I found out that Michael was a tour guide and the girl with him, Anna, was a tourist. They were both really friendly and had a guitar and a bongo with them. They looked like true music lovers , so I invited them to stay in our spare room at the villa for the night. We ended up having a great time singing, talking about music, the country, and gems.
It was Michael—whom I met by chance on that trip—who first brought up the topic of Sri Lankan gems. He told me about the different gems found in the country, how he sold them to tourists, and how much people loved them. He mentioned that he was just starting to learn about gems, but I didn’t really pay much attention at the time.
A few months later, I met Michael again in Negombo, the coastal tourist city where he lived. By then, he had learned a lot more about gems and was much more knowledgeable. He spoke to me seriously about trying to get into the business. Although he had some trouble convincing clients due to a language barrier, I was able to help out with my background in teaching English. What really struck me was when he said he saw a huge opportunity in the gems business—that with his expertise and my skills, we could really make a mark. And that’s when I thought, why not give it a try?