Story

6:00 PM on January 28

…

5:30 p.m.

I sent my home security officer Weerasena Weerasena to go pay my phone bill. In Singapore, I had a prestigious 8 digit phone number with many numbers repeated and many auspicious number 8s. However, I was often depressed, I would call Jagath Sumathipala mami, Ammi, Lal Loku Thathi and many friends in Sri Lanka. The phone bill was often $400 USD/ SGD per month! I learned to be more careful with money.

The medical bills in Singapore were about $500/ month as well, as I bought branded Remeron instead of the generic Mirtazapine which is cheaper. Sometimes the consultation fees would go above $1,000 dollars a month with Dr Joshua Kua! I have copies of the medical bills at Raffles Hospital, as it is very high at $1000+!

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When I used to do tests, I would do well. I did fantastic in school tests. This is a bit strange, so i will write the next part clearly to avoid confusing you. So, in the British curriculum, there is a Edexcel program. This culminates in Ordinary Levels and Advanced Levels-- also known more popularly as O Levels and A Levels. When you do A Levels, there is a concept known as "predicted grades". This is calculated based on your school tests. This predicted grade is used when applying for universities or placements at universities. You might get a conditional offer for a university program or degree based on this. Some universities, offer conditional placement if As are predicted, but will still accept you if you get Bs or Cs.

Doctors in Sri Lanka are not as well trained as British or American doctors, just as our companies, healthcare, education, government and all facets are not as competitive as the developed world equivalent. The judicial system, the military, the police, these things are more advanced in the developed countries. America's military can destroy Sri Lanka within minutes. A Singapore court case takes hours to process what Sri Lanka courts will take many years, decades and may even never finish processing, or worse, never complete processing properly, impartially and fairly in SL at all for anyone. The police force in Singapore is more proficient in law enforcement than Sri Lanka's. This is a fact. These are facts.

The doctors did not know what PTSD is, so they could treat me in Sri Lanka. It could be that in a country that underwent a civil war of 25 years which cost 40,000 lives and a violent communist uprising that cost 60,000 lives and there is still a lot of persistent crime -- these things did not seem important to doctors.

My grades in school tests were splendid because although I did not attend school, with less than 10% attendance, my school teachers like Asita Amarasinghe and Sarah Nazeem lovingly taught me in their homes. They went out of their way, they went over and beyond, they came through. They were the angels G-d sent, they gave me the chance to learn. I did miraculously in O Levels with 10% attendance or less, I got A for Economics. I got A for Biology. As and Bs. It was a miracle.

In Singapore, same story. But I had recovered partially. My grades were terrible. I got Bs and Cs and Ds. I failed Financial Accounting. So, I took a step back, and realised I needed help. I spent $120 per hour learning from my friend Valerie Chai. She was super smart. I think maybe 5 hours per month, I got her to teach me the hard parts. This resulted in my grades improving to As and Bs. I got the highest scores for Business Law, with above 80% on first attempt, a notoriously difficult topic. I am proud I was able to make it work. I love my friends. I will survive and I will succeed.