Deb H. in Coimbature

Having a wonderful time in India. Yesterday we flew from Mumbai to Tamil Nadu. Driving from the airport to our hotel, I was excited to be looking at the same bustling streets my parents had seen when they were here 3 years ago. We paired off with students at Karpagam University. My new friend Lakshmi is a management student and aspires to work in a bank. Her parents are very supportive of her and her brother’s education. He has an MBA and works for a private company. I asked if she would work and also have a family and she replied, “Of course, m’am.” Her mother managed it, so she hopes she can too. She explained to me that half of her class is Tamil and half are Malayali. She is Malayali, but also speaks Tamil. The students tend to stay with their own groups, so she doesn’t know everyone in her class. They are taught in English. Lakshmi is Hindu and from Kerala, about 8 hrs away. She takes the train home to see her family every month. She has a boyfriend there too, but hasn’t told her parents because is Muslim and she is 99% sure they will not approve. She’s holding out hope for that 1% chance that they will say they can be married. He is confident that it will work out. In Tamil, it is more common for girls to have a dowry, but she does not. It was really fun to have Lakshmi with me later in the day when we went shopping. Kept awake by caffeine, I picked out some presents for friends and a quilt for myself. Lakshmi helped me negotiate with the vendors.

That afternoon we also met with executive Rajshree Pathy in her stunning office. I thought of my sister who would love the beautiful design of her work space, filled with contemporary art. We watched a news story video about her life which was funny because she was sitting right there, but it was interesting and a nice way to convey the information. We fought to keep our jet-lagged eyes open. She reminded me of my friend Margot Strom as she spoke to us about trying to be seamless in her personal and professional life, that her home and her office are extensions of herself.

We had dinner at the home of the parents of a professor from Karpagam. Their effusive hospitality was wonderful as they showed us their home and served an elaborate meal on the rooftop under a bright, festive canopy. Her two little girls dressed up special for us, stunning in their jewelry and fancy dress.

Today we are dressed in salwar kameez with flowers in our hair. We are a stunning rainbow.