Maldives: My birth place

The hues of blues that stretches beyond my eyesight takes me to an enchanted world of purity, safety and love creating tender ripples of calmness in my body when I stand on the beach of Male'. The gentle waves repeatedly washes over the white sandy beaches taught me the continuity of nature. Me, as part of nature I too have to continue to struggle through life until I am chosen to pass on to the next world. The rise of sun form the east and setting at the west each day taught me there is a time for everything. I learnt that patience was ultimately rewarded by the light of daylight during my sleepless and fearful nights. The brightness of stars in the night sky made me wonder what is beyond my island. I believed there is more than Maldives and it people to explore.

When I was little my family traveled around Maldives. During these trips I learnt that the gentle waves could turn viscous and angry creating heat and shivers of fear in every cell of my body. The waves splashing over me and the boat fighting to reach the destination on the furious ocean, and me holding my breath with my eyes closed tight, hugging the mast, praying to God to save me. I realised life is lonely and it could be uncertain such as a clear morning turning to a gloomy wet thundering afternoon. These trips made my faith stronger in God who created me.

My imagination was fueled by my grandmother's and stories of travelers and distance countries and some my teacher's and their stories. My father being away affirmed that there is more than just Maldives. My first trip to the neighbouring country increased my desire to travel and explore the world. Going to school and the introduction of TV in the 70s with the flourishing of tourism industry increased my imagination, my curiosity of the other world and the other people. Maldives though a monoculture, people look different. Some are fair while others are dark. Some had curly hair others straight, some tall and some short. They look different. My first contact with people from the other world where at school. My teachers, they are an alien bunch. They speak different, dress different and act different. All these first hand experiences somehow motivated me to learn.

My learning was mostly through observation rather than reading or studying. I observe, compare and analyse things. In do my own little experiment. School was important as it was the place I spent most of my time away from home. Maldives let me do and leave me alone as an invisible being roaming and floating over watching what others do. Maldives taught me if I do not interfere with others do they leave me alone and ignore. This suited me well. However, just like the weather, the people in Maldives and people from the other world changes at times from being gentle to cruelty. Some are nice some are not so. An individual can be nice before turning monstrous. These personal experiences made me skeptical of people and my trust in them was diminished over time. The worst blow was when I found out that some people intentionally become nasty. I was more scared of people than before. I withdrew myself more to my own thoughts. I debate my own thought and make decisions leading to consequence hard to understand.

As a young adult I did my work and completed tasked that were needed to be done. I was focused on tasks at work and at home there was no room for socialising. Socialising for me was going out side my comfort zone. At times when I am stressed and upset I find solutions through the rhythm of the waves the washes the shores of Maldives. They take my stories around the world. My relationship with Maldives and my love for the country is mystical. The beauty is enchanting. The suffering of some people are daunting and not heard at all. I hope the children of Maldives have the opportunity to grow with a sense of security and love. I wish parents get easy access to information on bringing up children. I hope there is forum do discuss issues parenting in a supportive and healthy way. I hope more focus would be diverted to improve Maldives rather than fighting over power that all leaders to exert the energy on immediate political issues that gain a vote for their own political party and secure their position. I dream of an enchanting Maldives where the visitors see and feel is actually how the Maldivians see and feel.