This week the ladies of the tailoring workshop made an excursion to Manathavady. One by one, they entered the Profugo rental house donned in some of their most beautiful sarees. We talked a bit about Onam and then we sat in a circle and got down to business, literally. We began with the question, “What is business?” Sabeena answered that it is when you buy or sell something. Spot on. Although a simple explanation, that
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My two months in Prashanthagiri ended just one week ago, and already I can see how my life has been changed by the experience. Visiting with family and friends since I’ve been home always brings up the same question. “So,” my grandmother would say over welcome-home tacos or my friend Christina would ask while we sat on the couch in her living room, “how was India?” For some odd reason I thought I would come
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Good communication is the key to building strong and meaningful relationships, whether between a husband and wife or two business partners. The lack thereof can cause great strife and misunderstanding. Communication can be difficult between two close friends who share the same language, so imagine the difficulties that can present themselves with two people that recently met who speak different languages. According to John Powell, Communication works for those who work at it. We are
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The bags are ready! The tailoring assessment period is over… contracts are signed! The six months tailoring project begins!!! AND… We already know 70 more words in Malayalam including: Budhimutt joli= hard work; thunni= fabric; and (my favorite!) uhchabashanam… oru mani!= (lunch time!) I’ve truly enjoyed working with the women this week. I was very glad to find out that they are as exited as we are about being part of this tailoring project. Our
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I am dedicating this blog to the wondrous fruit that is the chakka, jackfruit. The large oval fruit hangs from the trees with its green spiky covering protecting it from hungry critters. One never knows quite how to proceed when it is placed before you. Luckily, the families of Prashanthagiri have aided us in this endeavor. Once opened, many pockets of fruit and seeds are revealed. The fruit is a bit of a shock to
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