Americans value directness, except when they don't. I once watched a brilliant European engineer completely derail his own project pitch in a meeting full of senior leaders. He wasn't factually wrong; he was just too right. He pointed out flaws in the existing process with a surgical precision that...
Immigrants in the United States are nearly twice as likely to become entrepreneurs as their native-born counterparts. Yet, for many ambitious Sri Lankans, that statistic can feel a world away. You possess the drive and the vision, but the path forward is obscured by a fog of complex immigration rul...
My workday often begins at 7 AM, not with my US colleagues, but by reviewing the completed tasks from my team in Colombo, who are just signing off for their day. The conventional wisdom is that the staggering 10.5-hour time difference is the biggest hurdle to managing a team in Sri Lanka from the U...
Have you ever attended a US networking event, armed with your resume and a smile, only to find yourself standing awkwardly by the snacks while others effortlessly strike up conversations? For many professionals from Sri Lanka, the American approach to networking feels like a completely different la...
You’ve done the hard work, earning your degree from a respected university like Peradeniya or Colombo. Yet, when you present it for a job or graduate school application in the US, you're often met with confusion. It’s an incredibly frustrating experience that can make your qualifications feel dimin...
Have you ever scrolled through LinkedIn, seen a former university batchmate post about their new software engineering job at a FAANG company in California, and wondered exactly how they made that leap? You're not alone in that ambition. A staggering 57% of Silicon Valley's STEM workforce is foreign...
Struggling to get a straight answer about using your Sri Lankan license in the United States? You’ve likely been told that an International Driving Permit (IDP) is your golden ticket. This is one of the most common and costly misconceptions. The IDP is not a license; it's simply a translation, and...
You’ve just moved to the United States and after a routine doctor's visit, a bill for $400 appears in your mailbox. Your insurance was supposed to cover it, but the letter references an unmet "deductible" and an "Explanation of Benefits" that seems designed to confuse. This experience isn't unusual...
You might believe American dating is a world of casual flings, a stark contrast to the commitment-focused traditions you know. Hollywood often paints this picture. Yet, research from the Pew Research Center reveals a different story: a significant majority of Americans who have never married—61% of...
Let's be honest: celebrating Sri Lankan New Year in America often feels more like a performance than a genuine tradition. You see the big community gatherings, the vibrant saris, and the tables of food, but something is often missing. The quiet, spiritual core of the holiday gets lost in the noise...
Picture this: You step off a bustling street in Los Angeles, the city's noise instantly replaced by the low hum of chanting and the scent of sandalwood. You expected a space of austere silence, a place reserved only for solemn, solitary meditation. This is the enduring image of a Buddhist temple—a...
Have you ever watched your child effortlessly switch to English with their friends, only to stumble over a simple Sinhala or Tamil phrase with their grandparents just moments later? It’s a common, quiet heartache for many families. You see their vocabulary shrink and their confidence waver, despite...