The average working class Sri Lankan citizen is very likely to live in a rented dwelling in the suburbs of the city or perhaps even in any of the zonal areas of the city at some point in their lives. If they have not, I can assure that they have missed out an entire series of lifetime lessons. I would suggest to such types, that they should, even for a short term chose to live on these terms and learn a few valuable lessons and skills. Well as for me, I have, in a number of places.
If I take a count of how many times we have relocated the number would be 11 times during my life. Now as the reader you may wonder why there was no way to try and figure out a way to get a house of our own. I shall not go into the nitty gritty information of my personal background or where I come from. Yes I have countless times torn myself apart and tried to work things out. According to local bank borrowing applicable terms for housing, if we are to go ahead, It would be a classic case of handing over the monthly pay cheque to the bank and then starve. After doing so, it would leave you with anything other than to borrow further to be able pay for your basic expenses.
I say this not with an intention to pin down all the excuses as to why its impossible, but rather to highlight how frustrating and crazy it can be to work around the game of owning a house in this island of ours. This is even after having worked a 8-5 job for number of years.
It may ease the burden somewhat if you have had wealthy ancestors who left you property which you could be used to make it work for you. Or if you married a wealthy spouse then there is less to sweat about.
But if you are thread bare with zero ownership of any property and wanting to start from scratch, with your own effort, the ride is going to be one that is good as travelling to hell.
So what does being a tenant teach you ?
Consider yourself very lucky if you have neighbours who takes an unusual interest to know about you (not in a good way). Often most people are curious for all the wrong reasons. These people will teach you lessons on the importance of valuing someone's privacy.
It begins with, trying to find out where you are employed, what kind of job you hold. Some are even so snoopy to shamelessly grin and ask you "honda padiyak labenawa athi nedha?" (You are probably well paid?) When people pose both the question and answer at you, they have only low down intention and that is to make you spit out the kind of juicy information they crave to know. This I guess helps to determine the approximate income and the social standing you are in.
Then the move would be to find out how you are socially placed, ahem.... like the typical Sri Lankan style of questioning with a sly grin "Bandhaladha (are you married?)?" if the answer is yes, the next obvious question would be "Lamayi innawadha? *You got kids ?" .
The local perception is if there is a spouse and kids the picture is complete. In any case if your answer is no or you chose to be quiet many, more differently worded and twisted questions or statements are likely to follow maybe wanting to know where you are destined to in life.
There are some who would rattle on about their private lives hoping that you would also respond in the same style. They may also enjoy bragging about their accomplishments and how successful their kids holding top corporate jobs or professional positions. The typical statements would be on the lines of "My son in law is the Chief Engineer of .......or my daughter is the Deputy to the Chief at the ........" These types teach you how to think what you should keep and let out or if you should let out anything at all.
There are some who make it a ritual to pop up at your house without even checking if you have the time to spare for small talk. Then they are also some who do this and also make it an opportunity to borrow various types of things starting from Green Chillies, Onion, Garlic and even moving onto money, food etc., claiming they will replace your stock the next time they do their grocery rounds or get their pay cheque. These types will teach you lessons in managing, borrowing and the bitterness of never getting back what you lent.
Then there are some who will brief you about the socio economic profile of all other residents (if you are living in apartment) and also the house owner. They are also likely to set the rules which seem like the complex rules but zooming in whatever it seemed like rules you will learn that all those are things they want you to do for their benefit. These types will teach you how much to take and how much to leave and why its always best to check how things work.
If you happen to live in a stand alone house consider yourself very lucky, but if you do live in a storied house or an apartment imagine having to put up with residents above your floor who are inconsiderate and noisy ?
These types would begin doing their household chores at around 10pm and conclude by 12 midnight or even later. They would also have grand parties and social meet ups with baring set ups which usually end up at the wee hours of dawn. On other days, some also chose to jog inside the house during these hours.
In case the slab in each floor of the apartment is of a thinner density, noise pollution would be at its maximum. This would even make a coin falling down heard in a crystal clear manner.
Try to imagine what it feels like if the furniture is dragged on the floor above you while doing household chores or during parties and social meet ups ? It would seem like a volcanic eruption or a thunderstorm for the residents below with the low density slab contributing to the key problem along with inconsiderate residents.
If you are the type of person who simply wants to do your own thing, not get roped into useless drama and live on your own terms, its best that you keep working out a way to own your house somewhere, someday (like me).
I can tell you after moving 11 times in my life, I am DONE having to put up with the sheer absurdity of being a tenant.
In every story, there is also the other side and if its a case of tenants then on the other side is the house owner. We once referred to this person as a Landlord or Landlady. We now have this gender equality fiasco, hence I will refer to the person as the house owner. Well that's the other side of the story which I shall talk about in a fresh post later on.
After all 11 house owners have also taught me equally great lessons !!!
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