Vanakam from the other side of the planet! Been zoned out for quite a while due to the wedding prep, event, travelling and lots of fun to share with you all. So, If you have been following my blog posts, you know I do some touchy poems, yummy dishes and never-ending ‘cleansing challenges' :P
Well, to get things straight. I got married and moved to Canada. What! Yeah, I know its exciting and confusing but that is life, isn’t it? The first part - Wedding. After getting engaged in a phenomenal way (https://www.seaandme.org/post/why-we-did-an-eco-vegan-wedding-and-how-you-too-can), Herbi and I decided to do the wedding on World Environment Day (June 5th,2016) to broaden people’s mind on choosing sustainability and compassion over luxury. We played the event management roles to keep it aligned our ways and to put our brains to some good use :D
To get a gist of our astounding wedding, check out the following media links and media features of the green wedding:
The New Indian Express: Chennai Couple Gearing up for a Vegan Kalyanam on World Environment Day
Times of India: The Big Fat Indian Shadis are going Cruelty-free
Vikatan: An Eco-friendly Wedding in Chennai
Kungumam Thozhi July 15, 2016, issue: To read online
Memories that we can cherish forever:
To get here was not an easy task as we worked full-fledged and paid attention to every minute detail so that it doesn’t go out of path. From venue hunting to guest favours, we had it all planned green! Our motivation and positive energy that drove us along the way helped us to:
Find an enchanting garden for the event and local florists to decorate with seasonal local Samandhi flowers
Design and distribute recycled cotton handmade paper invites for relatives and e-invites for friends
Arrange cruelty-free musical instruments and artists
Fabricate clothing using handloom organic natural dyed cotton
Purchase Eco-friendly shoes with soles made of recycled tyres
Source jewellery made of seeds and grains
Provide natural tender coconut welcome, scrumptious vegan food with inspiring documentaries and speeches for guests
Thank everyone by gifting handmade organic cotton bags that had peanut candy, coconut and booklet on Veganism
Everybody was delighted to have witnessed such a happy event that has ruled out traditions and norms to make this planet a better place. Now that you have read, watched, seen and understood what we did for our wedding, it is time to implement it in your lives too. It would make more sense to our efforts if others get inspired to follow suit. I will be glad to guide and help through your journey if you are ready to take it!
Moving on, why did I leave Chennai? Well, it was the thirst for adventure and knowledge that led us here to Vancouver Island. Also, Herbi has taken Masters of Global Management for reasons such as improvising his managerial skills, expanding our business internationally, and an excuse to travel :D I am not kidding, education abroad can give so much than just visas and jobs. BTW, he studies at (X-Men) Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, also known as Royal roads University- don't believe it? Google it :P
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous
Herbi and I were born and raised in India all our lives and especially I stayed in the South until now and never lived outside country except during comfortable international tours. It was time for the birds to leave the nests!
“You don’t have to be rich to travel well.” – Eugene Fodor
We took the great leap of quitting well paid engineer job, shelling out every penny for necessities, loaning out tuition fee, borrowing for flight tickets fares, pausing successful start-up, leaving tightly knit families, missing comforting home foods, and much more only to learn a lot more and grow stronger with experience and knowledge.
“Investment in travel is an investment in yourself.” ~ Matthew Karsten
Herbi and I were not born with silver spoons in our mouths, neither did we have a currency bearing tree. Its all about how much we will experience rather than how much we invest. In no time we can earn all that we spent for this tough shift but the enlightenment gained during that time is priceless. I must mention, we did save a lot of bucks by not wasting it on a mainstream high carbon footprint wedding, lavish clothes and extravagant gold jewellery! Besides, natural jewels and clothes are a hip thing you know.
“No place is ever as bad as they tell you it’s going to be.” – Chuck Thompson
Apart from all the warning that relatives gave, we had our own fears like cold climate, food, and so on but we were totally wrong on all aspects. Commerce has grown so wild that there is cultural melange in everything like food, clothing, movies and even spirituality. Though I am cold-intolerant (can’t even bear like Margali weather in Chennai), our bodies naturally acclimatised to even the chilliest nights. But Victoria, BC is the warmest place in Canada and that’s why we chose to come here first :P And, it just blows my mind on how incredible the natural beauty here is! Though there are a lot of environmental issues going on in here, the rustic ambience the island has to provide is too much to take. Sometimes I simply sit and watch the vast still waters of Thetis Lake and cannot believe how clean it stays even though a lot of hikers visit, unlike how public accessible water bodies are treated in India. Regardless of political borders, every natural landscape is breathtaking.
“When overseas you learn more about your own country, than you do the place you’re visiting.” – Clint Borgen
The perspective we had about India has widened after we moved to Canada. We already know India is wealthy with natural resources and brains. How the West sees India with respect to these aspects is truly warming! The amount of adoration these people have for Indians and our food, clothing and spirituality is both fascinating and surprising!
So, we are here exploring Victoria and around. The delectable food, exuberant friends and enthralling panorama are the best! Stay tuned here and follow me on Instagram (@thatsustainablecouple) for new updates on adventures that we encounter and recipes that I experiment :)
Live Life Love