Expression after 4 days at O-campus

Supply from Bangalore

Today I went to buy grocery for home, I got prompted to pick few things for O-campus like Maggi, packaged snacks. popcorn etc. Then I decided to not to buy and explore the local market only.

The reasons to not to buy

1. If I keep on depending on supply from Bangalore, I will never be independent on O-campus.
2. If I keep on buying for Bangalore, I will not explore
3. Also I will keep on carrying plastic from here to there

But I kept this open for Dhup and Asa, I want to first explore myself and then share my experience with kids and leave it to them to explore.

Cooking

While cooking in O-campus I was tempted to buy Pressure cooker, more utensils……..I am stopping myself and exploring what else. 

1. There are lot of utensil which I found extra in my house and I am surprised now we are running two kitchen – there was so much extra at home L
2. For pressure cooker I want to wait for solar cooker – I have heard with solar cooker one does not need pressure cooker. I have been using other means like soak rice for 2-3 hours, use lid cooking………..may be will try keeping in the sun directly to save further fuel. Next week will try with temporary solar cooker to boil potatoes.
3. Life without Fridge is very simple.

Washing utensils

1. Trying to break my own beliefs about how dirty is dirt water and how much can I re-use.
2. Using 3-4 tubs and doing community washing, reusing the water……….remembering my mother who was born in the village and did all these things without any “intellectual water crisis”.

 Language Barrier

1. It is very easy for me to dependent on Mina or Venu or few kids who know the language.
2. I am trying to not to take their help and converse with local mason in my own way – hand actions, picking some key words, watching their gesture, connecting the context, guessing – its fun, it is also sometimes no communication, ………knowing my limitations, sometimes they stop communicating and take help of others who knows the language J

Work Pace

1. I am personally at peace with the pace of the construction – I am not hyper or calling Ratnesh with frustration “toady also workers did not come no work is happening”.
2. Its learning journey for me – for me the options are with frustration wait for the work to move ahead or enjoy the process. This time I have decided to choose the second option.
3. With second option “all is well” – people working not working, coming not coming…………..all is fine. I enjoyed each day at the campus.

 Physical work

1. It is fun doing all the work by self including house clean up to cooking to fetch water from the sump. Nothing stops because of others – the life and work both continues.
2. Venu joined us on Wednesday and as soon as he came he dug up and made a cloth hanging system with bamboo.  I was connecting with his thoughts of getting involved by staying in the place – His work inspired me to do more and brought confidence in me.

Kids and involvement

3. Kids are involved in K-campus in their own way – they are not on the site many times, they are all around the village, exploring railway line J.
4. I am doing my own refection of “why we make few things compulsory in Aarohi and why not when we are at home/O-campus home?”
5. I enjoyed bed time stories with them and non-stop chatting any time of the day.
6. Kids are finding their own ways to work and explore, For me when they were playing chess on the railway line, I had no issue I was at peace. When video games and laptop opened up for movies, I asked myself “why do I need to distinguish, its their choice form available options.  I smiled at my own transition.

 Me and sensitivity

7. I was communicating with Jinan on senses, cognitive development and environment. He expressed we kill kids senses with over stimulation – For me it remained an intellectual discussion as my own senses are damaged with over stimulation.
8. At village, the electricity comes 5-6 hours, The day time it was practically not there, It was hot………..even a small movement in the air was noticed by me, as there was no fan, It was great feeling to connect with my natural sense.
9. Second day pf my living I did not feel hot, I was not waiting for fan as I was enjoying the pleasure of wind and changes in speed.