Sri Lankan expat student in Dubai writes a book on his feelings during the pandemic

Dubai: Sanith Santhasa Piyadigamage, a Sri Lankan expatriate boy studying in Dubai, has written his third book — An Anthology of Expressions.

The Year 9 student at The Winchestor School in Jebel Ali said the book is about a mix of emotions that he felt during the pandemic. “So many things have changed after the pandemic hit the world. There has been a major disruption in the way education is imparted and it has affected students like me. I feel that because of the pandemic, there has been a major setback in learning, accessing educational resources, in addition to school counselling. That is why I decided to write a book to express my feelings and thoughts.”

In 2018, Sanith published his first book titled Thoughts of a ten-year-old.

'Youngest guest speaker'

“The book was about my changing viewpoints while transitioning from a child to an adolescent. My second book Tolerance for Happiness was launched in 2019 during the Year of Tolerance in UAE. That book paved the way for me to be the youngest guest speaker at Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) in 2019.”

He explained that human perceptions on social values are controversial and subject to change. “In the 21st century, human society has expanded into dimensions beyond what we could have possibly imagined a few decades ago. An Anthology of Expressions places emphasis on humanity and its perceptions, displayed by way of vivid and meaningful expressions. From fiction to some of my own personal experiences, the characters I have in different chapters of the book are a result of social degradation.”

The book consists of six chapters. The first is titled ‘Unobtrusive, life of a street child’. The second chapter is ‘William, Thoughts of a World War II fighter pilot during the Blitz’. The third chapter is about ‘Calico’, a stray cat which he had once encountered. The fourth chapter is ‘Muted tapestries’, a horror story. The fifth chapter is ‘Sergeant’ and is about a sergeant as he makes his way through the First World War. This chapter places emphasis on human weaknesses, values and emotions. The sixth chapter ‘Verdun’ is his point of view on the Verdun campaign in 1916.

Offering insights

An Anthology of Expressions is an invitation to read, to offer insights to the present generation on certain issues.

Sanith said he was grateful to his parents for their role in shaping his life. His father Kolitha Piyadigamage works as a strategic manager and business development professional, while his mother Yacintha Piyadigamage is a former assistant brand manager for a consumer goods company.

“My parents have always guided me in all my endeavours for which I am so grateful. I will continue to write and try and influence people’s decisions for the right reasons and motivate them to bring about a positive change in the world around us,” Sanith said.