browned add the seeds, chillies, turmeric and half the curry leaves and stir until fragrant.

- Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer until the mixture becomes a soft paste.

- Add the tamarind water to the mixture and simmer for 10 minutes before stirring in the chilli powder, then simmer for one minute.

- Pour in the coconut milk and cook for a couple more minutes.  Add the fish and cook on a very low flame for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle in the curry powder and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

- Add the remaining curry leaves and the brown sugar just before serving.

 

  

Stress seems to have become a constant factor in today's fast-paced society.  If left unchecked, it can cause havoc upon our health.  Learning how to effectively manage stress can mean the difference between being robust and full of life.

 

It is significant to note that protecting the immune system is a vital part of living longer, feeling younger and being healthy.

 

Below are some tips to reduce stress, boost your immune system and slow down the hands of time.

Regular exercise and physical activity strengthens your immune system, cardiovascular system, heart, muscles and bones.  They assist the stimulation of the release of endorphins, improves mental functioning, concentration and cognitive performance.  In addition they also lower cholesterol, blood pressure, cortisol and other stress hormones.

 

The slow movements and controlled postures of yoga improves muscle strength, flexibility, range of motion, balance, breathing, blood circulation and promotes mental focus, clarity and calmness.  Stretching also reduces mental and physical stress, tension and anxiety, promotes good sleep, lowers blood pressure and slows down your heart rate. 

 

The most effective measure in preventing the spread of microorganisms that cause infections is good hand hygiene.  Never forget to wash your hands with soap and water as soon as you come home and always before you eat.  These will reduce your exposure to bacterial and viral infections.

It is true that laughter is the best medicine.  It benefits your immune system by increasing the number and activity of natural killer T-cells.

 

5.  High nutrient diet
Try to eat foods that are rich in antioxidants (like vitamins A, C, E and lycopene), omega 3 fatty acids and folate.

 

Listening to your favourite music is a great method of reducing stress and relieving anxiety.

 

Getting enough sound sleep has a profound impact on your stress levels, immune function and disease resistance.

 

Quite often it is how you perceive things that determine if you get overwhelmed, both mentally and physically.  Having a positive attitude, finding the good in what life throws your way and looking at the bright side of things enhances your ability to effectively manage stres..

 

Regularly drinking tea throughout the day can help strengthen your immune system and your body's ability to fight off germs and infections.

 

Relaxing in a hot bath relieves sore muscles and joints, reduce stress and tension and promotes a good night's sleep.  Add some soothing music, soft lighting and scented bubble bath to create an inexpensive and convenient SPA experience in the privacy at your own home.