Auto Ricsha Drive in Delhi

On the way to Pragati Maidan for the 57th India International Garment Fair, held at New Delhi between 18th to 20th of July 2016.
 A very short video shot with my shaking Blackberry.

The Bums of Turkey !! Aaaahhh The Tyranny !! Crunchy Sticks Anyone?

I am so upset about the world today that I am sharing my crunchies. 

It is absolutely despicable to even start arguing over the fact that the world has gone bummers! What. Is. Going. On. People ???? It is all over the media how countries are tasting trials after trials, people are dieing and it is sure as Hell that it is not because of any “natural” causes. Or well, greed and corruption could fit under the generous topic of ” natural” as a naturally developed evilness of human mind. Isn’t the Land of Your Lord wide enough ? Why is all this rubbish going on ?? I am so angry and overly frustrated because of all the painful nonsense going on out there today , that humour me please , I feel obliged to share my cruchies.

 Would you care for some ?

 This is by far a nonsensual error of non-systematic monologue, however Murukku is worth it. Has anybody ever tasted them? Well, not me. Not before of tasting them for the very first time.. Aahhh.. I still remember it as if it was yesterday. Oh wait! It might have been yesterday actually. Facebooking today all day with all dear and not-very-near, has made me lose track of time. And that’s for all the right reasons. No, not to equier about the next home delivery of Murukku, but in a desperate attempt to connect with the world, with my people. MY PEOPLE. .. Terrible thing to feel the “my” being so close to you that it dwells into your own living, breathing soul.

 When it is about “them”, “those”, “they” “their” it does not feel as “them” being part of us as much as “ours”, and definitely nothing beats the “my”. Not even the “me” or “I”.

 Would you care for a crunchy ,..”my “?..

 Pray for the world. And if Praying is not your thing, teach your kids that they oughta know better and not to do this with the world when they’re old enough to hold the power. Or even if that is not your thing either , let us all just be a little bit better humans today.

 Could you imagine what we could accomplish if 7 billion people would just LOVE EACH OTHER?

.. Share your Murukku today, to the less fortunate. If you’re not as lucky as to share your Murukku, do share LOVE. By all means, do share love.

 Peace

5 Benefits of Being an Expat

In case you are amongst those who ever wondered why do people leave the comfort of their homes to go live amongst "strangers", then you have surely never tasted the flavour of being an expat.

 What is so great about it? Well, maybe nothing. The greatness of travelling is the same as eating a burger instead of your mother's home cooked meal. It's the freedom, the rush, the challenge, the change and above all the benefit of favourable circumstances. Nothing beats the burger, you know that.

 1) Social freedom. 

 Show me one who has never felt the urge to escape the social magnifying glass. That sounds a bit like social phobia, I know, but if you have that type of inquisitive mind, experimental philosophy and find comfort in reinventing yourself, then shifting the ground you stand on can add some value to your life. Imagine that world where you can be whoever and do whatever because you have that special status of being a " foreigner". It's mostly a hit than a miss, and you will definitely have nobody to judge you according to their local standards, because, well, you are not part of their standards, and that is the benefit of being an outsider.

 2) The novelty. 

 Some of us get tired of seeing the living surrounded by the same faces everyday, the same people, same manners, same predictable gossips, same thinking patters, same social structure, same expectations and all in all same cultural surroundings. When you get exhausted of all the family drama and the daily crap at your everyday job and when you reach that point where you simply feel the need of a major change in your life, you pack your backs, walk out the door and plan to never come back. As an expat, you get exactly that, a new environment to be yourself, the new page of your life.

 3) The travel.

 One of the benefits of working / studying / living abroad is that you get more chances to indulge in spontaneous trips, within the country, outside the country, eat from the local bus station and sleep in the airport waiting for the connecting flights. Taste the sweetness of time pass over a Starbucks Cafe with a stranger talking nothing or to just zip a tea and check out the people from other countries. It's pretty cool to have that experience of booking flights to have your "best travel agent" and to know people. Yes, you get to know people. Willingly or unwillingly, for survival purposes you build a network of interesting people and yes, you do start trusting people more than you did back home.

 4) Exotic shopping.

 It depends now on how you prefer to spend your cash. There is always the local market with an abundance of artistry crafts that give you the best value for your 1$ best spent ever, and there's the other side of the shopping where you can cross the border and do your shopping like a boss. I don't know about others but I am hooked on the malls of Bangkok. Can't wait to get there sooner. And I love the shopping at duty frees in some of the international airports.. I'm actually fantasising about getting one of those in-between jobs type of jobs and work for a month at a perfumery in a duty free shop..

 5) It raises your spirits. 

 Changing cultures and trying to adapt, has the best of benefits that it sort of builds that altered reality where everything seems to work out just fine and while you're at it, you feel constantly puzzled and amazed at how things are working out in the most unexpected of ways. You might find yourself laughing at the face of trouble, get over it and move on, simply because everything feels like a counter clock type of race where you don't have the time to lament yourself over spilled milk. You become better at solving problems and more of a hands-on person which in turn, makes you more successful. As my father used to say, God bless him and rest him in peace, seeing the world saves your brain from becoming a pickle.

Much love, 
Alina Alice 

3 Ways to Finding the Right Dress Code for Your Employees

If you are looking at setting a dress code for your employees, then you have surely admired at least once or twice a corporate "uniform". Being faced with the problem of finding the right outfit that communicates your company's values, and which acts as a visual symbol of unity and structure, then you have undoubtedly tasted the poor taste of confusion.

 Choosing the right style to represent your brand is easier than you think. Follow these 3 steps to finding the right outfit.

 1) Develop the concept. 

 Decide upon a concept that you want to incorporate and make a list of visual messages you want to send across. Do remember that a "uniform" acts as a visual identifier, and the brand should be perceivable through colour and shape. It is always a good idea to stick to a specific colour combination, a shape that complies with the basic requirements of the style you're aiming at and a texture that combines both comfort and class. For an extra note of creativity, take the help of a Fashion Designer.

 2) Consider the wearability factor. 

 Take into consideration your employee's needs when creating the outfit that they would have to wear. Safety, comfort, and style are the essentials which you need to combine. It is always a good idea to offer options of various items that compile a wardrobe. This will give alternatives for what to wear on different days of the week, sort out weather related impediments and merge into your employee's personality.

 3) Rely on a good manufacturer. 

 Find a good manufacturer that can develop viable prototypes. That will ensure the outfits come in the right sizes and have the appropriate technological finishing.

5 Golden Keys to Successful Business with a Muslim

It's probably not going to come to you as a shock if I tell you that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. And it simply makes obvious sense that at least some of your co-workers in your multi-national company are practising Islam as a way of life. A way of life.

 Approaching people for business purposes, be it to gain new customers, to find employees or to find employers, then you must broaden your network, which in turn it leads you to interact with the Muslims and being a bigot will not help you in any way. "The" because considering the current major social movements in the world, the articulation is necessary.

 There might be times when you find yourself sitting there and just wondering if that strange lady who wears that scarf on her head every-single-day does or not feel hot. Or why is that guy there asking for an early leave every Friday? Or why is it that some of your co-workers are not that excited about the weekend meet-up for a beer. Or why are they such a fuss when it comes to respecting the office dress code that requires the pencil skirt? Or why and why and more why.

 1) Be civilised. 

 Well, the good news is that since you are asking yourself "why", you might just be amongst the successful people who don't have issues about sharing the air they breathe with other people. And that is a first step towards being a civilised human. For the start, be the one to say "Hello" or " As salaam Alaykum", don't initiate a handshake with the ladies, do not offer a drink, and do not try to flirt.

 2) Acknowledge your position.

 Do understand that since you are the one seeking out benefits, you are not in the right position to consider yourself superior. Therefore it is wisely to speak right and do right. Once you've accomplished that, you have reached a long way. Do not be condescending to your co-workers and do not underestimate the IQ of your interviewer.

 3) Be considerate. 

 As an employer, provide facilities that accommodate the general lifestyle of an individual. This implies you do not disregard the rulings of the "Islamic dress code" when imposing a dress code for your corporation, and the free lunch buffet that you offer should incorporate halal cuisine. Providing the space and allowing "Prayer time" would definitely make life easier for your Muslim employee while the free Cab service would surely bring you in more female employees.

 4) Be fair-play. 

 This one is short and pretty clear. Do not cheat. Pay the amount you have decided upon and do not delay your payment.

 5) "When in Rome act like the Romans". 

 If you are planing to visit a predominantly Muslim country or to work in a predominantly Muslim environment, then it is always useful you do some homework and understand the general social rules they abide by and try to fit in

Not Your Culture? 7 Ways To Make It Through.

It is always a great deal to travel continents and to adjust to new environments and new people, new manners and new cultural trends. The key element is "to adjust". It is never easy but with every bit of new information that you get about the world around you, you enrich yourself spiritually, you become more cultured and above all a better human. However, at the initial phase, in spite of all odds, travelling to different countries does bring about its dose of comfort.

Where's the comfort in stumbling on "Namaste", "hello", "ciumripsua", "hola", "como estas", "as salaam alaykum", "ram ram" and what not? All at the same time when every bit of your mind wants to make friends in your own native language... Adjusting to new cultures is just about as comforting and equally challenging as reinventing yourself, which is always fun.

1) Say "hello".

When you get stuck at "hello" and do not literally speak sign language, then do be considerate and salute with a non-verbal gesture and mumble a hello in your own language. Your clumsiness will be overlooked. How to use body language to greet other people? Try this; slightly raise your arm to the level of your forehead, open your palm and show it to your interlocutor, smile and engage into a cheerful, semi-flexible nod of your head.

For an extra bling, HERE is a quick video of how to verbally say " hello" in different languages. You may choose whichever seems appropriate.

I always communicate better in my native language and yes I do believe my best interlocutor so far is my grey furry Russian Blue cat. Who talks back at me, cheeky fellow. He doesn't mind one bit if instead of a polite hello I lure him into friendship by offering a bite of chicken nuggets, and we're friends for the day. Did I just mention non-veg? Oh, pardon me.

2) Eating.

When invited for lunch/ dinner, play it safe and find out which are the delicacies you should NOT bring.

HERE is a list of eating habits around the world.

Yes, do be considerate and play it on the safe side. Not everyone on this planet has the same eating habits as yours and bringing a meat delicacy when invited over for dinner may turn your good intentions into a total fiasco. Yes, multicultural societies do have the charm of mixing the unexpected cultural differences. Accepting the differences make you a better human being. You cannot be a douche-bag and bring alcoholic drinks, meat products, and you may definitely not offer your host a smoke.

3) What to wear?

Well, eventually it is all up to you. However, you may want to take into consideration other people's reactions to whatever you are wearing. If the society is traditional, then it may be a good option to wear something that makes sense to them and dress in that looser dress, wear the funny trousers, cover your hair and not wear shorts and spaghetti tops in front of the elders. It is always a bonus to figure out on which level of society you want to position yourself and stick to that.

4) Found your soul-mate?

Aaah, you'd better take a dive into the social manners and give it a second thought. Some societies prioritise marriage over love while others see love as a means of existence. Some cultures have adamant family bonds, and you should consider living with the in-laws as member of a joint family, before thinking to marry her/him. And in some other cultures, the society lands you over their minors into marriage for a small, lifetime, remuneration. Do not get confused. Let me repeat that: do not get confused.

Meanwhile, HERE are few ways in which you can say "I love you" in different languages.

5) Talking business.

You've probably noticed by now that as a foreigner, wherever you go, there might be at least one or two "locals" interested in your monetary disposition. In case you're up to do some business, big or small and are willing to invest or to become a link in a chain of transactions, it is always a good idea to have a very clear understanding of what people are telling you. It is impetuous that you either know the language or hire a translator.

HERE is a link to a translation platform which might come in handy. Apparently, this service offers to translate everything from your love letters to your legal business documents.

6) Bargaining.

Where I come from, people do not have the habit of bargaining. It is perceived as rude or too ridiculous to be taken into consideration. However, trade manners are not as stable as I would personally like them to be and many times I find negotiation to be a tad difficult for the little ol' me to deal with. Especially that I'm a shy person who happens to be awful at math and not great at saving money either. But, as there is always a but, when it comes to cross-cultural adjusting, personal rules are meant to be bent for survival purposes.

HERE is a link to an excellent read in case you are looking to polish your negotiation skills.

7) The solitude of an expat.

If you are a woman trying to adjust to a new cultural surrounding, then the first issue that comes to any sane mind, is safety. To that extent, I would personally suggest applying the old saying " when in Rome act like the Romans." However, general precautions which are of common sense should always apply, don't go out alone late at night, don't drink with strangers, dress appropriately and choose your friends wisely.

As a man, do choose your friends wisely, and keep the company of benevolent comrades.

Oh, and for the cherry on top, make sure you have easy access to a phone, enough cash, safe accommodation, and make sure you know where your embassy is and how to reach them in the case of an emergency.

image courtesy to

 www.showincity.com

Attending the India International Garment Fair ? Get Your Polyglot Translator Today !

 As we speak, the Indian fashion world is at its peak with preparation for the upcoming 57th edition of India International Garment Fair. Entangled with crazily overloaded schedule for the labourers, dealing with the work pressure and keeping the expectations high, the Indian fashion industry is on the quest to reach the main target for the month of July.  The deadline everyone is aiming at is the attendance to India's 57th India International Garment Fair scheduled to start on the 18th of this month at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi which will exhibit over the span of 3 days. All doors will close and hopefully some very good contract deals, in the evening of 20nd of July.

 Amongst many of the Trading Fairs held in Delhi, this particular event caught my attention. And for very good reasons. India is at the top of world's textile manufacturers, holding hands with Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. And other few countries where the labour comes within minimal wages, and the import-export rules and regulations facilitate good commerce, but on this topic later on. 

 The Indian subcontinent comes second after China in the market segment of garment manufacturing and has a working platform that comes in handy for small and medium enterprisers. The business connections swing back and forth between India and retail shops from US and Europe, holding a steady trade growth at 30% annually out of which 80% of cotton apparel. Brands such as Walmart, GAP, Tommy Hilfiger, and Marks & Spencer a have constant production order worth over $250 millions on an yearly basis and for 2016 the Apparel Export Promotion Council ( AEEPC) is expecting an export target of $25 billion. 

 And if these facts do not get you interested in attending the garment Trade Fair at the end of this July, and neither strikes your fancy to look more into the Indian Garment Exhibitions, then it might be appealing to you to know that the India International Garment Fair is really as international as it claims. Besides being a massive generator of business contracts, the event is a friendly multicultural affair which follows a basic aim to earn an honest buck, or few millions as a matter of fact. Knowing English, Chinese dialects, Hindi, Tamil, and not many but at least four-five other Indian languages  would come in handily. However, for the non exclusive limited edition polyglots who are just like me and know just about enough Hindi to pass by as a veggie connoisseur at the local market, there is always the better option of hiring a professional translator.

Meanwhile, HERE is a list of upcoming events held in Delhi, which might worth a peek a boo. 

 The event has brought the Fashion Industry of India on its toes for the second time this year and oh boy, it is going to be big!

 Organised by the International Garment Fair Association and Apparel Export Promotion Council, the Fair is expected to exhibit over 200 brands of womenswear , over 30 participants in the fashion accessories section and over 40 names in the menswear and kids apparel.

 Needless to say that whether you are a designer, a fashion journalist, a prospective business person or a fashion entrepreneur curious by nature, it would definitely be an interesting time pass to check out what other people are doing, especially if you have a particular interest for the grand exhibitions. 

You can find more info about the event HERE .

All in all, the Fair is expecting an attendance of over 300 Indian brands belonging to different states of India, from the southern Tamil Nadu to the northern Punjab. Click this LINK for a map of India and a bit of extra info about the multitude of languages spoken in this amazing country. Talking about the language masala for the connoisseurs, there is definitely not a boost of novelty in figuring out that the North and the South of the same country do not speak the same language and mingling between tamil and hindi can be and does get awkwardly funny at times. Thank God for English,and if you get confused as to which God of the Indian Pantheon to express your gratitude to, then just thank the British for colonisation. 

Click HERE for a quick check about the Indian Gods. You are welcome!

It is always good to double-check your homework before taking up a trip to India , otherwise you will travel 100 km into the neighbouring state and you might have the shock of your life to actually realise that  Indians do not speak " indian ", as if that would actually be one language. Please excuse my repetition, but understanding the person you talk to will bring you only benefits, or save you great loss, take it as you wish ( grin in the brackets ).

However, back to our horses, based on the facts we got from the 56th IIGF held in January, it is safe to say that an even larger number of buyers and buying agents have registered to visit the fair held at the beginning of this year and thus the upcoming fair is expected to experience nothing less. For closing a great deal and to nail that contract, you do need a translator, I really cannot stress that enough. Click on the following LINK for an easy access to a translation platform.

Such numbers as 2016 buyers in the previous fair, out of which 749 international buyers from 69 countries, are the type of numbers appealing to a business event and the type of numbers that remind you to get your communication skills a notch higher.

 It may be funny to snap a deal in sign language over a cup of chai, when your interlocutor is absolutely charming and the indecipherable language they speak seems to cause irrelevant problems. Understandable. However, I take the blame of being a party breaker and remind you that in the event of attending this exhibition with the intention to do successful business, do get yourself a polyglot translator erudite in Indian languages.

See ya there !!

Alina Alice

WLC Chimera Fashion Show

The entire process of fashion designing begins with an idea that grows into concepts split into the smallest of details.
 The fashion show is the platform where the finite products composed into a collection united by textures, colour coordination and a balance of proportions, emerges into a spectacle of style and glamour.

The process of a fashion show is not limited to dressing up pretty models. It is a process that requires a platform, an attitude, a style, the adequate light and an inspiring music to blend them all together.

And as it is glamorous to the viewer, it is equally rewarding to the amount of hard work that lays behind it.

The general purple of a fashion show is to exhibit a collection of prototypes, accepted by the industry in terms of technological quality and versatility. The ultimate aim, is very much practical. Selling.

 Behind the bling bling of fashion, lays a very strong industry that literally makes the work go round.
 It is a multibillionaire business , and aside the superficiality of " aesthetics " it is an empire that holds its pillars on the very cheap labor.

Designing, is the best part of the fashion industry. The apple of one's eye.
The accessibility to this man made gorgeousness it is largely influenced by the consuming economy.
And thus, the peak  of fashion design consists of the rarest items, the luxury , the niece, the couture. From there, the beauty is striped and pealed way more than its core essential permits, until it becomes " accessible" to mass production , down to the lowest levels in both quality and price.

A designer is a visionary. Blessed and gifted.

Roaring dots

Playing with dots, chasing textures and combining techniques.
Free hand painting , naive display,
Delicate feathering on a beautiful piece of fine, grey silk.
A trial, artistically expressed, perhaps an error.
Too unique and scattered for it to grow
 Into what today we call, finesse.