India
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Bearded Ladies, Angels, and Sweat
“I caught myself staring at a man/woman with a suspicious looking beard. It was painted on his/her face–a face that looked decidedly feminine.” Continue reading
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Long Distance Heartache
I never suspected a chance meeting on the other side of the world in 2015 would make my heart ache today. Ramesh was a lifeguard for the Radisson Blu, an upscale resort in the coastal town of Mamallapuram, south of Chennai, India. North Indians are fond of using that location for weddings, but European tourists… Continue reading
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Wrestling a Jackfruit
A battle ensued. The individual edible flowers were interconnected with “tendons” that anchored them to the spiky peel and pithy center, and I had to slice and tug and rip and curse to get the flowers out. Continue reading
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Song Blessing in Madurai
The woman I’d met just ten minutes earlier smiled, lowered her eyelids, and began to sing–from a place that transcended the human who sat beside me. Continue reading
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A Palm Reader Tells Me Stuff
About that time I was thinking this is really outlandish. There’s no way someone can make such a specific prediction and have it come true. What’s going on here? But I did not stop the session. Continue reading
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Auroville: A Place Unto Itself
The experience defies description. Utter calm, utter peace. Until someone belches, or sneezes, or farts. Continue reading
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Grandmother
I don’t know why I pulled away. I had tried to get the old woman’s photo the day before, and the day before that. Right then was the perfect opportunity. She was practically inviting me to snap her portrait. “Vanga!” creaked her voice. But I acted as though I didn’t understand her welcome. Everyone watching… Continue reading
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Hello There
My thoughts have been everywhere lately. Like back in India, where I spent two months recently, just living and discovering the people and their lives in a neighborhood in Madurai. I was pulled… Continue reading
Terry Nichols 