Mar-haba!

The first thing that struck me as I landed at Tripoli airport was the difference in size, utilities, decor, and facilities. Remember, I had just seen Dubai airport a few hours ago. Tripoli airport reminded me of a bygone era. I felt almost convinced that the airport had not undergone any kind of changes or improvements since its inception.

After an inordinate delay in collecting my luggage from the conveyor belt, I set about the task of locating the driver who was to pick me up from the airport. I kept on saying GSHL (Global Steel Holdings Limited) to the small group of receivors who had come to pick up passengers. I must have passed the man who had come to pick me up, at least thrice before we finally 'connected'! GSHL was an unknown entity in Libya. ISPAT was the well known name! But how was I to know?

"Mar-haba!" Ali, the driver welcomed me warmly. I spoke to my office and was given the details of how I was to proceed. Misurata was at least a three hour drive. Fortunately, an Irish engineer (John Smith by name) who was a co-passenger enlivened the journey alongwith Ali who was also quite talkative and jovial. We passed the ancient Roman city of Al-Khums I had read about it being the best preserved ancient Roman site/city and made a mental note of visiting it at the very first available opportunity.

We reached Camp Krupp and after checking in at company's residential complex,I had dinner, met some of my neighbours/colleaugues and turned in early. I was tired and had been asked to report to office the next day.

Accordingly, the next morning, I took the company bus to my office after partaking a sumptuous breakfast at the company mess. After meeting the HR staff Mr.Muralitharan Variar and Mr. Nair, I reported to Mr.Subash Jadhav, General Manager HR at GSHL, Misurata, Libya. I entered his cabin after knocking. Unlike Ali, the driver, Mr.Jadhav's first words to me were not "Welcome..... to GSHL or Libya" but:

You have to go back!

I felt as if the ground below my feet was removed. I had just arrived and had not even started my work and I was being told that I was to go back?! But his explanation, which followed a little later, eased my shock a little. He said that he too had come like me on a visit visa which was valid for a limited time and which required going back to India for revalidation. I heaved a sigh of relief.

I was, after all, welcome in Libya, even though for a short while!

Destination (relatively) Unknown or Nafis(h)a

On October 17, 2010, I set out for Libya from Mumbai, I did not have any substantial knowledge about the country, its people and their culture. I did not even have any idea of its weather patterns or climate! (Though I had done some research on my employers Global Steel Holdings Limited! But more about them later)


It was an early morning flight from the airport. My brother-in-law had come to drop me off at the airport. After bidding adieu I checked in. I was very tired, but could not sleep as I waited in the airport lounge. I decided to get some coffee to help me keep awake.


Just about then, a young little lady in her early twenties approached me with a problem. She was travelling to London (probably her first flight) but had to meet her relatives who had come to see her off. The only difficulty was that we had cleared Customs/Immigration and from here it was not possible to go out. Even so, I suggested she request the security personnel to grant her permission to go out and meet her family members. She tried but it was a futile attempt.


She was saddened. Dejection was written all over her face as she told me that it was not possible to go out. We sat down and I tried to cheer her up and started talking to her to divert her mind.


We conversed and exchanged information about each other for some time. She wanted to use the cloak and I directed her to it. I took a small tour of the shops at the airport. When I came back to the lounge, she had already arrived before me. Once again she seemed quite distraught about not being able to speak to her family-members waiting outside, so I suggested she speak to them on the phone. She told me she wasn't carrying her mobile. I offered her my cell phone. At first, the number would not connect. She lapsed into her 'dejection-mode' once again. But my repeated attempts to connect her number bore fruit! When I told her that I had succeeded in connecting to her (uncle's?) number, she was quite overjoyed! At least, she was able to speak to everyone, especially her mother. She thanked me profusely and I assured her it was nothing great or extraordinary. Anyone in my place could have willingly done the same.


Soon it was time to board the plane. As luck would have it, we shared seats on the plane next to each other. We dozed, we ate, we chatted a little and reached Dubai. At the airport, I noticed she kept a distance. We were in transit for three hours, so I was looking forward to her company. But she had befriended another young fellow traveller......and in any case, she was to catch a plane to London and I to Tripoli. I mused about the fickle-mindedness of women! I set about being my own companion, window-shopped a little and sought information about a audio-visual language learning program/software being sold at one of the shops.


As I boarded the plane for Tripoli, I smiled as I remembered her name and that cute little lisp she had when saying it...... Nafis(h)a!

The Libyan Odyssey - 1

"All of us are great now....." The Libyan experience is something which has had some of the most profound and far-reaching influences in my life. I reached Tripoli on October 17, 2010 and was picked up by the company car. More than 200 kilometres off Tripoli was Misurata my destination, my workplace. I started work in earnest at LISCO's Misurata Training Centre, but it was not until the first week of November that I started class with my first batch of Libyan-Arabic speaking students from the Libyan Iron & Steel Company at Misurata. These were the pre revolution days and there was little to indicate of the people's movement to come. In the days to come I shall write in detail of my Libyan experience in flashback mode. Nothing heroic or dramatic, Just some plain observations which I made in my short stay in Misurata. After more than nine months, devoid of any contact with anyone from Libya, I was overjoyed to see one of my students online. I learnt from him that all the students and the teachers (my Libyan colleagues) at the Misurata Training Centre were safe and well. I felt relieved. I had made some good friends not only at the Training Centre but also some in and around Misurata city. I asked him about the situation in Misurata, in particular and Libya, in general. He said everything was coming back to normal. The people were joyous (their tyrant leader of 42 years had been killed a week ago) and anyone who still supported him or his policies would be dealt with sternly. This statement showed the anger seething still amongst the people of not only Misurata but also, Libya. What he said next conveys in a microcosm the 42 year history of the Libyan jamharriya. He said: "Historically we (the people of Libya) stand at a very crucial period in the history of our republic.Earlier there was only one great man (Colonel Qaddafi) in the whole of Libya. Today we all (Libyans) are equally important. All of us are great." L