Tag: UK

who wants a holiday in the UK?

SF3 Comments

Well Manjula does obviously! I’ll be in the UK on one of my three trips per annum in July and plans are in place to take Manj.

An application for a tourist visa has therefore been submitted to the British Government.

We used the opportunity, in yet another trip to Bangalore, to see the sites and grab some food. No micro-brewery as I’m off alcohol, partly to reduce the flab!

I’ve pretty much done all the work on the visa application. I’m not quite sure that Manjula completely understands about the process and rules. I’m not sure that I do myself. Does anyone?

I’ve explained, in the application, I hope, that Manjula as my fiancée, really is my dependent so I’ll be financing the whole trip. We have an established business here in Mysore and Manj has her mum to care for, so we will be returning. I think there are two main areas of concern they will have: that there is enough money available and that she has an established life here and will definitely be returning.

The excitement is palpable and I’m trying to tone it down a bit, explaining that we might fail and why the UK Govt might not give it.

Anyway it was submitted two weeks ago. We now await the result and we expect it VERY soon.

Knock knock

SF3 Comments

who’s there?

It’s the ‘P’ Man, who’s the P man, is it Pat, the postman calling?

well yes but I’m also the Passport Man Today,

Hooray!!

P1040257

WARNING WARNING! MiXed Metaphors approaching

 

It feels like we have the proverbial iceberg, the passport itself is wonderful but beneath the depths it has so much meaning and provides incredible opportunities.

But its also a hill and its taken so much effort to climb this hill: you know it, if you’ve read our missives, getting all the ducks in line and then the application itself but in this moment of absolute glory, it’s all forgotten because…

Above all ….

this is one proud woman, well done Manjula!

and I’m so pleased, so onto the next task!

How difficult can it be, to employ a maid?

SFLeave a comment

I’d only been here a few weeks (it was six years ago) and I asked my friend Cary and his wife if they knew of someone looking for a job.

I was was called round to their house to meet Manjula. She seemed quiet, even timid and perhaps she was a little worried about meeting me and the prospect of working for a foreigner. She’d brought a friend with her who seemed to know her stuff. After the simplest of introductions. (We didn’t speak each other’s language.) We went round to my house.

I was looking for a maid. Yes a maid. My two sons (who were in their twenties and back in the UK) were not impressed. “You’re seriously going to have a servant!”

we’re a very liberal, left wing family so even the idea of having a cleaner back in England was a bit of a stretch.  A maid? Quite another matter. I explained as best I could, that it’s different here. It’s about giving employment and I’d be a good employer. They weren’t convinced.

I just wanted someone for a couple of hours a day. To do some cleaning, clothes washing and cooking.

so we arrived at my home.

They  ladies were not impressed. The place was sparsely furnished, not unlike a trad Indian home. So that’s not a problem. But horror upon horrors. There was little equipment in the kitchen and THERE WAS NO ELECTRIC GRINDER. I had just this……

image

 

 

 

image

 

 

 

 

 

I promised to get an electric one!

By the next day it was bought and installed in the kitchen. Kudos and Brownie points or what?

Hang on a minute! What have I done? I’ve set the pattern

so, on reflection, it was pretty easy to employ a maid (it’s maybe not so easy now) BUT how do I get her to understand what I want her to do?

I’m so happy ….

SF2 Comments

379003_10150528283149937_1371457865_n

I’ve just returned from walking Lucy, the dog. Manjula the light of my life, my muse, catalyst and creator who is at the heart of my happiness here is away at the moment. She’s on a brief holiday visiting her mother. What a gap I’ve become so used to her being here to greet me when I return home… with her warm smile and little jokes. Yesterday, before leaving, she declared that there was a cockroach in my bed… ha ha… I went there, only to find she’d changed the bed. Her jokes maybe come from hanging around with guy from Yorkshire for over five years! Poor her..

IMG_2809

You may have already come to know her, if you’re among the over 1,000 guests that have visited here at Mysore Bed and Breakfast. If so, you’ll know exactly what Im talking about in my ham fisted way. Many of you have assumed that we were more than partners in the business sense and I can reveal, its true. For some time now- Ive known that I love and cherish her dearly.

So there it is ….. announced to the world. Manjula is the love of my life.

I’ll use this record of our life here in Mysore to introduce more of this wonderful woman wherever possible using her own words.

Stephen

Street Art

Gallery SFLeave a comment

Yesterday, I met a group of young people, here in Mysore, with whom I was well impressed. They are event managers, designers and artists. Our wide ranging discussions also covered ‘Street Art’ and that reminded me of a project I’d set up with my youngest son Oliver and a group of his friends. Oliver had […]

Golden Opportunity

SFLeave a comment

The new companies act in India and the Responsible Business week in the UK are two of the many opportunities for businesses to stop, reflect and, I would hope, work towards being a more responsible company. It is of course a constant and continuing journey.

In this case, in my view, a business needs to look BP –  that is Beyond Philanthropy.

Philanthropy is undoubtedly a force for good and some of the real catalysts and facilitators such as Dasra, Innovaid or Centre for Responsible Business in India or Business in the Community in the UK are helping individuals and businesses look beyond the simple ‘crumbs off the table’ approach to philanthropy, to something much more strategic that can be scaled up and therefore make a significant difference on the social landscape. Well done to them, they’re doing a great job

Its important that philanthropy leads to investment in our communities that has a lasting effect but that isn’t enough. If our businesses in India or the UK or anywhere else for that matter stop there, at what is just a baby step, they are less likely to survive as a business. There are many mature companies that are leading in this field and in the future will thrive partly because they are already looking way beyond philanthropy and so are already doing much much more. Their stories are invaluable to help guide and support us all.

To go Beyond Philanthropy for a business, is to look at all aspects of their business and its behaviors, of course, recognising and responding first and foremost to what’s relevant to their own business and essentially understanding and interacting in a sensitive way to all their stakeholders. In my view its about aligning with the overall business strategy, gaining buy-in at all levels, developing a shared understanding, adopting a straightforward model and continually reviewing, adapting and changing.

I’m now developing (as well as spending sometime with corporates) my very small business here in India and its just as important for me to think about how I serve my customers, treat my employees, and grow my business in ways that are ultimately sustainable. Otherwise other people who are socially and economically excluded will be left behind in the headlong pursuit of economic growth  and if we’re not extremely sensitive I wonder what will be left of the world for us to support our living and for us to enjoy.

I hadn’t quite intended that http://www.meandmycycle.com would so quickly get into this subject but its been asked of me and I suppose its unsurprising now that I’ve just completed working in the field for fifteen years.

 

I’d value your view and if there is the interest could continue the conversation.

Stephen