International Academy, Cochin, Kerala

International Academy is based out of Chennamkara House in Ranny. It’s a quiet area in the Pathanamthitta district, specifically under the Mannirum post office. The surroundings are quite green, as you’d expect for this part of Kerala. We aren't in a big city center like Kochi or Trivandrum, which actually helps keep things focused. The building is a family-owned style house that we’ve converted for our needs. It’s got enough room for the desks and the files we keep. We have a small staff here who manage the day-to-day operations. Most of the work involves paperwork and coordinating things over the phone and computer. It’s not a fancy institution with a huge campus. It’s just a house where we work. We’ve been here for a long time and the locals in Ranny know where Chennamkara House is. Sometimes the rain gets really heavy and we have to make sure everything stays dry, but we’re used to the Kerala weather. It’s a simple setup. We don't have a big cafeteria or anything like that. We usually just bring our own lunch or get something from the small shops nearby. We handle the tasks that come our way without making a big fuss about it. It’s honest work in a quiet town. We like the pace here and how everyone knows everyone else. It is just a practical place to get things finished.