Minority or Celebrity?
Though there is a lot of preparation work to be done (researching building techniques, designing, planning, meetings), we are taking advantage of the free time we do have before the construction starts and every minute of daylight is spent at the site. We went to the beach yesterday and took a short dip in the (very warm) Indian Ocean. Travis commented that we were the "whitest people on the beach," to which I responded, "I'm the whitest person everywhere I go."
But it's not just the beach where we stand out. Thursday we took the moped for a drive and though we only went 20 minutes beyond Auroville, we suddenly felt like celebrities. Everyone we passed met us with wide eyes and turned heads. Children called out to us and waved, beaming as we waved back. When we stopped at one village, we found ourselves suddenly surrounded by 30 people. A group of women spoke in Tamil to one another as they looked and pointed at me. Still, it was a friendly curiosity and my heart was warm as we waved goodbye.
The landscape is a beautiful as it is novel to our Western senses: brilliant emerald green rice patties sprawl out to the right, thick shady forest meets the road on the left. Cattle and goats are hearded down the roads by barefoot women in sarees; school girls with braided pigtails and blue uniforms ride home on their bicycles; a small dog chases a couple on a motorbike; a group of women sit with handwoven baskets on ths side of the road; traffic parts for a wagon drawn by two white oxen, a man wearing only a loin-cloth driving them. I wonder if we will ever get used to these everyday sights.
Progress Report
On Monday we met with the architect who has been advising us. Though we were under the impression he had a village in mind, he instead referred us to Jurgen Putz. The following meeting on Tuesday was very productive; we were surprised to learn that because of problems within the government, the tsunami donation money is no longer being distributed effectively and any more volunteer efforts toward rehabilitation would be a wash. Jurgen's group does a lot of work with rural development and ecological landuse; they have been very successful in establishing women's groups in the surrounding villages to help them gain confidence, skills, and an independent status in their communities.
He suggested our resources might be best put to use designing and building a women's center. His organization already has a plan in mind for the upstart and self-maintenance of the center and they would be willing to let us build on their property. He thinks that the scale of the project matches our timeframe and $4,000 budget, providing his group can contribute an additional $1,000-$1,500.
Though it is a bit astray from our initial vision, we trust that Jurgen is sensitive to the current needs of the area and that with the help of his contacts and resources, the project will be a success. I sincerely feel that this will be an equal contribution to the area; perhaps moreso since we know it will be maintained after we leave.
Travis and I understand that the many generous donations we have received were given to build an orphanage; we would never wish to use any of the gifts under false pretenses. Will will do our best to make donors aware of the circumstances, but if you wish to have your gift returned due to our change of plans, please contact us at lauren.farquhar@gmail.com.
Getting there: half the battle
From DC: 7 hours to Milan, 8 hours to Bombay, 2 hours to train station through Bombay traffic, 27 hours on the train to Chennai, and 3 hours in the taxi to Auroville!
We're finally HERE. I'm at a complete loss to describe everything I've seen and felt in the past week. All of the excitement and awe over this new, colorful, noisy, bustling world is mixed with profound sadness over the conditions here. The train ride was much more emotionally challenging than I was ever prepared for and I struggled with a lot of self doubt. Between the communication barrier, the heat, the endless beggars, the noise, and miles and miles of slums and shantytowns, I was nearly in tears more than once. Still, we also saw breathtaking scenery, met a very kind family, and saw our first monkey.
Now we're in Auroville and loving our new community. Everyone is friendly and helpful, we are 15 minutes from the Indian Ocean by moped, and there is a kitten living in our commune. Dogs, cows, and goats are as abundant as the people and everyone has free reign on the roads. Our new friends come from Iceland, Germany, and Bombay; it has been easy to communicate with everyone in English.
Tomorrow we will meet with Satprem, the architect who has been advising us. We'll begin finalizing the details and hope to start construction the following week. I'd better get my yoga in now!
