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One dinner table conversation changed everything.
For years, Aysha and her husband lived what looked like the perfect life in the UK: stable careers, a happy daughter, and the comforts of routine. But when COVID-19 closed borders and cut them off from loved ones, the distance became unbearable.
That night, they asked each other:
What is the point of this life if we can’t be with the people we love?
The answer led them back to Sri Lanka, after two decades away.
Starting Over
Aysha’s story had always crossed borders. Born in the UK, raised in Sri Lanka, she returned to Britain for medical school and built a respected career. Yet family ties kept pulling her back, every holiday marked by reunions in Colombo.
The move home, however, was anything but simple. Despite being a consultant-level doctor, she had to sit the ERPM exam to register locally. It was humbling; an examiner had once been her junior colleague, but perseverance paid off. By 2023, she was finally licensed to practice again.
Reinventing Her Work
Starting private practice meant beginning from scratch. With no network or referrals, Aysha turned to new platforms. She launched an Instagram page on women’s health, gave public talks, and found her voice in advocacy. She became Secretary of the Zonta Club I of Colombo and co-founded MWC, an organisation empowering women across Sri Lanka. What began as frustration became an opportunity to redefine her role.
Her biggest concern wasn’t her career; it was her daughter. Having moved at a young age herself, she feared history would repeat. Luckily, her daughter was only four and adjusted quickly. Growing up alongside her cousin, just months apart in age, gave her a childhood filled with companionship that Aysha could only dream of during her UK years.
Yes, she sometimes wondered about opportunities in the West, but Sri Lanka offered what mattered most: freedom, sunshine, and family.
Rediscovering Belonging
Back in Colombo, Aysha rediscovered what she had missed most. Lunch with her childhood best friend. Familiar voices at family gatherings. Walking through her ancestral home and knowing she belonged.
Life in Sri Lanka has its frustrations, bureaucracy, politics, and uncertainty, but alongside them are gifts she no longer takes for granted: warmth, spontaneity, and the deep comfort of being home.
Today, Aysha is once again a doctor, an advocate, and a mother raising her daughter among cousins and grandparents.
In the end, it was COVID that made us move, but it was love that kept us here, love for family, heritage, and community. This journey has been anything but easy, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
This story is part of WorkInSriLanka's series highlighting the experiences of professionals who have returned to Sri Lanka after living abroad. If you're considering making the move back home, connect with our volunteer-driven non-profit organization for networking opportunities, mentoring, and assistance with your transition.