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When you can’t keep silent…
Some politicians have the most remarkable ability to say things that just make you go… huh??
The latest was Mahesh Sharma, India’s Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, stating foreign women should not wear skirts.
Really… I’m not making this stuff up!
Those who know me well, know I clearly have something to say about such comments!
No surprise then that a friend called up inviting me to write a piece from my perspective – looking back at my experience as a ‘foreign woman’ with a 26 year relationship with India.
It started as a fairly typical rant against chauvinism… then morphed into sharing quite personal stories…
The result?
An article published today in the quite fabulous online newspaper Scroll.in.
Curious? Read on…
“A foreign woman’s response to Mahesh Sharma: It’s got nothing to do with dressing modestly”
What do you think?
Related posts:
“And she’s back!!”
I’ve lightly alluded to a pre-occupation with changing over my visa which has impacted the entire way I’ve approached continuing to keep India my base.
Back to Bombay / Mumbai…
Short answer – I am now the proud holder of an Indian work visa! (and there was much rejoicing!!!)
Even better, I am very fortunate to partner with a company that enabled the best of both worlds – primarily support their growth while not closing the door on relevant consulting assignments in India that can be routed via their firm.
Even more remarkable, the actual submission and obtaining was relatively painless. (more on that later!) (more…)
Road trip anyone?
An exciting development with my Canadian trip is an opportunity to go on a whisky distillery tour.
After a year of writing about whisky many folks are surprised to learn that I’m a distillery tour ‘virgin’. Yup!
I received confirmation the tour is set up and they shared a wee list of ‘guidelines’… which sounded vaguely familiar to Inver House’s global marketing head Karen Walker’s fashion advice to Mumbai’s Whisky Ladies!
- Close-toed shoes
- No skirts
- No large pieces of jewelry
- Please bring your ID
- No photos are allowed on the tour
As for where we are going?
Let’s just say I’m proud to share that my first tour will be in my home province of Manitoba, Canada… and delighted to be hopping in the car for a little road trip from Winnipeg…
Gimli (Photo: Clarina Taylor)
Those who haven’t figured it out yet don’t know their whisk(e)y!
PS Photos all courtesy of a…
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Rules are meant to be broken…
It doesn’t take anyone long to realise that in India ‘rules’ are not really unbreakable ‘rules’ in the strictest sense.
They are often more like ‘wouldn’t it be nice if…’ sorta aspirational guidelines.
Or something put on paper so long ago no one actually has a clue why it is there.
Or it is a deliberately placed reason to extort… I mean monetarily punish hapless ‘rule’ breakers.
This evening I took a stroll along the Bandra Reclamation promenade. Hidden away behind aluminium fence was a sign with the ‘rules’.
I decided may as well test the theory to see how many of the ‘rules’ were broken wittingly or unwittingly during my walk. (more…)
Stop and stare… in Delhi
When running up the steps for a meeting in Hauz Khas village in Delhi… was arrested by the sight of this mural on the staircase wall…
From office art in Mumbai to stairwell murals in Delhi, any everyday art make you stop and stare?
Other Sunday Snaps:
Office art in Mumbai – Lorenzo Quinn
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These days I’ve spent a lot of time popping in and out of various office around Mumbai for a hectic series of meetings.
Every once and a while, I come across something that makes me pause….
Like these two piece by Lorenzo Quinn at India Bulls Finance Centre in Mumbai.
About La Dolce Vita, Lorenzo shares:
The thrill of living the dolce vita in Rome must have been amazing. My father tried to describe it to me many times as I was growing up. It was a world full of hope and rebirth, a feeling of eternal spring for humanity. For me this sculpture represents that joie de vivre and the total abandonment to the child within.
And the Two Sides of Nature, he shares:
We often ponder which road to take. I wonder a lot about the good and evil in the world. There is a constant battle within us between these two. The Ego and the Superego – and in between is the Id. This sculpture symbolises all the parts of the inner self. We hope that what prevails is the Golden part of our soul.
Other Sunday Snaps:
Bagel Shop ‘Adda’ in Mumbai
The concept of an ‘adda’ in India is broadly a gathering of people in prolonged conversation. What primarily comes to mind when I hear this word is a group of guys in Kolkata in animated earnest debate, perhaps over a cup of chai collected by the side of a road.
In Mumbai, you can indeed find pockets of the ‘adda’ culture and my partner can often be found hanging out at his ‘office’ aka The Bagel Shop…
So often that it is well known which table is ‘his’ and there is even a photo next to ‘his’ table with a quote from him about the Bagel Shop being his ‘adda’.
Any local hang-out spot near you where you can count on a good conversation?
Other Sunday Snaps:
Cricket fever in Mumbai
Folks who know me well know that sports just isn’t my thing.
After decades in India, I have yet to be converted to a cricket fan.
So imagine the surprise that I… someone who doesn’t follow cricket landed up at a coveted T20 cricket match in Mumbai. The game was a few days ago when West Indies trounced England.
Tonight most of India will be glued to their TVs… tonight the fate of the India team will be decided… tonight I almost wish we still had cable… I may not have cricket fever but I’m curious to know what happens!
T20 England vs West Indies, Wankhede Stadium
Other Sunday Snaps:
Our great escape artist…
So Boxing Day came with a bonus… wee Zoe pranced into our lives.
My suave debonaire partner can be caught showing off pet pics! Yes… we are completely in her spell – hook, line & sinker.
We even ‘cat proofed’ our home with pigeon netting so she could play in the plants, bask in the sunshine, feel connected with the outside without the perils of actually getting out.
Or so we thought…
Except she is a remarkable little escape artist.
Zoe, climbing queen
Irrational moments
Blame it on PMS or just ordinary life stress, but there are a few things liable to get you a ‘blow up’ reaction from me.
Computer issues and financial admin angst are my fatal flaws. I admit it.
If something wonky happens with a Microsoft application, I will be transformed from a completely rational human being into a raving lunatic with tech support!
And financial issues?
Few know this but I’m actually sorta kinda in this space. My professional work is consulting with an emphasis on the people element of the equation. My domain specialisation is, believe it or not, financial services and I regularly work with banks, insurance & mutual fund companies, brokers and more with my playground Asia Pacific, not just India.
So when things go wrong with financial services… I normally treat it like an amusing game. I see what unfolds before escalating through contacts to get things accomplished. (more…)
Everyday Asia 