When Women Are Together

What happens when women from all across the world are together for a whole year – sharing classes, thoughts, and beliefs? Well, for one – there’s a riot of colours and fashion, and definitely a lot of laughter and fun! 

Women tend to talk, they discuss, and share a lot. And in doing so, the world does become a much smaller place. Kitchens merge and flavors mingle. Dishes get an international essence and there is a zeal to experiment and learn. Clothes are appreciated and exchanged, put together with love and careful deliberations by everyone involved, thus creating an eclectic look. 

Kids are looked after by everyone – like one big joint family – as they soak in the language of diverse love. It’s a live ‘Mind Your Language’ class – but it’s not just languages that one picks up. One also learns to revel in a veritable mosaic of dialects, dresses, and traditions. 

The exchange goes deeper. When culture is shared, values get discussed – and in an international arena, it is curiosity and not scepticism that governs the exchange. Dreams, thoughts and beliefs expand – there is more openness and a willingness to listen and accept, which might be missing in the ‘narrower’ thought-vistas of one’s own country. Here, one tends to try and understand, and then form an opinion.

Everyone is a part of the whole, and everyone’s thoughts contribute. The views of the women in Hijab are heard with as much keenness as that of the women in dresses or shorts. Each one tries to understand the reasons and the experiences that have made all of us the women we are today –  the cultural impact, role of the family and society, and life in the military in their country.

And what emerges is a mosaic so beautiful that one has no choice but to be a part of it. We take on what is congruent to our beliefs and maybe we also bend our beliefs a bit to make room for some new perceptions. We imbibe what we think would be useful in our lives and enriches our outlook. And the beauty of it is, as women, we will pass these new ‘modified’ beliefs on to the next generation. 

For me, this journey started when my husband and I, along with military officers and their spouses from 80 different countries descended on one small American town last year – for one year – to learn from each other. The bonus being that we learned also to love each other, and respect the traditions and beliefs that each one holds. We may not have always agreed, but we definitely learned to value the person behind the thoughts.

I, for one, am returning with a recipe book full of exotic recipes and a mind full of anecdotes from women from different regions. I now value the fierce freedom of my hijab clad friends as much as I value the elaborate thanksgiving traditions followed by my vivacious American friends. The same sex couples are as much on my party lists as the heterosexual ones. The stereotypes have dissolved in my mind and now I am willing to ‘get to know’ before I form an opinion

There has been so much to learn from this great nation – it is the top nation for a reason. The culture of giving back to society is deeply ingrained in its citizens – it’s as essential as breathing to them. And with the values of acceptance and freedom at its core, America allows each person to live and thrive, leading in turn to its own growth and prosperity. 

The women here are inspiring – handling it all with a smile – the housework, their jobs and the voluntary work – it’s all a part of their daily lives. They hold each other up, thus showing us all how easy it is to love and accept very different people.

So, what happens when women from all across the world are together for a whole year? They form lifelong friendships, merging the geographies, and making the whole world one large ‘home’. 


Payal Talwar
Payal Talwar

With over 13 years of experience in the field of learning and development, Payal wears many hats as a Life and Performance Coach, Life-skills Trainer, Educator and Administrator. Armed with an MSc and MBA degree, Payal is certified in Adult Learning, a Certified NLP Master Practitioner and NLP Trainer from NFNLP, U.S., along with being a certified Law of Attraction trainer and NLP Life and Performance coach. Co-founder of WINGS Team, and Author of ‘Kanta Bai Pvt Ltd.’ and ‘Me And My Middle Age’, Payal comes from an Army background. While her passion lies in interacting with people, she also dabbles in painting and advocates running.


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19 thoughts on “When Women Are Together”

  1. My friend! This brought happy tears to eyes. I am so thankful to have met you and learned so much from you. Im so glad you enjoyed your year. I miss you and Aparna. You both hold a special place in my heart.

    1. Soooo happy to hear from you, Aimee!

      And I miss you too – the times I spent with you will always be cherished! Aparna and I often talk of u!

  2. Payal I thought your article was perfect…we enjoyed everyone’s company throughout that year and continue to do so.

    1. Thanks so much! It indeed was such a beautiful year.. to be able to enjoy diverse cultures is such a privilege!

      Thank you for reading it

  3. Your words and thoughts bring joy to my heart – I am so honored to have shared a small part of your year of new adventures and friendship. We will always be here to welcome you and all our International Friends again !!

    1. Thanks Linda- it was all coz of the warmth you showered that it felt so special- thank you, my friend!

  4. Very nicely written Payal. I share your experience and am so incredibly grateful for the past year in Carlisle and getting to know you and all the other women. I too have learned a lot from all the differences in our cultures and dare to say that it has made me a better person. thank you for these beautiful words.

    1. You’re a special person – Willemein! I’ll always cherish the little time we got together!
      Love to u!

  5. Very nicely worded and put across payal…. Am so happy that I am one of the 80 you mention and that we experienced all of it together…. we sure formed strong bonds and friendships, and so much more over cups of coffee, goblets of wine and pegs of whiskey!! Thanks for putting this out for all of us, payal.

  6. This is so beautifully written Payal. Living in the Middle East, has given me an opportunity to flourish relationships with women from across the globe. This article really made my heart fill up with gratitude.

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