Shakya
I am Shakya; a born and raised island girl from Sri Lanka who traded the deep blue oceans and all year summer weather for Canadian golden prairie sunsets and below 30 temperatures. I moved to Saskatoon, Canada when I was 19 with my family. Half-way across the world, thousands of miles away from the island, I met my husband Udara; a fellow island boy from the motherland. We dated for 6 years and got married 3 three years ago and are now parents to an energetic little toddler named Ushal Koah #littlekoah.
I am a Growth Manager for a software company that’s primarily focused on social media, online reputation, and everything digital so that makes me a mama in tech. Every single day I am working on to balancing my work and my little family. During my free time (whatever that means) I binge watch Netflix murder mysteries or try out new recipes. and spend a lot of time with my plant baes.
Sanda
I’m Sanda, better known as “Iaan’s Mommy”, and I live in the city of Bayonne, New Jersey where I live with my husband and our toddler son. I work full time as a Business Operations Manager for an Elementary School in New York City.
I’ve been a Teacher, Writer, and Entrepreneur in my pre-Mommy days. I’ve always been passionate about creating learning opportunities and encouraging young people to dream big. I’m a big Bollywood fan and I love Bollywood dancing. I also love hiking, exploring new neighborhoods & cafes, and traveling with my boys.
Being “Iaan’s Amma” and raising my little Lankan away from Sri Lanka has been the most challenging yet rewarding adventure of my life. My husband and I share a deep love for our Sri Lankan culture and as first-gen migrants, want our little guy to grow up with a strong sense of his roots. There is never a dull moment in my household thanks to the boys, and I enjoy sharing these moments on my Instagram.
Cheka
Hello! I’m Cheka Dissanayake, a proud Lankan living in the beautiful city of Melbourne, Australia. I’m a millennial who is old enough to remember watching Lion King on a VHS player and also now with my son on Disney+ (yes, a little screen time is allowed at our place). My gorgeous little boy was born in Spring 2018 and has given me the greatest title of all, ‘Mumma’. My husband and I are raising our son away from home (Sri Lanka) without any family around so it’s a great new challenge for both of us. We are first-time parents and first-gen migrants, molding our Lankan-Aussie boy with a sense of the best cultural balance.
On top of that, I’m a working mum which brings even more exciting new challenges day in and day out. I’m a sales and marketing professional who loves working with people, keeping up with new trends, chasing targets, and being out on the field rather than confined to a desk.
I’m slightly addicted to tea, scented candles, and pedicures. The best mood fixer for me would be having a good laugh with my girlfriends (now mum friends), with some great food and a full glass of wine.
Shan
I’m Shan, a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, momma to a sassy toddler, and a family doctor.
I currently live in Winnipeg, Canada (yes sometimes it’s colder here than on Mars!). I was born in Sri Lanka and grew up mostly in Saskatoon, Canada, or as some call it the ‘Paris of the prairies’. The last few years have been a whirlwind of moving provinces (and states) for residencies and fellowships and we are happy to be finally settled in a place that’s only a 17-minute drive from my parents.
In my family practice, I mostly focused on women’s health and geriatrics. When I’m not buried in weeks of charting, I enjoy hiking, reading, and exploring new places with my little fam. I am a firm believer in the strength of diversity and my hope is that I will be able to pass on the rich cultural values and traditions instilled in me to the next generation.
Menuri
I’m Menuri, a full time working mother of two beautiful children (both under 5, with just over a 1-year gap between, so you can also call me a juggling queen). I moved to Australia from Sri Lanka with big dreams, and now call this beautiful city of Melbourne ‘home’. I work in higher education and I’m passionate about the international student learning journey, transition, and employability.
Despite the fact that a huge part of who I am has become trying to be the best mama to my little girl and cheeky boy, parts of myself that also makes me happy (and sane) are: drinking coffee, photography, home baking, wine-ing (without whining), and traveling (the current pandemic situation is not helping!). When I’m not café hopping, having brunch with family, photographing my kids, and baking cakes for them, I love to travel and collect experiences to tick off my bucket list.
Creating meaningful memories with my little family, work-life-self-care balance, and staying connected to my Sri Lankan roots are core values for me. Follow along on my adventures as I share my journey of motherhood through Instagram and this blog.
