AS TOLD TO BC PIRES

My name is Amanda Elvis and I am a PET/CT radiographer.

Yes, my last name is Elvis. And people always ask, “Elvis? Like in Elvis Presley?"

I’m from Princes Town. I had very humble beginnings. My dad came from nothing and my mom was well established.

I grew up being a country girl and a town thing. So you could say I’m a dougla in that department. Very grounded, but I had a taste of how it is to be the life of everything.

A synopsis of my evolution: I am actually the product of a pen-pal relationship! Cool, right?

My dad Krishna is originally from Navet Village, Rio Claro, and my mom Beena is from El Socorro.

They didn’t have the privilege of phone calls in those days, so they wrote letters to each other.

I guess it’s because of them that I’m so into reading and poetry and stuff.

Under financial constraints, we had to move from all the way down south to all the way up north for Dad to get a job for the betterment of his family.

There were times we didn’t have ends meeting but we always went to school. If my parents hadn’t seen the value of education then, I wouldn’t be excelling now.

I’m the eldest of three children, so I’m basically the principal of the set.

My brother Avinash is the complete opposite of me. He’s pretty introverted.

My sister Nalini takes the cake from the three of us. She is

overly enthusiastic.

I couldn’t be alive without her.

I really do think my husband Jimmy Elvis loves me more than life itself. I tell everybody he’s too good for me.

Believe it or not, this weekend just gone is our anniversary. Seven years.

Later down the line there’s room for a family. But one step at a time.

I’m really grateful for the challenges I got along the way. Those are the things that make you the person you are.

I started off at Navet Presbyterian School, then Rousillac Presbyterian and ended up at El Socorro South Government. I finished all my education this side.

I did sciences at school, went to university, did my degree.

I’m doing continuing studies because knowledge is ever-changing.

I came from a very traditional Hindu upbringing, but here I am, going against the rules against eating beef and pork.

I don’t practise that faith, but I’m grateful I had some system to abide by.

You go to school and you do your own research and you’re rebellious to everything and religion is so subjective.

I do believe there is a higher being.

I believe religion is the opium of the masses, like Karl Marx said.

If there is a God capable of intervention, why doesn’t he stop the suffering? Why do some people have bigger battles to fight than others? How can my faith have more faith than someone else’s? How can you be a leader of a religion and say another religion is wrong?

I tend to get along well with the social crowd.

But sometimes I really appreciate alone time.

I love to read, I love to draw, I’m into poetry. (Anonymous Canadian) Atticus is one of my favourite poets.

The universe has a way of doing things. It will take its course.

Some days, I