Read speaker annals

Interview recorded in 2018.

SURYAKA’S ANNALS:

• In 1968 I was 4 years old and lived in a small farming village in South Yorkshire in the UK. I lived with my parents and older sister. My grandma lived across the road and aunty, uncle and cousins also lived in the village. It was a safe place to grow up, everyone knew everyone else.

• In 1978 I was 14 and very much in love with my pony Mitzey. I loved caring for her, and going off on riding adventures with my friends. I was a member of the Doncaster young farmers, and my favourite subjects at school were Drama and history.
• In 1988 I was 24. I was working as a generic social worker in London, in at the deep end doing anything from child protection work, assessing elderly people, mental health assessments, and working with people with severe physical health problems. I also set off on a big year of travelling on my own in Australia and New Zealand. I did loads of treks on my own in wild and remote places and worked on organic farms.
• In 1998 I was 34, living close to Manchester and working in a day centre for people with alcohol problems. I was into yoga and had started attending the Manchester Buddhist Centre after going to Dhanakosa for a few years on yoga and meditation retreats.
• In 2008 I was 44 and was living in a women’s community in Manchester and working at the centre looking after the maintenance and health and safety aspects of the centre. Around this time I had a project one day a week I would make up circular walks from all the train stations on the edge of Greater Manchester. That was fun and I usually had encounters with interesting folk along the way!
• In 2018 I’m 54. I live with my partner, who I met when he came to repair the Buddhist centre roof! I work as the centre manager at the Manchester Buddhist centre, and enjoy teaching on foundation level courses and drop in classes. I appreciate the friendships that have built up through being in Manchester for many years now and the team I work with. I’ve come through the centre as a new person, got ordained from here and now serve the situation that has been so crucial in my own journey. I love riding my road bike on the hills near where I live and glad I don’t live too far away from my parents and other family members, I like  being able to see them easily.

Interview recorded in 2018.

SURYAKA’S ANNALS:

• In 1968 I was 4 years old and lived in a small farming village in South Yorkshire in the UK. I lived with my parents and older sister. My grandma lived across the road and aunty, uncle and cousins also lived in the village. It was a safe place to grow up, everyone knew everyone else.

• In 1978 I was 14 and very much in love with my pony Mitzey. I loved caring for her, and going off on riding adventures with my friends. I was a member of the Doncaster young farmers, and my favourite subjects at school were Drama and history.
• In 1988 I was 24. I was working as a generic social worker in London, in at the deep end doing anything from child protection work, assessing elderly people, mental health assessments, and working with people with severe physical health problems. I also set off on a big year of travelling on my own in Australia and New Zealand. I did loads of treks on my own in wild and remote places and worked on organic farms.
• In 1998 I was 34, living close to Manchester and working in a day centre for people with alcohol problems. I was into yoga and had started attending the Manchester Buddhist Centre after going to Dhanakosa for a few years on yoga and meditation retreats.
• In 2008 I was 44 and was living in a women’s community in Manchester and working at the centre looking after the maintenance and health and safety aspects of the centre. Around this time I had a project one day a week I would make up circular walks from all the train stations on the edge of Greater Manchester. That was fun and I usually had encounters with interesting folk along the way!
• In 2018 I’m 54. I live with my partner, who I met when he came to repair the Buddhist centre roof! I work as the centre manager at the Manchester Buddhist centre, and enjoy teaching on foundation level courses and drop in classes. I appreciate the friendships that have built up through being in Manchester for many years now and the team I work with. I’ve come through the centre as a new person, got ordained from here and now serve the situation that has been so crucial in my own journey. I love riding my road bike on the hills near where I live and glad I don’t live too far away from my parents and other family members, I like  being able to see them easily.