Saturday the 29th, 2009 Reflection from the trip to Amritapuri and the Hugging Amma….Laura from TX
Well friends, I find that nine hours on the bus gives you plenty of time for observations and reflection on the passing countryside and I find that India is a country with many juxtapositions……. women in gold threaded saris sweeping the dirt with a bundle of twigs…countryside littered with plastic garbage beside neatly kept houses……the apparent chaos of bicycles, autos, rickshaws and trucks sharing the same roadway with the calm demeanor of the millions of people living in this seeming chaos…..internet cafes in a country that has only intermittent power, because they can’t produce enough to go around……a herd of sacred cows driven through town to the watering hole beside a marriage billboard with pictures of the bride and groom ….and a road sign that says:….inpatient in the hospital, patient on the road! It is a country of many contradictions and yet the patience to deal with these contradictions with grace.
Our arrival at the Ashram was done in a fog….we were hot, tired and completely out of our element. … surrounded by hundreds of people from all over the world, wearing white, chatting quietly while chanting poured from loud speakers... We sat under a tree trying to acclimate ourselves to what was happening around us….and feeling the intense heat and humidity of the day. But who was this Amma we were about to see? We learned that she is a spiritual leader who not only travels the world giving blessings in the way of hugs, but that she heads a vast organization that provides assistance following national disasters around the world and assistance to the poverty stricken in her own country. Her religion is love and her mission is to uplift ailing humanity…..teaching compassion, truth and love throughout the world…..wow, I was ready for the blessing! People wait hours to see the Amma and we were ushered right up to the front of the line because we were visitors! Each of us experienced the darshan in a different way, but I can say it was an honor to be in the presence of a woman who has committed her life to the life of others and who is venerated by soo many devotees. A sign summed it up for me…… ”In this age of selfishness, selfless service is the only soap that purifies!” I have much to learn yet from Ammaa……………..Laura from TEXAS

2/27- the trip to Madurai

2/27/09, by Laura S (in my 20s; my main interests are foreignlanguages, computer programming, and world religions)The short version: started at Blue Mango, rode a bus for hours,stopped at Gandhi museum, arrived in Madurai, went to huge Hindutemple, visited underground bazaar.The long version:Woke up to a stuffy room (no electricity again!) & croaking soundsfrom our toilet. I got up and turned off the water to the toilet,which stopped the sound. Couldn't sleep again, and since it wasgetting light, I threw on a t-shirt & went up to the guesthouse roofto exercise facing the Ghats. Running my feet through the dust on theroof (practicing rond-de-jambe) made a perfect circle! I could seeTamar & Bruce making their morning rounds on their job, with Sambotagging along.Breakfast was "simple" according to Tamar--just fruit salad, homemadewheat bread, homemade peanut butter, homemade jam, excellent strongcoffee.... Only the basics, really ^.^ Bruce asked Cathy about workingwith agents and marketing books, and got a lot of good information.>>>Bus ride out of town: transit is always a bit of an adventure. Once wetried to pass an autorickshaw that was passing an oxen-drawn cart on atwo-lane road. We passed dozens of Hindu temples and at least onemosque and a handful of Christian churches; this area, at least,doesn't seem to have as many roadside churches as Kerala did.The bus driver suggested we stop to take photos of brickmaking; Istayed on the bus for a couple reasons. One, I'd seen some brickmakingbriefly through the bus window before. Secondly, though, and moresignificantly, our conversations with the women at Blue Mango made memuch more conscious of the gender gulf in this culture, and it lookedat first as though all the brick makers were men. I felt reallyuncomfortable being part of a group of white women walking into anall-men's working space... Later, though, I did see a couple Indianwomen walking around the work area, so it would have been fine. I'mglad I can trust the other people to get photos, at least!>>>We stopped for a little over an hour at a Gandhi museum. For me, themain attraction was the bookstore; I felt like I'd taken in too muchover the past few days to absorbe any more info--besides, I wanted toread a lot more about Hinduism before visiting the huge Hindu templelater that afternoon. I sat in the "library" (which had practically nobooks!) till it was time to board the bus again.>>>From the bus windows, we could also see miles & miles of rice paddies.It looked like they used a similar method to my farm in South Korea:grow seedlings in one thick carpet (but not in trays like Korea--justin the ground); then plow, flood, & smooth an old paddy. The majordifference was the labor intensivity of transplanting the seedlings;here, they take them by hand in clumps, and then spread them outevenly.We reached Madurai, which was a jumble of people of people and shopsand 2-wheelers---back to the constant horns & death-defyingpedestrians!>>>The temple was slightly disappointing because the famous hugeintricate carved & painted towers were covered up for renovations. Forme, though, the thrilling part is how temples and other places ofworship are actually used: a woman whispering her hopes into the earof a stone bull who communicates directly with Shiva; women bowing andpraying to the goddess who looks out for pregnancy; the man throwingnegative energy (in the form of a white ball) out of his head andagainst the wall; Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, smelling ofvinegar; simple oil lamps (bowl, oil, wick) actually functioning;young girls with fresh jasmine in their hair... This is why I lovereligious sites: they are alive with meaning and purpose, however,obtuse.My jottings from the temple tour:Temple of goddess Minakshi, more than 2000 years old (though not allbuilt at the same time); everything is repainted every 12 years, whichtakes 18 months. Here, Shiva (the male god) is not so important;Minakshi is the main focus of worship. She was the answer to herfather's prayers for a child, but was born with 3 breasts; it wasforetold that her 3rd breast would fall off when she met the mansupposed to be her husband.To enter the temple, foreigners pay 50 rupees (about a dollar);Indians pay 5 rupees (about 10 cents).1000 Pillar Hall was built in the 16th century, and has 985 pillars.Used to be used for marriages & dances.The guide (Daisy) had a different definition of "miracle" than I do;she would say, for example, "This hall was built in only 12 hours. Itwas a miracle! They were able to do that because they carved thepillars for 600 years before assembling everything." Or, "Come overhere to see a miracle! This musical column has hollow stone tubes, soif we hit them, it makes different sounds. Usually we don't strikethem, so we can preserve them--but today, miracle! This man will do ademonstration for you." It sounds more like miracles of will thanmiracles of physical impossibilities--which I kind of like. It meanswe're all capable of performing miracles, if we just are willing totry extra hard.Minakshi here is made of 1.5 meters of emeralds & has her sari changed6 times per day; old saris are auctioned off. Foreigners, however(judged on a purely racial basis), were not allowed in to see her.In the Shiva hall, Shiva's marriage is celebrated every year. Peoplealso discuss marriages here: dowry, timing of marriage, etc. This isauspicious.Smell of flowers everywhere200 pilgrims have lunch/dinner here every day.There's a Golden Lotus Tank where, in the 8th century, poets wouldgather. They wrote things on palm leaves and threw them in the tank;ones with good writing would float, and bad ones sank. (Too bad thiswould work less well in the electronic age... I imagine most laptopswould sink.)Every night, there's a procession from the Shiva temple with the Shivastatue and singers through 5 places: air, water, sky, fire, and onemore (earth?). Then they wash his footprints, and put him to bed inMinakshi's room with the door closed. (!)Shiva & Parvati, both good dancers, had a dance competition; hisearring fell off and he put it back on with his foot, so he won.East tower repainting paid for by large automobile company; it's notunusual for large companies to give these sorts of religiousdonations.>>>After the temple tour, we went through an "emporium" (store withhigh-quality traditional Indian crafts) that gave us coke bottles &also a really entertaining rug sales pitch. I also met a reallyhelpful sales guy who told me a lot about Hindu traditions--and saidhe'd had to study it all because he's Muslim!I wandered through an underground bazaar with Laura & Barb. The marketwas actually beautiful, with stalls in between old columns and underthe watchful eyes of actively venerated goddesses. There were morevendors than shoppers, so walking through the rows of stalls was alittle intense. Haggling was the rule--and Barb taught me aboutlooking for quality fabric while Laura taught me how to haggle nicely^.^ Wendy also very graciously went back to the gauntlet ofshopkeepers with me so I could buy some bags I'd previously walkedaway from.I spent the evening writing emails to home & watching Indian TV; it'sfunny how much more interesting--yet more fantastical--the commercialsseem to me after having spent a few days in more rural areas. Everysingle person on TV is light skinned, and I even saw an employmentadvertisement for a "fair receptionist". I was shocked by thesexuality in music videos, too--in a puritannical "She needs to putsome clothes on!" kind of way. The women in the videos were wearingloose-fitting pants with small, tight shirts, which is much morefabric than you'd see on MTV in the States; it's funny how quickly mysense of modest clothing has been completely recalibrated.I heard (after the fact) that the rest of the group had gone to adownstairs bar--so I hope they have good memories of that!At the temple, I'd wanted to bow at the multiple shrines, but WhitePeople Don't and it would have been inappropriate--so instead, I endedthe day as I'd started it: with three full prostrations to thesubcontinent, thanking it & myself for being there.

2/26 More Blue Mango from Joyce

How do you welcome your guest into your lives?
We have been most graciously welcomed into the life of Blue Mango. Dr. Bruce and Tamar have given us a glimpse of Blue Mango life that we will carry home and share with many. You have opened your home, your lives, to us. We thank you!
And the women who work for Blue Mango have shared their hopes, their dreams, their frustrations. Aids has entered their lives and dramatically changed their futures. Their strength, their smiles, their craft work will help us tell their story to all who will listen. We hear their frustration with the dowry, the role of widows… We welcomed their curiosity about our lives. We shared as women.
The beauty of their clothes, the smiles on their faces, the hope in their eyes will remain with each of us.
And today, they proudly welcomed us into their homes. Drink and bananas were generously offered. But much more crossed language barriers.
The hugs shared
The smiles exchange
The caring caress to remove sweat
The chairs for resting
The touch of children
The wedding album shared
These are some of the remembrances we will carry home. For a brief time we were one. The hope is indeed there for the future.
Games, competition singing concluded our time together. Much appreciation was expressed for a time together. Our minds and hearts will bring home still shots of individuals, movie pictures of time together. Most will be shared but some will be held close to our hearts.

2/25 At the Clinic

2/25
Today Tana traveled with Dr. Bruce to the AHM trust clinic. The clinic is in a compound composed of training and community development as well as health services. Bruce pointed out the training site for young unemployed men. They are training in carpenters, masons, and woodworkers. We parked and go to the clinic were I met the nursing assistants, laboratory technicians, and nurse practitioners. We enter a room with several stools and a desk. Bruce takes out basic equipment for vitals signs, peak flow and assessment. He has reference books for medications in herbal, homeopathic and western medications. The health care system in India has standardized a medication formulary and protocols for all common health problems. Patients are given basic health care at no cost and treatment at low cost. The prices look small by western standards until you realize that a mason makes $4 a day. This clinic refers to Madurai people who need CT scan or other state of the art interventions.
We start to see patients. They are called by a queue system of first come first served. We see a man with resistive TB. TB is serious and medication is dispersed daily by a paid overseer often a shop keeper in the patient’s town. A woman who needs open heart surgery is monitored for chronic congestive heart failure. She can not afford the surgery and her life will be shortened as a result. Next a woman with headaches presents a chart history of receiving thyroid medication. Bruce questions the medication indicators. He states there are numerous ways that medical practitioners fleece the public-over treatment is just one. After seeing an uncontrolled arthritic, an anemic asthmatic, various dermatological problems, chronic status ulcers, hypertension and others, Bruce tells me he is seeing less hookworm. He thinks this is due to public education and cheap worm medication not sanitation or clean water. A 23 year old man comes in complaining about nighttime emissions. Bruce uses this time to discussion normal sexual development and AIDS education. The patient goes away smiling. A 68 year old with congestive heart failure is given a statin which will cost him 49cents a pill. Bruce tells him the Kris Kringle quote,” How old are you?” “Old as my tongue and older than my teeth.”
The German female MD comes and states she will take me on a tour while Bruce debrides the feet of a young man with corns. The MD has been here since 1992. There has been an 8 year drought she indicates a site where they tried to grow silk worms until they ran out of water. There are public posters about AIDS prevention. She describes how AIDS is transferred by “national carriers” the truck drivers, prostitutes, and migrant workers. She indicates it is difficult to get these people to use condoms and advocates for the a universal legalized prostitution.
We pass the microeconomics office. A young woman describes the work of assisting the women to start, control and develop small businesses. She has programs in political awareness, child worker and women’s rights. Her name means “showers of luck”. There is a school at the end of the complex for children from child labor and other exploitation histories.
Bruce and I return at 1130 the electricity has not been turned on so the millet has not been ground. After a lunch of baked peppers we go to an afternoon session. One woman has returned and says she wants to know how same sex couples have children. Amanda explains her situation. We discuss homosexuality, widow status, divorce, dowry, disabled concerns and the need for shelters. It is a time of thoughtful conservation and clear separation of the cultures--our privilege. It supports the “freedom is not free” slogan. I think again of the early suffragettes. After group we go to pick up our purchases and pay. Most women are excited about the gifts and treasures and low prices. We swim and relax with wine coolers. It is good. Supper is light and lovely. Later Bruce takes us to the roof where we recline on mats and pillows. We listen to his works of short stories and poems--compassionate tales of care,
-assisting with birth and missing a much desired concert,
-treating a conflicted hidden homosexual young man who commits suicide by fire,
-a preteen girl who forms a temporary relationship with a sea captain over olives and leaving home.
Poems of love and distant places.
We sink into our beds to dreams of India and Home.
Tana Durnbaugh, Elgin,IL

February 24 Blue Mango

Tuesday 2/24
Hello all! This is Amanda from Columbia City, Indiana. We woke up to a beautiful sunny morning with music coming from a village about a mile away. Next, we had a wonderful breakfast provided by Tamar and Bruce. We have been overwhelmed with their generosity and hospitality. They have not only opened up their home to us, they have shared freely and given up their valuable time.
After breakfast, Tamar shared with us her struggles in bringing Blue Mango to what it is today; a safe, fair, productive, and enjoyable place for the women to work. The brief orientation with was followed by a tour of Blue Mango (see for yourself at www.bluemangoindia.com). We were greeted with many smiles and warm welcomes from the women sewing, weaving, and beading. Bruce and Tamar’s dog, Sambo, followed us from room to room, building to building, finding something on which to chew or lay every step of the way.
We returned to Bruce and Tamar’s house for a fantastic and fulfilling lunch and then had our first of three meetings with the women of Blue Mango. We were made aware of many differences in our cultures, but through the laughs and smiles, I was reminded of a Maya Angelou saying that can be found on my fireplace mantel that says something like, “We are more alike, than different, my friend.”
Later that evening, after an amazing dinner with Tamar and Bruce, we were taken on a hike (walk or stroll according to Bruce) around the property. We started out around 5:30 ish, and we were able to visit many sacred trees and shrines.
Now I should make you aware that Bruce warned us about going out after dark and walking through weeded areas because of poisonous snakes.
So, back to the hike. We started to notice how beautiful it was to see the sun set behind the Western Gnats… WHAT?!?! THE SUN IS SETTING!?!? We started to head back to Bruce and Tamar’s house, but the sun set quickly. We found ourselves walking through millet fields (imagine walking through corn fields, shortly after harvest, in the dark) led by Bruce, our fearless leader, by the light of a flashlight, book light, and cell phone. What is that? Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY! No, no, no… just Cobras, Vipers, and Crait! OH MY!!!

The Road to Blue Mango

The White Knuckle Trip over the Mountains to Blue Mango.....began promptly at 8:10 after some minor confusion with hotel staff on which bags stayed and which were to be put on the bus! Hope we arrive with the bags with underware and not the one full of tablecloths and napkins....could be an interesting week!
Over hill and dale..... through rice fields, past trucks carrying cows and elephants, houses painted fushia, purple and lime, and hillsides covered in the patchwork of tea plants, we traveled always vying for our piece of the narrow road!
The road signs taught us much about the Indian philosophy.....don't scare the animals....not for you alone, leave it for the gen next....see the blooms and be rejuvinated. Words that carry meaning in all cultures.
The sign for hairpin turn does take on new meaning in India, where each blind turn is preceeded by much honking and hope that you are the only bus trying to navigate that narrow piece of the mountain....many prayers were said on the road to Munnar...our first stop for lunch and spice and tea shopping.....back on the bus and more "eye candy".....where pointsetta grow like trees, monkeys hang in the trees and the sacred cow ambles down the center of the road.

Our white knuckles relax as we come out of the mountains and into the valley of palm trees and cultivated crops where we get out first glimpse of Blue Mango and the home of our hosts, Bruce and Tamar. I can not give words to the incredible home they have designed.....built with wide overhanging porches, surrounded by a walled courtyard with fish ponds, elevated swimming pool, and cactus collections to highlight just a small portions of this compound. The home reflects our hosts affinity for building with woonderful reclaimed wooden doors, tile and artifacts. The pictures can better reveal the wonder of this place.
Bruce and Tamar welcomed us into their home as well as into the work they are doing here in India and you will hear much more about that in days to follow.....now to sleep to the sounds of Indian music in the air......Laura.

Sunday, February 22, 2009 Day 4

Let me introduce myself. My name is Leslie Sperry. I came to India for adventure and because my son, Chad, has deep interest in India and because I work with two amazing friends from India, Hiten and Neeta.
We began our day doing Puja - a time of worship and meditation and a chance to be reminded of our many blessings. We sang and had a reading. Deanna shared with us information about 4 Hindu goddesses.
After Puja, we talked about the rest of our day in Cochin, Nine women all had different ideas about how to spend the day. The major priorities seemed to be FabIndia, chocolate cake at Kashi’s and the Jewish synagogue. Other choices were to stay in Ernakulum and visit the temple there.
Amanda and Leslie snuck in a quick visit to the Shiva temple in Ernakulum. We removed our shoes at the entrance. Fortunately there were no remnants from the elephants that are part of the religious celebrations. We were given a tour of the grounds, but were not allowed inside the temple itself. My most vivid memory is of the very hot ground burning my bare feet. I thought the oil lamps were quite interesting and was surprised by the very large size.
After about 20 minutes of discussions, we all decided to go to Fort Cochin since this would most likely be the last chance to go there. Once there we divided into the FabIndia group and those who wanted to check out rugs. Of course, I can’t reveal all the purchases made this day because there would be no surprises for some of you back home that are reading this.

The Jewish synagogue has hundreds of ancient hand painted tiles. As far as I could determine there were 4 different designs. Although all the tiles in one row were the same, the sequence of rows seemed to vary throughout the room. Along with the ancient Chinese tiles, there were many crystal chandeliers _ some very ornate and others more plain along with Hindi lamps.
We had a chance to walk around Jew town - an area of small shops and book stores. We stopped for a very refreshing lime drink before we boarded the van to go back to Ernakulum.
In the early evening we attended a Kathakali dance performance. Before the performance we could watch the very elaborate make up application. The dance performancers also wear very elaborate costumes and headdresses along with the make up. The dance we saw was with a prince and princess who was not really a princess, but rather a devil. Both roles were performed by men. The dance was rather unusual in that there was very little movement off feet or bodies. The primary movement was of eyes, eyebrows, forehead and chest. The princesses coy flirting was answered by the prince’s interest signified by his rotating his forehead in a circle.
After the performance, we walked to eat close to the hotel. OK, even walking in India can be an adventure. By the time the performance ended, it was pitch black dark. The power was out, and we were walking down pocket streets with no light. Maybe that doesn’t sound like too big a challenge, but there are places where the street or sidewalk is very uneven or even missing.
After crossing main streets 3 times - which means endangering your life, we arrived at the Hotel Dwarka restaurant. I had masala dosas with sambur and coconut chutney at the suggestion of my son Chad. It was wonderful. The restaurant seemed to be very popular, and we seemed to be the only westerners.
All in all,, another wonderful day in south India.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Before I begin, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kathy and I'm from State College, Pennsylvania. I'll also confess now and admit that I'm the one who managed to lock the key to my suitcase in same suitcase within 24 hours of arriving. I also managed to brush my teeth with tap water. All I can say is that is was a long trip.

Barb, in the previous post, told you a little about our morning on Friday. She didn't, however, mention the breakfast buffet. It's amazingly varied, and includes elements of English and Indian food. I find myself wondering whether I'll ever tire of Indian food, but so far, it seems unlikely. We eat enough at breakfast to last nearly all day (well, I do at least). But we did grab a small lunch today and I think it's worth mentioning if only because of the cost-for about 96 cents I bought two huge bottles of water, a samosa, and a vegetable puff. All were excellent and I do indeed feel rich.

Probably the most interesting and compelling part of the day for me was the Cultural Academy for Peace. I've typed in the URL because I know I won't be able to convey accurately all the details and you may want to learn more about this peace center. We had the pleasure of touring the academy, and meeting with the director and staff. Activites are focused on improving the lives of women. Beena is the leader of this group and she exudes a passion to empower women in any way she can. They sponsor a variety of programs and tomorrow we'll be visiting with women and children at a local domestic violence center run out the Cultural Academy for Peace. One of the programs was name Sakhi, and here is the description of that program: "Sakhi is a friend who supports, a mother who nurtures, and a sister who comforts every distressed woman and girl who come to her." Staff at the academy work to empower women at the grassroots level - they work to identify the needs of specific communities of women and then work with the women to identify and access resources. I love that staff at the center are often called in to train the police in gender sensitivity. I was so moved by the dedication evidenced at the center and by how they are able to accomplish so much with so little.

http://culturalacademy.org/about.html

It then seems somewhat ironic that we left the Cultural Academy for Peace to do yet more shopping. To be fair to us, many of us came with little clothing as we intended to purchase salwars and tunic to fit in as much as possible with the women here. So it was off to Fab India where all of us except Wendy managed to buy something to wear for ourselves (or for those of you back home). We ended the day with a fabulous dinner on a rooftop overlooking Cocci.

Finally, I have to mention the heat. It was hot. I'm talking hot, hot, hot. We're learning to drink a lot of water, wear cotton, and move slowly.

Our First Full Day on the Ground

Welcome the the Avenue Regent Hotel in Kochi, India! The capable and very courteous staff will be happy to assist you in all your travel needs, including cutting the locks off of your luggage when you realize that you have put them inside your very secure luggage.

All nine of my travelling companions have made it to Kochi- albeit some did not arrive until very late last night. Laura and I arrived on time with no flight issues other than an anticipated 9 hour wait in London at Heathrow airport. We are rethinking our return strategy which allows for a 12 hour layover in Mumbai on the return. Not sure what we are going to come up with but 9 hours was too long an there was shopping in Heathrow- not so Mumbai. It is time to introduce my fellow adventurerers. From left to right are Laura, Leslee who arrived with via Helsinki rather than Brussels, and Kathy.

Here from left to right we have the back of Joyce's head, Tanya, and Amanda.

Here on the right is Wendy and a little better shot of Kathy - but not much.

My sister Laura, below-

And last but not least, Deanna our fearless leader for the trip.

So what do 10 women do first when they arrive in India? Shop, of course! Several of us who arrived earlier had already been to the silk shop to purchase fabric and order native garb and those of us who arrived later were not to be denied. We must have spent nearly three hours looking at combinations of cloth for making our shirt tops, pants and scarf sets. I think Deanna must have known to get us there before the store got busy because we had multiple assistants to help us with our selection and we shared our pictures from home with them and answered many questions about our lives.

Yes, we really did make that big pile of clothes for him to fold when we left.

We all had red smears on our foreheads when we left the shop.

There was more in the afternoon as we visited the Center for Peace and learned about the great things they are doing to help fight domestic violence in India, but that will have to wait until tomorrow since I am too tired to write. The sun sets here just like everywhere else and is just asbeautiful. Tomorrow a fashion show.... Peace out.

pre-game jitters

I have one more day to get my act together for this trip. Yesterday I worked on yet another proposal, washed clothes and went out for all those things that I hadn't had time to pick up at the store. I now have enough snacks to feed the entire coach section of the flight- at least between Chicago and London. I have no clothes packed yet , but at least we won't go hungry and of course I haved all my absolute essentials - at least 3 days worth of music to listen to on an ipod with only 8 hours of battery life, a paperback book to read, a couple of downloaded books to listen to, enough bug spray to clear all the mosquitos out of India, etc.
Bandaids- still need to pick up bandaids.
I still have to find and pack the clothes I think I will need but I am working down to the correct shoes via a process of elimination. I wear one pair for part of a day and see how they feel and they either go in the "maybe" pile of the "no go pile".
As usual, I am depending upon my organized sister to have all the really essential stuff that will really be important- like the itinerary of where we are going etc. I did make all my copies of my passport and ID's so if I lose anything I can still come up with something that will help to fill in the blanks. I am beginning to feel like Paddington the Bear with a tag on his jacket with his name and address in case he get's lost.
Next step- after work today is to find clothes and pack them...

ready set go

This is the first posting of this blog and I hope those who read it will find it entertaining, thoughtful and maybe interesting.  My sister Laura and I are going off on a journey next Tuesday to the southern states in India with a group of women whom we have only met over Skype or the phone.  I think it will be a treat trip and I hope to use this as a way journal our experiences as we go along.  

So stay tuned and join us on this journey - let the fun begin.

barb