Learning outside classrooms, Sri Lankan students explore Karachi

Six students from Ladies’ College, Colombo were welcomed by CAS students and faculty.

KARACHI: As cricket enthusiasts were flying to Colombo for the T20 World Cup 2012, six Sri Lankan students arrived in Karachi for a week-long student exchange programme.

The CAS school, under their Nelson Mandela Peace Fellowship, welcomed the students from Ladies’ College, Colombo on September 29. The fellowship aims to promote a cordial relationship between the two countries by understanding each other’s cultures.

The foreign students were welcomed at the airport by the CAS faculty members and families of the students they were staying with.

Fun activities were planned for the visitors, such as visiting historical places and going to the beach. But it wasn’t all fun and games as the students also attended classes at CAS.

At a ceremony held on Tuesday at the school, the Sri Lankan Consul General DW Jinadasa presented fellowship certificates to the visiting students.

“Such student exchange programmes lead to exchange of ideas and appreciation of diverse cultures,” said the school’s principal, Sami Mustafa, while thanking Jinadasa for attending the ceremony.

Breaking stereotypes

The young Sri Lankans were happy to be in Karachi, but they were also surprised at the “heartwarming” welcome they received.

“Before coming here, we had mostly heard about terrorism in the county and intolerance among the people,” said ninth-grader Shayomi Sudarshan, who was travelling without her parents for the first time. “But people have been completely different from what we expected.”

Her compatriot, Lasni Martinez, agreed. “It is quite surprising - I did not expect the trip to be this good.”

Shayomi’s only advice to Pakistanis was to unite for the sake of their country and stop fighting with each other.

According to Tehara Punchihewa, the general perception about Pakistan abroad is mostly negative, due to stories of bomb blasts and violence appearing in the media.

For this reason, her parents were apprehensive about sending her to Karachi. “But now we know that is there is so much more to Pakistan than only cricket and terrorism,” said Punchihewa while sharing her wonderful experiences with her host family.

Shayomi, however, said that her parents encouraged her to go on the fellowship. “They want me to become independent and have exposure to different cultures.”

The students were in agreement that Karachi was very similar to their hometown, except that Colombo had much more greenery.

“From the weather to customs and traditions, we are almost the same,” said Vanshi Benjamin, but emphasised that Pakistanis need to become more eco-friendly. “In order to save our country’s environment, we have made attempts to shift from smoke-emitting auto rickshaws to taxis.”

The Ladies’ College deputy head, Suendrini Marie Gnanaskandan, who was accompanying the students, told The Express Tribune that the college started in 1900 and is a well-known private O’ and A’ levels institution. Gnanaskandan said that six CAS students will visit Colombo as part of this fellowship programme on the college’s foundation day which will be held in the second week of February, 2013. The Pakistani students will also be staying with Sri Lankan families and attend classes at the Ladies College.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2012.