The world is Flat

Thomas Friedman, author of ‘The World is Flat’ makes a very convincing argument that the forces of globalization have made the world a very flat place. Political changes and technological advances have combined to radically alter the world. Throughout this profound work Friedman asks others when they first realized that the world was flat. Although I cannot remember that exact moment, I do have moments of clairvoyance when I suddenly say to myself, “Wow The world really is flat.”
Saturday morning for example, I watched live on ESPN, the Houston Rockets play Miami Heat. I sat in the top floor of the dorm in Kolenchery and saw a game being played on the hard wood floor of Miami Arena. The game was an exhibition of centers of today and yesteryear and captures “the world is flat” attitude. Yao Ming, the center from China posts up on Shaq who grew up on army bases across the world. They are both backed up by Zo and Dikembe Mutombo from Zaire. I realized that my brother ws probably watching the same game but he was watching it in New York. He was watching it Friday evening and unwinding a busy week and I was starting my Saturday morning. Yeah the world is flat.

Anandwan - Forest of Joy

Anandwan was my field work assignment. The word anandwan means 'forest of joy'. To use the expression of Baba Amte, it is village for the least, lost and the last. Baba Amte the main architect of anandwan is a social reformer who has worked with leprosy patients for several decades.
Anandwan is located near Warora, Maharashtra and is nearly 3 hours away from Nagpur. Anandwan has nearly 2000 leprosy cured patients. In addition to this several, blind, deaf, mute and handicapped people live at Anandwan. The unique aspect of Anandwan is that everyone here does some work. Even people that have lost all of the fingers to leprosy will contribute to the village some how.