After a fierce February month of Yoga boot camp style, I was being creative with some sketch work but was getting a bit bored being stuck at home. It’s not easy going from a busy learning schedule surrounded by so many people to a super chill and slow paced environment.
Finally, last week I got an apprenticeship at a men’s tailoring workshop. I have known the owner for years when I had launched the men’s fashion line, so when I called him, he agreed to have me as an apprentice in spite of a super busy month with wedding season. I’ll be observing the first two weeks how a shirt is made before I can start to operate an industrial old school sewing machine, which will be a challenge.
I’ll be spending one hour each way in transit and 5 to 6 hours at the workshop each day. The workshop is a tiny room with 4 seamstress and, it’s also the place where they sleep since they have come from various other cities of India to Mumbai to make money. They want to save as much money they can to send back home to their families. They think that renting a room is a waste of money when they can stay for free at the workshop after they are done with their work. They work, sleep, shower and eat all in the comfort of a tiny room. I look back at my life in the States and feel like a spoiled brat. I used to complain about life’s small discomforts when these seamstress are happy to have a job and a place to stay, even if it happens to be a 4×4 room which they share with 4 to 5 co-workers. There is no concept of personal space in India which sometimes makes me claustrophobic.
I’ve set a personal goal to inspire myself to keep on making sure that I don’t give up the hard work of sewing. My goal is to be able to make my own shirt by end of April. If I can do that, then all the efforts will be worth it. I wish this skill was something that was taught in schools but all one ends up learning is theory without practicality.
On the positive note, I have been practicing yoga every morning for an hour, followed by 30 mins of weight lifting at a nearby makeshift gym. This is a habit I want to integrate as part of my life to stay flexible, mindful and strong.
