World Of Tourism

Ace Sri Lankan cricketers Kumar Sangakkara and Sanath Jayasuriya believe iIFA Awards 2010 held in Colombo, is a "great chance" to promote Sri Lanka in Bollywood and foster a better relationship between the two countries.

"It is a great chance to promote Sri Lanka between the film fraternities here. Sri Lankans are very big fans of the Bollywood film industry and is very popular in Sri Lanka," Sanath Jayasuriya told IANS in an elite interview.

"Sri Lankans are looking forward to this great event. It's great for our state and good for the relationship between the two ountries," he added.

Kumar Sangakkara, captain of both the Sri Lankan cricket team and actress Preity Zinta's Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kings XI Punjab agree that Bollywood has a huge presence in Sri Lanka.

"Bollywood is a big hit in Sri Lanka and worldwide. I think everyone in the world has sat up and noticed how big Bollywood is how attractive it is and how talented stars," Sangakkara said.

He will repeat his role as captain in charity cricket matches in Colombo between Indian celebrities and Sri Lankan cricketers, to be held by the International Indian Film Academy (iIFA) to rehabilitate former Tamil child soldiers.

"There will be lots of fun and lots of activity. It is also a very touching humanitarian action as a village with 100 families will be built. Entertainment bound with iIFA Humanity project and also the Cricket for children, where child soldiers will be retrained, converted, and received abetter lifestyle, is a great plan, "Sangakkara said.

The wicket keeper and left-handed batsman said he was a big Bollywood movie buff.

'The first Hindi film I saw was "Bombay". Then I saw Laagan "and has seen others like" Monsoon Wedding "and" Water ". I like a lot, and the messages the movies wear is very suitable and touching, "Sangakkara said.

While all-rounder cricketer who Jayasuriya Shah Rukh Khan film, all Sangakkara Khan appreciate About Puri and nose Uddin Shah's work and was all praise for Bollywood actresses.

"I have seen no Shah Rukh Khan film. At the local channels of Hindi movies are always displayed. from time to time we see them, even when we do not know the name of the movie. I like Shah Rukh Khan Film and never miss them, "Jayasuriya said.

Sangakkara said: "I like Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman. I have seen About Puri and nose Uddin Shah in various roles. And there are some most talented and beautiful ladies in the world of Bollywood.

Asked who they would like to see the results on iIFA Awards, Jayasuriya quipped: "I always like to see Aishwarya Rai drama on stage."

Sangakkara had "no particular favorite.

"I want to see all actresses who would come to Sri Lanka. If they do on stage, there will be an added attraction," he said.

Tamils from India hugely protested iIFA Awards, held in Sri Lanka after the accusations of genocide against the Sri Lankan Tamils in the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the continued discrimination against them.

The South Indian film relations have decided to boycott all players participating in the ceremony in Sri Lanka.

Asked to take it, "said Jayasuriya," I want the whole Bollywood comes to Sri Lanka. You are all welcome to our country and we will look after you with great care. It is between Sri Lanka and India. We share a very good relationship and we want to make stronger it further. ”

Sangakkara said: "I think the whole spirit iIFA is to transcend all barriers - social and political. I think iIFA would break down barriers and build relationships. It is a great opportunity for Sri Lanka to demonstrate their hospitality.

Has your association with your boyfriend lost his touch? Well, then you should think cheating on him. The declaration in a new revise.

According to Dr. Andreas Vossler, and Dr. Naomi Miller, who will there his findings at the British friendship for Counselling and Psychotherapy discussion in London, makes adultery relationships stronger when the process of owning up and talk about it can bring couples closer together, and reports cable.

The boffin believes that couples who direct to forgive and rebuild their confidence after a relationship can report that their association is stronger.

The study, by researchers at the Open University and the University of West of England, Bristol, found that couples who admit to infidelity go through the grief and simple wing the same way to cope with a death.

Dr. Andreas Vossler said: "Although there is much investigate on why and when persons engage in adultery, there is not much about how couples cope with the result.

"There is also a lack of investigate on the best ways to work therapeutically with infidelity. Par advisers have given their role; a privileged awareness of both these question then this study provides an important payment to the region."

Relationships are always the hot topic after New Years because people need people and at the end of the day we are all looking for a partner or we look for ways to spice up the relationship we are already in. However, as with all things in this life, there are stereotypes. We tend to believe that it's higher on a woman's priority list than on a man's and we've believed that for quite some time.

Sitcoms, movies, documentaries all depict the lonely and desperate single woman in search of true love. I don't think it's without just cause that it's depicted that way, I recently went to a wine tasting with a group of single gals and was a bit stunned at the way some of them behaved and realized that's it's those women that give the rest of us a bad name.

But this morning I was pleasantly surprised at a survey that was done in the UK. First on the list of New Years resolutions for everyone, regardless of gender, was to enjoy life more. Second on the list for men was true love whereas for women it was fifth on the list. They are saying that the recession has pushed up priorities such as debt and saving money but this is still a very interesting find and some good news for the single girls out there. Here's to 2010 and finding Mr Right, it seems it's going to be a little easier (wink).

Can single people be friends with people who are in committed relationships? This is a question I have been asking myself for many years and I had always leaned towards yes until an encounter last night made me think twice. I've had this friend for many years, she's beautiful and bubbly and is recently single, I've never seen her as a threat, I've always believed that if you are in a secure relationship no one can truly be a threat. She's spent time with my significant other and I've trusted the fact that she knows the boundaries and respects them.

So while sitting with her and having a much needed catch up session, I listened patiently to her stories of love lost and found, of her new mindset to be single and free and take things slow and her new behavior towards men. In fact she stated quite clearly, "I am not sleeping with anyone, if I kiss someone so be it, I'm free right? But men have made me feel so vulnerable, I just want to be friends with them for now". I understand this phase she's going through as I have been through it myself but as I started to ask her about her plans for the following day, a tale emerged that I found myself struggling to be quiet about.

There is a man she has known for many years, he's married and she knows his wife, I didn't think anything of it because as I've stated before I thought she knew the boundaries and respected them. However a tale of flirtation and inappropriate behavior emerged. She informed me that they would be spending the day at the beach together, alone, because his wife would be working. A tiny alarm flag goes up for me, she then proceeds to tell me, "He says that he wants to pick the bikini I wear (laughing) and I told him that only if he puts it on and takes it off for me! (more laughing)"

It is at this point that I must have had a very confused look on my face because she immediately stopped laughing. All I could think about was how this poor wife would feel if she knew that was being said. I could spend the entire day writing all the things she said and many of them would shock you, but the anger I feel right now prevents me from doing that. I quickly wrapped up our little session before I heard anymore and made an excuse to get out of there. I started to think that she is one of the many reasons women who are in relationships find it so difficult to be friends with someone who is unattached.

We are all inherently insecure, it's a trait that we all share as human beings but of course, with everything in life, there are degrees of insecurity and this takes it to a whole new level. One of my goals for 2010 is to be more optimistic so I decided that I won't be narrow minded and judge every single person as a threat because of my misguided friend, I'll keep an open mind, but I will definitely be a little more cautious and selective.

Boundaries have recently been on my mind. I'm not one for boundaries and I've been thinking that maybe I should be. With boundaries comes respect, or so I've been told. But there's the question of how do you institute a boundary with someone who is so used to the way things have been over the years? Do you have a sit down and have the awkward conversation of "this is how things need to be from now on". Currently I've been doing the dodging dance, but then I still get shackled with an awkward conversation, the "where have you been?" one.

Let me elaborate..... I'm the type of person that trusts naively, loves intensely and gives unconditionally. Now as egotistical as that sounds, I'm sure many will verify it's truth. But an incident occurred that made me think twice about the way I treat people and vice versa. It was my daughters birthday, a person who I was very close to, came into my house, ate my food, insulted my mother and behaved like white trash (there really is no other way of putting it)and needless to say I stood with my mouth hanging open practically catching flies. At one point she screamed across the room as she left "remember to bring me leftovers!" She had stayed a total of 30 minutes. To top it off, let's just say the dress code was kiddie friendly and her daughters arrived in outfits that would put hookers to shame.

I'm really not a snob, please don't get the wrong impression, but I can tell you that I like to think of myself as a person with class and when that happens, it insults every fiber of my being. I had to stop and reanalyze the people in my life and the kinds of relationships we have. I haven't seen her since then and its been over two months, she knows why I am not speaking to her, but she doesn't have the decency to find out or apologize but that's an expectation I have to get rid of quicker than the trash on a Tuesday morning. Including her.

My point, is that she is not entirely to blame for the incident, I am just as much to blame. I allow the people in my life to use me as their personal door mat and I never say anything about it, that's why I've decided to set boundaries and let the chips fall where they may. It's cliche to say but if they are true friends, they'll stick around, if not, I'll know where I really stand. I would rather have a few true friends than a million leeches. It's a cleansing feeling, cleaning out the metaphorical trash in your life. I think we all know who they are, and yet we are so scared of being ourselves and fighting for the right for our own rights! Here's to boundaries and the respecting of them!

I'm going to go out on a really precarious limb on this one and say something that's recently been on my mind, are we meant to be in monogamous relationships? There are so many instances of cheating that I'm really beginning to wonder if we're going against the grain on this one. I've been told by a wagging, disapproving finger (obviously attached to an unimpressed person's hands) that saying something like this is almost as bad as denouncing God. There are rules, rules that need to be followed and if not, you're shunned as a leper and banished to your colony, called names like "Hillbilly" and "White Trash". But thoughts are thoughts and if we don't challenge ourselves in our thinking where do we land up? one of the herd.....baa-ing in line and waiting for our rears to be sheared.

I'm not ashamed to think about the box, or bed, in this case. I love my partner, deeply but I know from past experience that relationships are hard work, I've been told that anything that comes easily should be questioned, but why can't love be easy? It's hard merging two lives, different attitudes, different mind sets, different habits and for what? Putting your trust and faith in a person that has animal urges and instincts, praying that their mind will save them if they happen to walk into a tempting situation? I know what you're thinking, and you're absolutely right. I've been hurt, but let me ask, haven't you? Haven't we all?

That's what I'm trying to say, I seem to stray from my point every so often, can't be helped, I'm a woman discovering the world, shaping it in my minds eyes and trying to find my footing. It's not easy when your mind is constantly full of thoughts and I've always felt a little different, a little odd, sort of like a small green ball in an ocean of pink ones. But I wouldn't change it for anything, I wouldn't want to be anyone other than I am. And right now in this moment, I'm questioning monogamy, it's my right to change my mind at any stage, it's my right as a woman or so I've been told. So I'll continue to wonder, not necessarily act, on this newly formed question and I'd love to hear an opinion or two on what you think, believe, feel.

A reoccurring theme has caught my attention. At first I dismissed it as my imagination running wild and playing the "victim" one too many times but through the mist of self doubt and a naive optimism of the human spirit, I am starting to see people a little more clearly than I would like to. Ignorance truly is bliss.

My circle of friends is admittedly not large but I've always treasured the fact that the people in my life are honest, decent and people I can call, without reservation, friends, in every sense of the word. But how well do we really know each other? It can take years for someones true colors to show and by then you're so invested that you start making excuses for behavior that is mean, spiteful and down right nasty.

Unfortunately this has happened to almost all of the relationships, I believe I have nurtured, in the last few months. I have always prided myself on the fact that when a friend is in need, I have indeed been that friend to turn too. But as my life has started taking unexpected turns and certain aspects are changing, I've found a disturbing amount of jealousy. It's an unmistakable look. It's an unmistakable turn of the lips into a forced smile. Needless to say, it has made me very wary to share any kind of good news, there will be no spreading on my part, in fact, I find myself down playing my achievements and trying to be less of who I am.

A trip has unexpectedly come my way and as joyous as I am, I find that I have no one to share it with. The people I used to call "friends" have all but told me to jump off a bridge, I had one friend say "I'm going to Mozambique!" another said "Don't get your hopes up, a lot can change in a year" and another said "Oh......good for you", the pain on their face saying that one simple statement, is something that has plagued me for a while.

I remember when they went overseas, I was shouting from the rooftops, "Congrats!! Whoohoo! You're going to love it, take loads of photos and I want to see them when you get back!" and all that they can muster for me is negative sentiments, competition driven statements and forced good will toward men, in this case, myself.
My daughters first birthday, a day that was as important to me as to my little angel, was marred by a jealous and clearly insecure woman, I had considered a kindred spirit. It made me wonder how long the wool had been pulled over my eyes and how long I had been dancing ignorantly in the dark to the tune of insincerity.

I'm not saying in anyway that I am immune to the charm of jealously but I have never (yes, I can say that with absolute certainty) lowered myself to making someone else feel bad about the good news they are sharing with me. I have, actually, gone above and beyond the call of duty when feeling happy for someone else, because let me tell you, no one likes a bitter Betty. Well that's what I thought, but apparently bitter Betty's are a dime a dozen. Go figure.

My naive way of thinking is fast becoming a thing of the past and I find myself wary of the intentions of others, as much as I don't want to live like this, as much as I want to believe in the best in people, I have yet to be shown that that part exists. Show me a genuine person and Ill show you the optimistic and loving side of myself until then I'll keep my eyes open and my heart shut.

What do women want? When I speak to close male friends of mine, the look of confusion and concentration is quite hilarious and I can't understand why it's so difficult to grasp the most basic of concepts. Truth, Caring, Listening and Consideration. I've just summed up what women want in 4 simple words. But this seems to confuse the male mind even further, she doesn't want my honest opinion right? she just talks all the time, it's impossible for me to listen to it ALL, besides there's wrestling on too? Why must I open the door for her, it's the 21st century and she has arms?

I will be the first to agree that as time moves forward women are becoming more and more independent, running homes and maintaining high paced careers but I truly believe that at the end of the day, there is a part of a woman that yearns to be cared for and looked after by a man. Now as I explained this to my dear male friend, this is how he interpreted it, "She wants me to buy her expensive things". No son, you gotta keep your ears open and do a little more concentrating. I told him that it's the thought that counts, the more effort you put into something special, the more pleased she'll be. He, of course, laughed and said that I was different from other women and that those things don't mean anything to me but he was wrong.

A new survey conducted in England on numerous women, from all walks of life, concluded that women are truly interested in the cliches. What's that? You want to know what the cliche's are? Of course you do. Send her a romantic text or email, write her a poem from the heart and not downloaded off the net, run her a hot bath after a hard day at the office,offer her a coat when she's cold, hold the door open for her, wake her up with breakfast in bed, compliment her. It's really very simple guys. It doesn't get any easier than that, I can almost guarantee that with a little extra effort, that will cost you practically nothing, she'll be putty in your hands.

And one last thing, if you truly love your woman, this will come quite naturally once you get into the swing of things. Here's to good relationships, good sex and good times!