I am overwhelmed with emotions and no words can really describe what I am feeling right now. Today, exactly 11 years after the first Karma Kitchen, Karma Kitchen opened it’s doors in Bucharest, Romania!!

We had the first KK here in a school (Verita International School). It is amazing how the universe works and what ripples led this event to happen and how it will ripple out! The volunteers comprised of teachers, parents, students and also people outside the school community. The preps started almost a month before with kids starting to make decoration stuff and stuff for the gratitude table in their art class. The wall was decorated with butterflies, birds, flowers, posters, streamers and some rabbits too as Easter is here :-). The tables had handmade vases, table tags, mats, menus designed and written by kids.. oh! it was beautiful.



All the servers for the tables were children so they were the face of Karma Kitchen. One of the girls later shared in the volunteer closing circle how it was so much fun and while they had some difficulties they all enjoyed it very much! As soon as they arrived in the school, they were eager to take on their roles.



“Miss I want to serve”; “Miss can I make the orange juice”; “Miss can I tag the heart pins!”; “Miss where can I help?”… From decorating, to serving, to cooking, to cleaning; they stepped up for every task! The teachers and parents were amazed. Since it is an International school, most of the kids come from privileged families and teachers were amazed when they saw the kids mopping the floor, picking up the garbage and cleaning the tables! They said they never could have dreamed of it but today it was like they were in a different class! A class of life :-) Some of the parents were served by their own child and they couldn’t contain their happiness! We had quite a few moments when hugs just won’t stop :-)



The cooking team had their perfect rhythm going on. If you went to the kitchen, there was calm and peace and it didn’t seem like cooking for a 100 people was going on there. One volunteer who is also a chef expressed how she has worked in many kitchens but none like todays! Another shared, the head chef was leading without actually leading… he had everything sorted out and things just flowed.

I will write a proper blog post later, but right now I am so high on emotions and I had to share it with everyone! Ever so grateful to be held in so many ways by this community and the constant support and laddering. Ever since the idea of doing Karma Kitchen in the school took root, we have been supported by so many of you guys! It was amazing how Parag bhai took out hours from his day to walk us through the process, or how Audrey responded to each email so promptly or how Shaalu sent us everything they had designed for KK Auroville and helped us with creating lists of materials or how Meghna sent us a whole Wisdom Crafts package all the way from India or how Trishna and Joserra responded to our last minute SOS emails.. the list is endless and it feels so fortunate to be held by you all!

Eternally grateful!