Till few months ago, I was working at Flipkart as a Product Manager. I loved my job, but I had an idea to start an Airbnb business in Kerala. I planned to do a quick study of the area, starting with a short stay in Trivandrum where my grandparents live. I didn't know then that this "short stay" would change my life.
Now, my days look like this:
4:00 AM: I wake up to the smell of coffee. My grandma is already up, singing softly.
4:30 AM: I walk to the temple with my grandparents. The streets are quiet, the sky is getting lighter, and I can smell jasmine flowers. It's beautiful.
6:00 AM: We have breakfast at home. We eat appam, dosas, coconut chutney, and more of that great coffee.
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM: I work on my Airbnb plans. It's moving forward, just slower than I thought it would. (Just opened my second Airbnb in Kovalam🤞🏼)
1:00 PM: Lunch with my grandparents. My grandma's fish curry is the best. We talk about all sorts of things.
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Nap time. I never thought I'd like afternoon naps, but I do now.
4:00 PM: Sometimes we go shopping. Watching my grandpa bargain at the market teaches me a lot.
6:00 PM: We go for an evening drive in my grandpa's old car. We don't go anywhere special, we just enjoy being together and feeling the sea breeze.
8:00 PM: We have dinner, maybe watch some TV, and go to bed early.
It's a simple life, but it's taught me something important - the power of community.
What has surprised me most is how people here take care of each other without expecting anything back. Our neighbor brings us extra papaya from her tree every week. When Appappa had a small health scare, the entire street rallied around - someone was always there to help or just sit with Ammamma.
I've seen the vegetable seller give my grandma extra curry leaves "for good health." The auto-rickshaw driver who takes us to the temple won't take money on festival days. He says it's his way of celebrating.
This sense of community isn't about getting something in return. It's not networking. It's just people caring for each other because we're all human.
I'm learning so much. About being generous without expecting anything back. About how being part of a community makes you stronger. About how a community can keep you safe, make you happy, and support you all at the same time.
Don't get me wrong - I still want to start my Airbnb business. It's just moving forward differently than I planned. And that's okay. Right now, I'm learning things that no business plan could teach me.
I'm learning the value of being present. Of really listening. Of how peaceful an early morning walk can be. Of how happy it makes my grandma when I help her in the kitchen.
My grandparents and this community are teaching me more about life than I ever expected. They're happy with small things, they handle problems with grace, and they always support each other. It's really inspiring.
But here's the fun part - I'm not just learning from them. We're all growing together, and it's wonderful to see.
I showed my grandparents how to use Alexa, thinking it might help them. I didn't know it would become something we enjoy every day. My grandpa loves asking Alexa to tell jokes. Even when the jokes aren't funny, his laugh makes everyone smile. My grandma, who loves to cook, likes to ask for recipe ideas, though she always says her recipes are better (and she's usually right haha).
Then I showed them ChatGPT. It's opened up a whole new world of fun for us. My grandpa, who loves telling stories, spends hours making up interesting questions for it. He recently had it write a story about a wise old tree giving advice to young trees. We laughed so much reading it out loud during dinner.
My grandma uses it to make crossword puzzles. She solves them with a big smile, sometimes asking me to explain new words she doesn't know. It's become our evening routine – we have tea, do crosswords, and talk about all sorts of things.
Watching them try this new technology with such excitement is teaching me something too. They're not afraid of new things, just curious and happy to learn. It reminds me that we can keep learning our whole lives, and that older people can adapt and grow in amazing ways.
This mix of old and new, of tradition and technology, is really special. We're connecting across generations through AI-created stories and home-cooked meals. I'm learning to slow down, while they're discovering the fun of instant information and digital creativity.
I know I won't live this slow life forever. But right now, it's exactly what I need. It's showing me what's really important - in life and in business. And it's teaching me that the best connections often happen when we least expect them.
If you're feeling like you need to reconnect or recharge, sometimes the answer is simpler than we think. It might be in a quiet moment with people you love, or in the warmth of a community that cares.
P.S. If you're planning to visit Kerala, let me know. I might not have my Airbnb business yet, but I can tell you about some great places to visit - and introduce you to some of the friendliest communities in this beautiful state down south 💚
P.P.S. I am also trying to articulate my thoughts better, probably the longest form of writing I’ve written beyond PRDs lol - thanks for giving it a read!
