'My' Buddhist Monk

I'd been trying to find the Buddhist Temple here in Dar for about 3 weeks.
There are no real reliable maps here - a la the A to Z. If someone were to come up with such a plan, then I'm sure they'd make a mint or a fair few TSH!
There are signs for businesses and buildings but the ones that are off the main road are the most difficult to find - hence my challenge in trying to locate the Buddhist Centre.
I just wanted to visit it, as it was recommended to me by 3 locals who all live in London, apparently it is a beautiful space. 3 separate taxi drivers
and on foot on more than 4 occassions and it still evaded me.

Then one day last week I found it!
It is beautiful and has an ancient Sri Lankan tree under which you can meditate or just sit. Its shletered from the sun and its cool and breezy.
I instantly felt at home.
I was given a guided tour by a Sri Lankan man who visits there everyday to meditate, he is here on business.
I explained to him that I had always wanted to learn to meditate as my dear friend Susie Pearl and her partner Dill practise the art of TM.
Russell Brand also meditates, as do more than a few successful people I know. A peaceful mind would surely do me the world of good!

The kind gentleman passed on the numbers of the Monk who runs the temple. We spoke - well sort of, he thought I was calling from Mombassa..
I was trying to explain that I was calling from his centre. Anyway.. we arranged to meet the next day.

Pannasekara is his name and he is the Chief Buddhist Monk in East Africa. He is 46, fit as a fiddle, has an awesome smile and a contagious laugh.
He is the epitome of a laughing Buddha, though there are no roles of fat on this fine specimen.
I waited for him for 3 hours on the day we were to meet. It only felt like half an hour as I was invited to drink tea, sit barefoot under the tree and read a book.
All of the books are given to you free, all that is asked is that you pass the book onto someone else who might like it when you are finished.
I read one in a whole sitting, a little daily meditation number. I'll list some of my favourites in my next post.

When we met, we sat for another 3 hours just chatting. He asked me to tell him my story. He explained that he is like a Doctor and in order to treat me properly
he must fully understand my symptoms.

Where do I start, well after a fewlaughs, a few language barriers and more than a few incidences of pins and needles ( I'm not used to sitting for 3 hours in a cross legged position )
then came the tears. In summary - divorce, loss of love, loss of my home, anxieties over my career and what to do next. Worries about money and where to live and what to do when I return to Scotland..
I also told him of the frustrations of trying to get into a place here to do voluntary work - one which wouldn't go bust, promise the world of opportunity and then not deliver and also to find a place
where I wouldn't have to pay an agency a fee of $250 of which none of the money went to the charity. Lots of students come here for a fortnight, pay a whopping fee for the privelage of staying with a family and teaching them english.
I want to do something more grass roots and for longer, as the plan is, if all going well, to fly home on the 2nd of October.

Pannasekara ( I now call him Pannacotta affectionately ) explained that he had a project where he was in desperate need of help.
BTW this dude has been to 50 countries, speaks 5 languages and has met more Presidents and Dignatiaries than you could shake a stick at . ( Can't think of a funnier comparison as its so darn hot and i can hardly concentrate!
I left Pannacotta armed with books, a blessing, a chant to meditate and a big smile on my face. YIPEE!!!!!!!!

I had found what I was looking for.....