Musings of a Global Nomad

It’s a few days before Christmas and here I am, sitting in one of my most favorite spots, the verandah of my ancestral home.  As I look back and contemplate the year that has been, I try to break down the share worthy moments and … I really do not know where to begin. The Rebello Lobo's have had another almost unbelievable year! A year of TRANSITIONS,  TRIALS and  TRIUMPHS. TRANSITIONS The Big move to Colombo Our 8 th move, was preluded by some formidable moments and so it was with much relief that we landed in Sri Lanka, the beautiful ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’- our home for the next (we hope) four years. Taliya took the journey very well and has since taken to Island life like quite the seasoned third culture dog she is. She might quite possibly be the only Lahsa Apso in Sri Lanka and as a result has been getting quite the celebrity attention. Colombo reminds us so much of home, and we are loving the food, the music, the culture, and the beaches. Home is just a one hour flight

Neeira-in the last 18 years you have brought us much pride, love, and laughter. We watched you become a remarkable person with a strong moral compass. You often taught us, that speaking up for something even in the most uncomfortable of situations was ALWAYS worth it. You never hesitated to break the silence for what needed to be said. You took on stigmas and cycles and chains for you believed they needed to end. Your loyalty to your sisters, your mother tongue, and your mother land is inspiring. And your diligence and discipline for anything you take on is admirable. As you celebrate this milestone birthday on the cusp of the new adventure that awaits you, we wish that all your dreams come true. We hope a spicy plate of biryani will always bring you comfort, that you meet your favorite Bollywood stars someday, that you get to travel and travel and travel and go do a semester at sea.  You have heard us saying ever so often 'life is unfair' and you will experience this yourself

  2022   Annual Update Top Ten Highlights of 2022 We began a year-long celebration of our 25 th wedding anniversary, with a little trip every month; all went to plan until August, after which Gerard had to travel to Afghanistan and then Sri Lanka, and then Sanchita was banned from travel 😊 (clue below to know why). Arh antika was thrilled to be invited to exhibit her photographs at the ' Exploring Identities' exhibition in London. She also started her second year at the Advocacy Hub for Hunger, while continuing to grow Quake . And her grad ceremony which should have happened in 2020 was finally held! Ryeika got a job as Youth Worker for the SHAK Community Partnership, while she continues to pursue her second year of university . Neeira got to visit her dream destination Iceland. And…London here she comes! She has received two university offers for Fall 2023; fingers crossed that more will follow and then ‘Decision time’. Liraya turned 13- she has had a busy year with Theater

As I begin to write this years update, it's Friday evening in mid December and  I have officially begun my month long vacation. Quite excited and apprehensive about our plans for the next few weeks. We will be leaving our home cave, to get on a plane and travel to a far away land, where people who share our last names and DNA await us with baited breath. What used to be a journey we have done effortlessly so often, from locations more far flung and unpredictable, is feeling almost unsurmountable this time around. Multiple changes in our itinerary, cancelled flights rebooked, changing restriction's and entry protocols; all a strong reminder of the new normal. In fact if this year has taught us anything it is that the old normal is unlikely ever to return anytime soon.  So what was our life like under this new normal? For the most part it seemed tedious, monotonous... days that rolled into one another, each week was pretty much just like last week. But looking back now, I see tha

Dear friends and loved ones, Anything is possible, even the impossible. 2020 proved this right. What an aberrant year it was, so unexpected and utterly unbelievable. A virus came and took us hostage, built invisible walls that separated us from each other and savagely took away loved ones.  It was a year where everything was different and yet we couldn't  really pause because the business of life carried on. I n time we found a way circumventing through the  m onotony, the isolation, the paranoia, the frustration. Some of us trusted the science and followed the guidance, while some of us didn't and added to the frustration of those who did. The months passed, we celebrated lockdown birthdays and anniversaries, we expertly home schooled, and navigated new ways of working. We endured, we  innovated and dipped deep into our indomitable spirit, grit and resilience .  Yes, there were times we did lose our sanity but for the most part we survived pretty damn well.  And believe it or

Today we begin our fourth week in lockdown. We continue to cope reasonably well, are grateful for jobs that allow us to work from home effectively and for school work that continues seamlessly online. We are thankful that our supermarkets continue to be well stocked and that we have enough green space around us to walk and refresh. And most importantly we are thrilled that our family is together (Arhantika made a quick decision to come back from Uni in the UK last weekend. We had about 12 hours of drama as she was initially not allowed to board, but things worked out in the end and she IS HERE). The MasterChef table- every dish prize worthy So yes, a new week begins. If you ask if had a good weekend. I will tell you that I did; that I was glad the sun was out, that I could sit out on the terrace, that I finally watched the movie CATS and got why James Corden half regretted ever doing that movie. I will tell you that the highlight was organizing a Master Chef- Lockdown edition fo