'The food in the City is great'

Expatriates love Bangalore for its cosmopolitan lifestyle, salubrious environment, food and people. Asela, an expat from Sri Lanka, shares his experiences here.

Asela Bogahawatte, a Sri Lankan who has been in the City for the last five years, has had his share of good and bad experiences here.

“I have been in Bangalore for the last five years, right from the time I joined college. I wanted to get out of Sri Lanka and explore the world myself — hence I chose Bangalore. It is closer home and very similar to the environment I have been in. More than anything, I wanted to travel, go to new places and meet new people,” says Asela.

Bangalore had always been his first choice and as he spent more time in the City, his bond with it started to grow.

“I studied in Christ University; I heard about it from one of my friends. I applied and got through and have enjoyed my experience there. I think what makes Bangalore all the more special is the friends that I have made here,” he points out.

Like any foreigner, it was difficult for him to adjust to the City initially. But as time passed, he got used to the environment and now it feels like home.

 “I fell sick due to the dust and the pollution here. The food and water was different and I took some time to acclimatise to it,” he adds. 

A resident of HSR Layout, he says that the City is very warm and makes foreigners feel at home.

However it is easier for people who are from Asian countries to acclimatise to the weather and the food here than those from European or American countries.
“I was taken for a ride by the autorickshaw drivers initially but then I learnt a bit of Hindi and now I can manage my way around. But it is difficult for people if they don’t know Kannada. They might be fooled by the small shopkeepers and auto drivers. But the best part about the City is possibly the weather. No other city in the country has such great weather all through the year,” he notes.

His love for the City is illustrated by the fact that he espouses the cause of keeping his neighbourhood clean.

He helps his friend who conducts waste management programmes and says that it is very important for the city-dwellers to keep their surroundings clean.

“There is a lot of garbage on the road and the City is immensely dusty. These are things which pulls the City down. However, if people take a strict step towards keeping their environment clean, it will help in improving the City,” he explains.

An avid fan of Mangalorean cuisine, he says that he likes the food in Bangalore, but coastal food is his favourite.

“I generally cook at home. The food in the City is great but the seafood cooked in the Mangalorean style is my favourite. That apart, I like going to a place on the outskirts of the City called Rasta. The drive is amazing and it’s a nice place to hang out with friends,” he informs.

His penchant for travelling has taken him to many places in and around Bangalore and he says that the country has some beautiful places to visit. “I have been to Coorg.
The country has many such picturesque places to visit. However, whenever I am back in Bangalore after a trip, I feel I am back home,” he sums up.