Noa Fernando is half-Sri Lankan and half-Dutch. Born and raised in the Netherlands, Noa’s parents would travel to Sri Lanka on vacation every year. It was on a vacation like this 7 years ago that a young Noa fell in love with her local roots. Making a bold decision to stay back, Noa now calls Sri Lanka her home.
“When I came down 7 years ago I never imagined that I would stay back. I am the most daring out of my sisters and I’ve always wanted to do something on my own. Sri Lanka captured my heart so much that one year later I called my parents up and said I was never coming back”.
Noa’s great love for Sri Lanka is shared by her parents who themselves met on our sunny island. “My parents have a beautiful love story and I guess my love for this country comes from their love for it”, she says.
I am tempted to ask her what about Sri Lanka captivated her the most. “Definitely the warmth that you feel the moment you step on Sri Lankan soil, and I don’t mean the heat. It’s the people, the spirituality. I feel like myself here, more than anywhere else in the world.”
When Noa decided that she wanted to make Sri Lanka her home, her first challenge was to get a work visa which would enable her to remain in the country. “I started off working at Thomas Cook as a tourism consultant for the European markets and did a bit of modeling as well to earn some extra cash. Tourism was something that I loved and it enabled me to interact with many different people. But one area that I found particularly interesting was conversations I had with foreigners and Sri Lankan expats who wanted to settle down in Sri Lanka but didn’t know how.”
During this time, Noa was offered a position at a real estate company which was promoting condominium living to the hill capital. GVR Lanka was the company behind “Dynasty Residencies”, a luxury apartment complex in Kandy. In her own words it was during this time that Noa found her niche for real estate. “I had to travel to Australia on work and realized how many people wanted to live in Sri Lanka but didn’t know how to source a property, and the paper-work that would be involved. This sparked the idea for my first business.”
Today, this young entrepreneur is the owner of two budding business in real estate and exports. Property Search One is a full relocation service company run by Noa and her two associates who work in the Southern province. Going several steps further than a typical real estate agent, Noa’s company handles visa requirements, helping to find schools for children, and a gamut of services that makes life so much easier for a relocating family. “Relocation is not an easy decision and that’s why I take so much care and attention with my clients. I personally make Skype calls and go through the process until they are properly settled in. I am happiest when I know an individual or family feels as much at home in Sri Lanka as I do.”
A second company Esna Exports handles the export of organic produce and coconut based products to Japan, USA and Australia and also keeps Noa on her toes. As if that wasn’t enough, this young and dynamic businesswoman is also a consultant with Dusit Thani Sri Lanka and handles the marketing aspect for their Balapitiya Beachfront property.
With so much to handle, Noa has an active lifestyle that takes her around the island. “I love to travel and there’s no typical timetable I stick to with my work. I generally make it to office by 9am after a good morning workout, and then prepare for the day by first checking my emails. Because I personally choose my clients, I need to do a lot of research and gather insight which is also fun.”
The world of real estate in Sri Lanka is still dominated by males but nothing intimidates Noa, not even the fact that she is not Sri Lankan. “I don’t think being half-Sri Lankan is a negative. In fact it’s a positive in my business. Being half-Western allows me to understand the wants and needs of the Western mindset while being half-Sri Lankan allows me to understand the local way of doing things. It’s the best of both worlds.”
Living a simple life in Colombo, Noa does miss her family and the Netherlands, especially the season changes but strongly believes that with the right people around you anywhere can be home. She has also convinced her parents to retire and return to dad’s home country, and they will be joining her soon. I ask her what her plans are for the future and where she sees herself in 5 years and I am quite surprised by this ambitious woman’s response. “Honestly I’m not sure. In five years I might have another few businesses or just one. I do have personal goals for myself but I like to live my life with no restrictions. I get bored easily and I always need a fresh challenge. So I want to even surprise myself in five years’ time.”
Young women who dare to be different and challenge the norms excite me, and meeting Noa has been a treat to say the least. No airs, no graces. Just simplicity, class and a lot of reality. Her message to women in general sums it all up. “Learn to be thick skinned and don’t let anyone put you down. Envision it and achieve it!”
By Nishu Hassim
Photo Credit: Nadun Baduge
Box Information
Full Name: Noa Fernando
Family: Parents, two older sisters
Who Is Noa? A warm person, go-getter, focused person
Philosophy in Life: Move out of your comfort zone and stay focused
Favourite Person in the World: Barack Obama
About Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka in One Word: Colourful
What Do You Love About the Country? The Beaches
Favourite Sri Lankan Food? Lamprais (It’s Dutch after all!)
Something You Don’t Like About Sri Lanka? People don’t value time and the traffic!
Places to Visit: I love Ella! And Galle is awesome!