Noteworthy Nataliya

Friday, 07 October 2011 00:00 Ambitious teenager living in Canada adores Lanka She is Nataliya Perera who was born in Colombo. Her parents are from Sri Lanka. She has been residing in Canada from the age of seven but had been away from Sri Lanka from the age of three, growing up in three countries The young lady who is turning 19 soon, however, says her love for her motherland will never, never fade. For how long have you been living in Canada? I have been living in Canada since I was seven years old. My family actually moved away from Sri Lanka soon after I turned three, so I was living in Japan before moving to Canada. I love to travel, see new places, and experience new things! I feel really lucky to have had the opportunity to travel with my family and grow up in three wonderful countries. What do you do in Canada? Currently I am studying Physiology at McGill University in Montreal. It is a fantastic university in an absolutely gorgeous city. I really enjoy living and going to school there, but I definitely miss my family back in Calgary (all the way on the other side of Canada) while I’m away. I always look forward to going back home during school holidays. More about what you’re studying: My B.Sc (Bachelor of Science) major in Physiology focuses mainly on the study of the human body and its systems. I hope that my studies will lead me to a career in Medicine. I can’t think of anything more interesting  to spend my life doing and it feels great to know that it is a profession that will no doubt help people lead fuller, happier lives. How often do you visit Sri Lanka?  I visit Sri Lanka with my family every couple of years or so. I absolutely love coming to Sri Lanka. It is an unbelievably beautiful country, and the food is without question, amazing! The best part, however, is coming to see all my relatives and family friends. My favourite thing to do in Sri Lanka is probably just to chill out at the beach and take it easy. Wouldn’t you like to get involved in the Sri Lankan glamour business? Given that I had a really positive experience with it the first time round, I don’t see why not! I think I’ll definitely look into it a bit more during my next few visits to Sri Lanka. Modeling as a profession...How do you view it? I respect both men and women who engage in modeling as a profession. It is a difficult profession to reach the top in since there are always more and more beautiful faces being introduced into the industry every day, so I would assume it takes work and a bit of luck to remain buoyant. With regards to pay, there’s no doubt that a top model that stays in demand would make a very decent living. At this point in my life, however, I think if I ever decided to pursue modeling, it would have to be on the side. Finishing my university education and reaching my career aspirations in medicine are my top priorities. Your age? I am 18.  I’m turning 19 in just a couple of months, and I almost can’t believe it. Time flies so quickly with school and life in general! Your views about males? They rock! Most guys I know and am friends with are laid-back, funny and just really cool. I think I probably have more guy friends than girls because they are just so easy to be around. How do you maintain your figure, fitness...Do you exercise regularly? I try to exercise everyday even if it’s just for half an hour to an hour at a time. My favourite way to get in shape is definitely dancing, from ballet, to hip-hop, to ballroom and latin. In addition, I do my best to eat healthy, but I LOVE to enjoy different types of food, so I never deny myself anything...Life is too short! It’s best to live it up, enjoy all the things you love and do your best to maintain a healthy level of exercise or physical activity. Text : Ramesh Uwais Pix : Mihira Bandara