An “open air”  Fitness workout Center in Varanasi

On the way back from Bihar I stop at Varanasi, one of the oldest cities of the world and additionally one of the very holy places in India. There is a lot to see and do there, ca. 3500 temples, ashrams, a huge university – and of course all the ghats and ceremonies. It is…

Indian Gysire and a smile

It all started with that smart hotel boy helping me to bring my luggage to the room. “Very special, room, Ma’m, very good one – everything new”. Ok, not too bad. Indeed when I entered I could see some interesting things and the hotel boy started to explain: “Look, Ma’m, good rocking chair, you stay…

Coming back to India – Old problems, but new fascination

I’m back again. Back in India, back to Tamil Nadu. The ‘Indian feeling’ has re-started already on my way from Dubai to Chennai. Indian people, Indian respect, Induan friendliness and curiosity…An Indian business man sits besides and it takes just a few minutes to involve the people sitting around in some good, funny and interesting…

7weeks in India – What’s your good name, M’am?

Wherever I have been in India during the last weeks – in huge cities, smaller towns or tribal areas – I found them everywhere: Curiosity and the Indian way of fun. “What’s your good name, Mam?” – A short smile, a kind eye-contact … and you can be sure that you are asked several times…

7weeks in India – The tribal cooking invitation

Arnattokadu, Kalekkadu – these are the names of two small villages in Tamil Nadu, South India I have visited in the last weeks.  During the visits these women showed me their houses, told me about their lives, their self-help groups and how they want to create their own future. I learnt also about their challenges, poverty…

7 weeks in India – From woman to woman, part 3

Teatime Here, in India, the faces and colors are fascinating, maybe because of the diversity, maybe because of the cultural differences or just because behind every face, there is another life. Have you ever thought if it? How many different, unique lives are there? So, taking photos of people, of their expressions and movements is…

7weeks in India – Travelling with Tamboo, the teacher

Finally, I sit in the train from Kottayam to Coimbatore – together with a huge and heavy suitcase and two bags which instead of becoming less heavy seem to double day by day: a lot of presents and a bottle of water are the last things I had to add. There is no way to…

7weeks in India – Tamil is calling

I am on my way back to India. This time I will spend seven weeks in this really interesting country, mostly in Tamil Nadu: visiting social projects, talking to people living and working in rural areas, learning and listening more in depth and identifying how business and social players together can create more win- win…