Good bye Sowmya & Bernd  and many thanks for the wonderful time spent together at the dinning hall of IVAC. To night was their last diner as they are leaving to morrow.

As is often the case when asked “where I came from”, I would give the inquiring person 5 chances to guess the country and offer a prize of 50 rupees if he or she would successfully give the answer.Most of the time,it would be impossible to get the correct answer.This time Sowmya played the game in reverse to me. I had to guess: where they were living? Sowmya by her looks and for having observed her for a while was Indian from the area as I could make out that she could speak Kannada to the waiters.Her husband by the accent, & complexion would be German.I was not able to guess that they were residing in China Beijing in spite of the hint given to me that they lived in an Indian neighboring country.

I had great fun talking to the newly wed couple and got to know them a little bit better.We discussed quite lengthy on Sowmya’s views of the India’s society and its evolution.She was educated throughout her secondary education by Catholic sisters and  she had a balanced and qualified opinions on the motives of such apparent acts of generosity on the part of the sisters.She questioned the freedom of choice given, to the third world countries nuns in  India,Switzerland and else where in Europe in serving their “vows”.Are they forced by circumstances, like a way of getting a better living, or do they live up to their vows in total free will?

Bern & Sowmya met in Lausanne, where she was working in the IT department of an international Insurance Company after having worked for sometime in Bangolore. Bern is presently on an overseas posting  in China procuring for his company.

Wish them a prosperous & happy married life!