Wow! I did not realize that my last email to you was on Memorial Day! How time flies when you are really busy. These last two months have been very fruitful in terms of work- getting the two women's network chapters launched with our Global Chief Diversity Officer here for both.
I must say that the work in Diversity is so very basic that for many of you in the US it may seem unreal- most of our front line employees barely have 8th grade education and the women often come from families where alcoholism and domestic violence are prevalent. They work as chambermaids, multipurpose workers, dishwashers and other low paying jobs. They have ambitions to move up in the company and are delighted to have training in communication as well as work life balance techniques.
They want to learn English to do better in their customer service interactions as well as to help their children with school work. Their personal motivation to do better despite adversity, their appreciation for whatever little is being offered to them is so heart-warming that I feel so grateful for my blessings.
I have been to a number of client sites and the women are delighted when I speak in Tamil even if it is not up to par yet! My visits with these women spark a sense of community- the need to uplift everyone in order for the rest of us to be successful. The feeling I have when I am with them is so different- the mood is upbeat, not despondent or cynical about what life has doled out to them and you feel positive and wanting to share your talents. What an excellent gift from the universe! I get to learn how to relate to these women in preparation for my own dream venture “Under The Banyan”.
The Women’s Network launch in Chennai was delightful- we had about 80 men and women in the room- about 20-30 women were from the front line ranks and they were delighted to participate especially since we had presentations translated in real time and interactive theatre on workplace themes in Tamil. So I translated dialogue for the Global CDO and a colleague did for the CEO. Of course our Mumbai launch was a bit more sophisticated, starting with the venue- Taj Lands End overlooking the Arabian Sea. We had clients from MNCs and our keynote was from Canada. Again, we had invited a smaller number of frontline women to the event- they were so delighted to come to a Taj property for the first time that they bought new saris to wear for the occasion! The next 2 chapter launches in Bengaluru and Delhi will take place later this week and early next week.
One of the CSR projects that we have is the Eco Kitchen which is the brainchild of an AIDS pioneer in India- Dr. Sunithi Solomon who was the first to identify the AIDS virus in India and learned so much about its impact on women- she decided to start this central kitchen that the company now operates, where vegetarian meals are prepared and women who are HIV positive or just poor buy them at wholesale rate and sell at retail off mobile carts at busy street corners. One additional way for them to have an income to support their families impacted by alcoholism and other adversity.
My social circle is starting to expand a little. I am involved with reStore- a volunteer association of men and women, who promote organic and sustainable ways of living, connect people and communities to the source of their food, promote diets that include various millets and other grains and sell grains and organic fruits and vegetables directly sourced from the farmers.
The volunteer team used to meet on full moon nights on the terrace of a member’s home and participate in a discussion or watch a documentary on sustainability and enjoy potluck vegan delights.
Fascinating idea and I hope that the group restores that tradition soon! I am working with some members to start an urban gardening project- getting folks to consider growing herbs even if they live in a high rise complex.
So the mango season is coming to an end just as the weather is also getting milder. I have thoroughly enjoyed my first mango season and learned so much about this delicious fruit- so many varieties, so many flavours, so many shapes- I ended up with a few favourites of course! Imam Pasanth- initially when I saw it at the store, they had it listed as Hemam Pasanth- story goes that the Muslim name may have been altered! But this mango gives the Alphonso a run for its money. It was developed by a family in Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu not a research centre and has a wonderful mild citrusy flavour and the flesh has a gorgeous lemon colouring. The shape is exactly what a mango is known for – long and pointed at the end. I also love the Mulgoa- which is a big kind a round mango that is fibreless and has such a rich, very juicy and sweet taste.
I have been enjoying a sliced mango along with some watermelon each morning dusted with a little Himalayan salt and scoops of plain yogurt- occasionally I add other fruits like beautiful figs, sliced jackfruit, sapota, jamun, papaya and pomegranate! This is fruit heaven- forget them apples and oranges- this is the good life!! The chemical free strawberries at Eco-Nut store are small- nothing like those humongous US varieties- but definitely tastier and so fresh coming from a hill station, Kodaikanal about 6 hours away. . I also have custard apple or Sita Pazham- I guess the closest to it in the US is Cherimoya? Lately, there have been lots of Butter fruit or Avocadoes to North American friends in most of the grocery stores. So my appetisers have been guacamole and tortilla chips- imagine I did not really try the Florida avocadoes in Florida- and I am thoroughly enjoying them here! That’s the variety we get here not the California Haas.
So now I have new fruits to discover- I brought home some wood apples. This gentleman at the fruit store in Bangalore introduced me to the wood apple- which literally has to be cracked open like a coconut and mixed with a little brown sugar or molasses- apparently it is good for the heart. I am waiting for the outside to turn slightly brown before I crack it open.
My latest adventure was to find a good Korean restaurant- lo and behold, the company runs the cafeterias for some of the Korean manufacturers- so during one of the client site visits, the client suggested that I eat at the Korean dining room rather than the Indian dining area- I got my kimchee and other vegetable accompaniments!
I went to Pondicherry this week to get my supply of wine and stopped for lunch at the Anand Inn. They had a Biriyani festival at the time- an Indian rice dish which they offered with regional variations. It came in a small unglazed clay pot with a tight fitting lid that is sealed with a flour paste to retain all the flavours during the cooking process. They place the pot on a jute ring and unseal to serve you. If you have leftovers, they pack the entire pot in a square jute bag to take home- quite a different doggy bag!!
I have also found a deli that has all kinds of cheeses, Serrano Ham, and the frozen Vietnamese fish Basa. These meaty white fleshed fillets are great with a good Thai Red Curry paste.
I am planning to visit the US in late September- will be with my daughters in NYC and then in DC/MD, then in KCMO to visit my brother and family and back in NYC. I leave to India on 10/7.
Tomorrow is India’s Independence Day and so it is a national holiday- we have an extended weekend- glad that I am not in Delhi where security is understandably very tight. So in honour of India’s Independence, I leave you with a short poem on the happenings in this great nation…
As the next Independence Day nears
Let's join hands with our peers
To create a human chain of reaction
To greed, lust and discrimination
Let's all rise to the occasion
And wipe out racketeering, scams and deception
Giving hope and aspiration to the oppressed and downtrodden
And let the God in us all not be forsaken.
© Cecy Kuruvilla 2011
