Salute to Carm*n

Yesterday, the Whatsapp status had a post from Carmn, my old Filipina aerobics trainer. We got chatting, and I told her she was the first - and best - trainer I had, When I landed here 6 years back, V had instructed that I join the gym in the building. Slowly the 10-11 session became a habit and fun time. The room was always full with both Indians and Arabs. There was a different exercise each day - tabata, zumba and the rest of the names I cant remember. We had to reach early to get mats, dumb bells and sticks. 

A Syrian lady ran the salon and gym but after some 6 months it changed hands. Things were not the same anymore. More sessions other than the morning and evening one hr were introduced much to Carmn's exhaustion. She left and by then some of the attendees had quit too. I stayed on for some more months, when Emz the new recruit trained Mira and me in the evenings. 

Carmn got better opportunities, and at present seems to be working in a resort or star hotel in the capital city as trainer. Like most salon-embedded Filis I have come across, she seemed to be a single mother with children under the wings of a doting grandmother. 

Spunky women who take on life with a smile.