the Journey

the Journey

Balaga goes on ‘the Journey’ which takes him on an ethereal adventure around the globe.

Why am I going?

mission: to explore the intersection and interactions of art, culture, and technology through a global lens with a focus on creative design.

the journey ahead

the journey ahead

How will I be traveling?

journey: by living like a balaga!

What will I be doing?

experimentation: learning by experimenting with reality and fantasy by immersing myself in truly dynamic environments that change one’s perception of the world, such as Iceland’s stunning Midnight Sun or Amsterdam’s Nuit Blanche festival.

Where will I be traveling?

The reason for setting out on this trip was originally to visit Japan. However, after awhile, I thought ‘I’ve only seen Italy in Europe, I want to explore more of the Western World. Amsterdam and Copenhagen topped the list of places I wished to visit. I tried to find airfare arrival those cities, then a return flight from Tokyo. Luckily, the most affordable prices from the US came from Seattle, which I knew was the best US location to depart/arrive from Europe and Asia due to it’s proximity.

Therefore…

  1. I will be driving up to Astoria, Oregon to visit my favorite Aunt’s and Uncle’s!

    Monday June 3rd – Thursday June 6th

  2. I’ll then hitch a ride to Seattle, WA for my nice 7 hour flight to Reykjavik, Iceland
    Thursday June 6th – Friday June 7th

  3. Exploring Iceland on Bike and Foot

    Friday June 7th – Friday June 14th

  4. Only inter-journey flight – from Iceland to the Netherlands

    Friday June 14th

  5. Venture into Amsterdam and experience Nuit Blanche festival on the 16th of June. After Amsterdam, I plan on using my Eurail pass to navigate my journey south towards Italy while visiting a friend in Geneva, Switzerland.

    Friday June 14th – Friday June 21st

  6. Experience Italy with my mom for 10 days!

    Saturday June 22nd – Tuesday July 2nd

  7. CrisisArt Festival - Arezzo, Italy

    Wednesday July 3rd – Tuesday July 9th

  8. Travel through Germany, stopping to visit famed  and unknown locations on the way to Denmark.

    Wednesday July 10th – Saturday July 14th

  9. Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design - Applied to an  design workshop entitled – Biomimetic Interfaces
    Monday July 15th – Friday July 26th

  10. Copenhagen to Moscow

    Saturday July 27th – Monday July 29th

  11. Taking the Trans-Mongolian Railway, the longest continuous railway in the world that goes across Russia, Mongolia, and into China.

    Tuesday July 30th – Monday August 5th

  12. Beijing to Shanghai to Japan

    Tuesday August 6th – Thursday August 8th

  13. Explore Osaka and the south tip before hopping onto trains on my way up the eastern island giant called Japan.

    Friday August 9th – Monday August 12th

  14. Meet up with a few of my California amigos in various parts of Japan!!!

    Tuesday August 13th – Sunday August 18th

  15. Depart Tokyo, Japan for Seattle, WA

    Monday August 19th

Clase del Mundo – Creating my Vision one piece at a time

Clase del Mundo:

My ultimate vision for my future is to host and lead a team of passionate individuals in an online educational show. I’ve had this vision for over two years now, although there have been many times that I have questioned it’s attainability. If you’re reading this, chances are you already know the title of the show, “¡balaga!”, but what most of you may not know is that I am already in the process of building that vision!  Part of the catalyst for my inspiration has come from a the words of Kathy Eldon who sent to me a message awhile back:

  • Sept. 7, 2011 – Hi Benji, what a wonderful letter. It inspires ME! I so appreciate you taking the time to write- and would encourage you to visit your local school and see how you can begin sharing your vision of the world. Just start. No need to wait. I am racing this week- but let’s stay in touch- one day you could visit our Center and share your story. Warm wishes, Kathy

PLANS

Although I may have not heeded that advice then, it has definitely stuck with me and has pushed me to action now. Kathy Eldon is the founder of Creative Visions Foundation and mother of Dan Eldon, a Photojournalist who was stoned to death more than 20 years ago. I’ve followed Kathy and Dan’s creative leadership over the past year and a half, but during the past two and a half months, I’ve done just what she highlighted in those words above. I’ve been sharing my vision of the world with schools and students in the San Joaquin Valley. However, I’ve taken a step further to begin building my vision, piece by piece, through creation of a classroom for which I can lead my online educational show. But what will be the curriculum I focus on for my online show?

My curriculum will cover myriad topics relating to the experiences I’ve participated in as a global citizen. My first virtual lesson will expand on the two first lessons I gave to 7th grade class at Jefferson Middle School in my hometown of Tracy, CA [For the lectures, look in the 'Presentations - Prezi' in my Portfolio.] The title of the third lesson will be “Living Sustainably in Tracy“ and  will enliven the ideas I introduced in the first two lessons through ways that I achieve those goals of sustainable living at home. I plan on continuing with other lessons of enlivenment as I continue to live life as a balaga! 

CREATION

For the past two weeks, I’ve been creating my global classroom, which I’ll be calling the Clase del Mundo [World Classroom in Spanish]. Creating the classroom has helped me focus on my vision for the world, and instead of thinking about it, I’ve decide to build it! Here are a few photos and descriptions of the progression thus far:

the CHALKBOARD

1. DESIGNING THE AREA for the chalkboard (the centerpiece for and entry into the Clase del Mundo) was probably the most time consuming part of this experience. I came up with the idea while I was doing a workout in my room and I thought, “If I can workout from my own room, why can’t I just teach from my own room?!” I began reorganizing my room immediately after my workout. After about a week of freeing up space in front of the largest wall in the room with the most light hitting it, I began plastering the wall so that I could create an smooth surface to write on. After plastering, I sanded the surface down to remove bumps and create more of an even surface.

Why? - to create an even surface.

Plastering the area to create an even surface

2. PAINTING THE CHALKBOARD took a few coats of both the Magnetic Primer and Chalkboard Paint, both made by Rust Oleum. If you’re thinking of doing a similar project, I would recommend not using the primer because 1) it’s actually pretty expensive and 2) it requires several coats to get enough strength to put magnets on it and 3) you can find alternatives for creating magnetization. For the color, I decided on the Peapod Green because it gave off the classic classroom look with more vibrancy than the darker Schoolhouse Green.

Chalkboard paint!

Chalkboard paint!

Unfortunately, the surface texture didn’t ultimately come out how I wanted it, so I will likely cover the chalkboard area with sheetrock and paint ANOTHER chalkboard. #PERFECTIONIST But I’ve always sucked at plastering, so getting more experience during this test run has helped me realize how I can make it perfect the second time around! See the final product below.

LIGHTING

3. CREATING THE TRACK LIGHTING

Probably one of the more difficult tasks I would have would be installing proper lighting to enliven the chalkboard and the teaching I will be doing. Luckily I had the two things I needed, a 4 bulb track light fixture that my dad had in his warehouse and an electrician of his that could install it! The result was track light that beautifully aims focus at chalkboard while allowing each individual light to rotate 360 degrees onto other objects!

SHELVES

4. CREATING THE SHELVES for my books came from the question “What is a classroom without books?”. Although most of my learning happens in the world outside of book covers, books are essential  to our learning when we’re not out exploring and creating. All of the shelves are actually recycled wood from around my house. The main wood piece, seen below, and the brackets were all found around the house. No purchase necessary!

Doing some leveling

Levels

Perfect?

Levels!

Levels!

The smaller shelves were all taken from an unused dresser that was building up dust. Although most people won’t notice the idea that I reused most of the materials I’ve used to build the classroom, I know the meaning and quality of the idea will carry beyond these walls.

Sustainable Book Shelves

Sustainable Book Shelves

MISCELLANEOUS

guitar mount

One thing I’ve been meaning to make for awhile was a guitar mount. Music has always been like picking up a pen for me, sometimes you just have to pick one up and let your imagination do the rest. I wanted to create a mount that would be simple enough to just grab off the wall and play, but also be different than the typical guitar mounts on Amazon. I started by trying to find items around the house and after a long search, I found these crutches and thought they’d be perfect! Another reason I liked them is because I feel like music has a certain meaning for everyone. At times, music has been a crutch for me and has helped me stay positive and enthusiastic even when I’ve been down.

Prior to shortening the Crutches

Prior to shortening the Crutches

I can’t tell you how long it took me to create this mount! I had tried so many different variations of placing the guitar, but in the end, they either hurt the guitar somehow, or were just unsafe for it. The final design allowed for a comfy, secure, but also abstract look that will catch my students and guests attention whenever they enter my classroom.

Crutches Mount

Crutches Mount

UCI Emblem [in progress]

[Under construction]

The chalkboard, shelves, and guitar mount all embody the do-it-yourself (DIY) spirit that I want to convey to my students through ‘¡balaga!’. I want them to see everything in the Clase del Mundo as an example of the way I live and how I WANT to live. Each project is a lesson learned and reminds us of all what the word balaga means! The journey of creating this classroom has allowed me to focus my desire to teach, enliven, and inspire youth to tackle new adventures, projects, and hobbies. Trying something new is fun, invigorating, and you never really know what you may discover!

SHARING

Although building my classroom has helped me focus on my desire to teach, the mission of building this classroom is create an ‘environment’ where I can begin to SHARE MY PURPOSE. I have a lesson plan ready to execute and am just waiting to coordinate with the 7th grade classroom I’ve been working with. Using my experiences and lessons that I’ve gained in my global classroom, I will be designing short online lessons that will be catered to a specific audience. During November and December, I shared lessons on my experiences in Costa Rica, as well as on the topic of Sustainable Living. Now I plan to directly show HOW I live sustainably, using video to capture the various ways.

The final product for my chalkboard, with stage lights and all!

The final product for my chalkboard, with stage lights and all!

Costa Rica video and update


Recently finished a short video I made about my experiences at Rancho Mastatal in Costa Rica. I’m gearing it towards a younger audience since I’ll be presenting it in middle schools and elementary schools in the area. Let me know what you think!

Vimeo Description: Freelance educator and balaga Benji Zachariah shares his experience volunteering at Rancho Mastatal. Rancho Mastatal is an environmental learning center located on the edge of the tropical rainforests of La Cangraja National Park in Costa Rica. Benji spent four weeks there as a volunteer and is sharing his visual story to introduce you to the people he met, the food he enjoyed, and the lifestyle he loved. Pura Vida!

Update: I’m currently working back in Tracy while I apply for Teach for America. I have also been connecting with local teachers and schools to share my volunteer experiences in Costa Rica and around the world. Thus, the reason for making a more upbeat and fun video about my experience! I’ve given one presentation with a 7th grade class and will be doing my second presentation with them on Friday! On the same day  I’ll also be doing two other 4th grade class presentations at a different school! I hoping to continue with more opportunities like these in the coming months in a way to bring the world to the classroom and excitement into the lives of students in my area and in other more marginalized areas in San Joaquin county. Stay tuned for more videos in the coming week or two!

Quality at Rancho Mastatal

First week @ Rancho

“The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there.” Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

This quotation, like many of the passages from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, has had a profound spiritual impact on me. It expresses of the overarching need for us as human beings to improve ourselves and how we interact with the world before we go about changing it. Don Mario, the man I spoke of a great deal in my last post, Pura Vida, has had much to say about this, and more specifically Quality. While we were working together one day, Don Mario spoke of the need for Quality (this is what I remember from our conversation):

We need quality in all parts of our lives. You see Anderson there? He cuts his tree branches and bark very badly. They’re not small enough, and you can see it through how he works. He lacks the quality of work that you need. It may be a small task, but if you don’t put your heart into it, what can you really learn form the experience? But that quality translates across your life. If you’re job is to do something, do it with integrity. No matter how small or how insignificant it may be, make sure it’s done with care.

My time at Rancho Mastatal encapsulated four enduring weeks, but I’m still learning from the experiences I had there. I knew by coming to Rancho Mastatal I would immerse myself into a new way of living, and I believe it’s that way of living that’s helped me learn more than ever about my purpose.

Here are a few photos to give you a glimpse of some of the people I worked with:

Welcome!

Olivia – Rancho Mastatal volunteer

Landon – Rancho Mastatal volunteer

Laura and Scott – Rancho Mastatal caretakers

Path by the Hooch

Joy (Rancho Mastatal intern) and I relaxing after a delicious meal

Lumi – Rancho Mastatal intern

Balaga – THIS IS GOOD!

These people have all had a huge influence on me throughout my stay at Rancho Mastatal. Through the first 2 weeks in Mastatal, they taught me about the projects and chores that keep Rancho running smoothly. However, they’ve taught me much more than just the ins and outs of Rancho Mastatal. They essentially showed me a new way of living that I’ve carried with me back to the US.

Inside the kitchen @ Rancho Mastatal

During my first week, I was in the kitchen for most of the day. Either cleaning up after meals or preparing a meal. Having very little experience cooking, I was excited to learn more. In addition to experimenting with new foods, I learned about community based economics and local farming. I realized that if the food wasn’t grown on the farm, it was bought locally from farmers in the region. Everything that Rancho does has meaning. Buying locally means supporting local small farms to aid them economically. Cooking itself was always an adventure that demanded experimentation at every corner.

Roastin’ Cocao!

What’s for dinner?

Olivia and Brad working hard on the sourdough

Working in the kitchen gave me a lot of perspective. It was definitely a big part of what goes on at Rancho Mastatal and in Mastatal in general. During baking days, two people could be working on cooking ALL day. In the US, someone could run by their McDonalds and have dinner within 15 minutes. Coming from a lifestyle where most of the time I’m eating out, it was such a huge change. The food at Rancho Mastatal is made fresh, organic, and most of the ingredients comes directly from our gardens.  At every meal, you’re eating something you’ve NEVER had before in your life and as far as cooking, a sense of empowerment and adventure comes with making a dish using fresh ingredients, using lunches leftovers, and making a truly unique dish that you’ll likely never have again! Just thinking about the food makes me miss the ranch so much right now!

Therefore, cooking at Rancho Mastatal, like all else, requires quality. The quality of food we eat in the US is absolutely terrible. On a daily basis, most people rush to find the quickest and most accessible foods, which end up being the most unhealthy. Although proposition 37 (labeling all Genetically engineered food) did not pass, I don’t see how it could have. The awareness of healthy eating and organic foods in America is limited to only select populations. People need to be taught about the food decisions they can make from an early age.

I have a close attachment to food because I grew up eating out and came accustomed to the lifestyle of fast food, pizza delivery, and large buffets. I’ve seen how engrained our eating habits in America are, but they’re going to need to change if we hope to battle obesity and the negative consequences it results in. I’ve lived on both sides of the spectrum, and 10 pounds, a body cleansing and mood altering four weeks later, I’ve realized what impacts quality grown and cooked food can make. Hope you enjoyed!

A typical meal

Yucca

Pura Vida

Early on a morning that I had a Goat shift, Don Mario was out cutting fodder in front of the Goat pen in a glorious manner. He lifted colossal branches, trunks of bamboo, and other trees that he had cut down earlier in the morning. In the days prior to that day, I’d seen Don Mario interact with other people on the ranch.  I could vaguely hear him talking with such energy about the various trees and life around the ranch; or maybe he was using his hands and arms to depict riding his motorcycle up and down the many mountains in th surrounding the area. He was always so full of life and vigor.

It was a foggy and misty morning when I awoke, heading out toward the goat pen to milk and feed the goats. However Don Mario seemed to clear the fog with his spirit as he cut forcefully through the fodder. When I got there, he stopped chopping for a bit to talk. I was mesmerized by his bright white smile as well as his constant enthusiasim despite it being barely light outside. He talked about the surrounding areas, including the rivers and waterfalls, but I failed to comprehend everything he said. He talked on and on about life in Mastatal as well as life in general. Wisdom just seemed to flow from this man and I couldn’t help but smile the whole way through our conversation. I could tell he had so much pride for the work he does as the grounds keeper for Rancho Mastatal and it shined through the way he talked to me. He’s so passionate about the land, la tierra madre, and everything it encompasses.

Before I continued on to take care of the goats, I remember him saying, like he always says, “Pura Vida”. Pura Vida translates to Pure life in english, but the meaning may not carry the same weight it does here in Costa Rica. The story does not end with Don Mario’s exuberance. Don Mario’s fellow local staff hold similar traits as well. Junior, another local staff of Rancho Mastatal, has been working with the ranch since he was a boy working alongside his father, Don Chepo, to build Rancho Mastatal what it is today. Incredibly hard working, humble, and enthusiastic are all ways to describe Junior. Furthermore, these attributes have carried over to the Ranch’s foreign volunteers, interns, and the long term caretakers. Rancho Mastatal was founded over 10 years ago and was built to serve the community of Mastatal and inspire it’s visitors from around the world about sustainable living. It’s a global community of passionate individuals for La Tierra Madre. Words or expressions such as Pura Vida perfectly suit Rancho Mastatal’s lifestyle and has thus been embedded in me.

I’ve been volunteering here for three weeks and have been enlivened by the people here on a daily basis. My work has spanned from cleaning the manure filled biodigestor to milking the goats. There’s a long list of projects that I’ve been fortunate to learn about and work on, but to list them wouldn’t accurately give you any kind of feel for RM, so I hope with this story and future stories I can enlighten you about this unbelievable place!

On the road to Mastatal

It takes FOREVER to upload photos… so just use your imagination!

Where in the world is Balaga?!

A year ago, I felt like I fell off our planet after I came back from India. I didn’t know where I was headed and I had seemingly lost my passion for our world. [See The World is My Classroom series] I was vulnerable. Those that know me best know that I love meeting new people around the world, serving those who are less fortunate, and experiencing/learning new things that traveling affords. However, after traveling through India as a vagabond, I felt unready to be the “balaga” I set out to be.

Today (and the last few months) I’m ready and eager to get back on the road. However, the direction for which I’m heading out this time is different than that I had when I left Indicorps last year and led my own path. I’ve rekindled my passion to serve others as my focus and Gandhi seems to sum it up well:

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

Teaching in a rural Chinese classroom

I’m going to Costa Rica in a week where I’ll be interning at Rancho Mastatal. For three months, I’ll be working on a myriad of projects ranging from  Natural Building, Sustainable Community Development, or Ecotourism to name a few. Rancho Mastatal details it’s mission on their website:

Rancho Mastatal promotes sustainable living and social and environmental justice. We advocate organic gardening and regional farming; healthy, local economies; Permaculture; holistic health; natural, vernacular building techniques; alternative, local energy systems; and other educational activities to help facilitate a regenerative global community.  In conjunction with the members of the town of Mastatal we work to create and supply most of our social and health needs locally. We serve to educate about political, environmental, social and economic issues important to us as we create a vibrant community where one can come to share, learn and get inspired.

Natural Building using bamboo

What inspired me most to choose Mastatal as my next destination? Stories. Stories from friends and fellow students from a trip throughout the Mastatal area who came back inspired from the learning they did there at a community and personal level. [See UC Irvine Costa Rica Program]  I hope to find similar experiences with those who I meet.

The Journey is the Destination – Detroit Airport Concourse

Airport Zen

So as I was walking from concourse B to Concourse A in Detroit’s airport, I discovered this awesome underground oasis.


Surrounded by hurried travelers and businessmen, I was reminded that the journey is the destination. What an awesome, zen like area, that’s ironically located in an airport transitional area, where most people hurry along to their next point along their journey. Something small but I just had to post something about it because it was so unexpected! I’m also re-reading Grapes of Wrath and a quote from the intro stood out to me that echoes the what I’ve said here:

The most heroic action was simply to learn to be present in the here and now, and to inhabit the “wherever” as fully and once as possible.

Off to Boston for a wedding and had a great time in Lansing!

Video journalism personality profiles – Organic Rhythm

In an era of exponential technological growth, video journalism symbolizes a burgeoning seed of the future. In the past, large news corporations covered popular stories and dominated the headlines of the world. However, the past 10 years have seen a dramatic increase in growth of independent news outlets, blogs, and other avenues that discover and broadcast new information.
During the past few months, I’ve been studying and practicing Video Journalism. Video journalists document often untold stories and give a voice to the men and women they meet, follow, and interview. Due to lower costs of video and video editing programs today, it’s easier for anyone to pick up a camera and tell a great story. Whether I use my storytelling skills to build a career or not, I will definitely use them to lead my life.

The bulk of my work revolved around two projects. Both were similar personality profiles on incredibly passionate individuals.

Organic Rhythm

My first profile was on a friend of mine, Thomas Brenkwitz (Trevor), a local DJ (Organic Rhythm) from Tracy, CA. An enthusiast of all music, Trevor lives for Electric Dance Music, frequently labeled EDM. Although his DJ career is young, his experiences are vast.

Organic Rhythm before a local event in Tracy, CA

Sending the crowd vibrations

Creating positive vibes

He attends music festivals such as Coachella, and has attended Burning Man. He frequents Womp, a weekly small bay area EDM scene where he meets other passionate DJs and fans of EDM. Trevor is currently going to Expressions College for the Digital Arts in Berkeley to grow his already expansive knowledge of music, video, and other digital interests.

Organic Rhythm sharing his energy

Beyond DJing at house events, local events, and at clubs, he broadcasts his own school radio show at Expressions to share his talents across a broader audience of listeners. Although Trevor and I have known each other for quite awhile, this story allowed us to definitely connect even more. The opportunity to attempt to capture a story like Trevor’s is a blessing, but there are millions of other stories out there to share with our world. What’s so great about video journalism is that it truly gives you the chance to build relationships with people on a different level. It’s a journey of discovering others and what makes them so unique. You know each person has something different about them, but you never really know until you truly experience their presence and then try to SHARE what makes them special to others.

Update!

Hope everyone is doing well! I thought I’d share a little of what I’m up to these days since you’ve likely been seeing a lot of video activity on my Facebook. I’ve been taking a Video Journalism class at Las Positas College near Tracy and have been avidly making new videos, whether they’re for my class or for leisure. The class has been a lot of fun, and has taught me a lot of new skills in video editing, journalism, and programs such as Final Cut Pro. Most recently, I applied for the STA World Traveler Internship. Basically, if I win, I get the opportunity to travel through Europe where I’ll blog my experiences, photos, videos, etc etc. Pretty cool if you ask me! The video above is part of my application, so be sure to watch, like, and comment on it! I’ll be uploading more videos throughout the week to continue “Once in a Lifetime Experiences” I’ve always wanted to share!

Image

http://www.worldtravelerintern.com/

http://www.worldtravelerintern.com/applicant/benjamin-zachariah/

lagán out

The World is My Classroom – Ahmedabad

A journey to India resulted in all what I hoped for. I video blogged some of my crazy experiences, and fully enjoyed many more crazier experiences. I was introduced to cousins, aunties, and uncles I have never met. Family members shared untold stories of hope, tragic loss, love, and death. I found myself lost in an imaginary state where I was constantly putting myself in the feet of the shoes of the storyteller. Most importantly, for the first time, I learned that I was unprepared for what I would experience and witness in India. People say India and China are very similar in their rise to power in the 21st century, but what I saw and experienced in China played no part on how I witnessed India. India is in itself, the most riveting place I have ever been to. As my friend Jennifer put it, “A sensory overload”. And although I thought following my heart would turn out to become a long stay in India to learn and practice my ‘Balaga’ vision, I’ve learned that not all journeys are measured by length of time but by how you lived during them.

Although my family visit was the large part of this trip, I actually spent more than a week in North India before arriving in Chennai and after leaving Chennai. After arriving in Bombay (now Mumbai), I took a train to Ahmedabad, Gujarat for Indicorps orientation, which is located in the Northwest corner of India.

Indicorps, a non-profit organization, works with Indian non-profits all over the country. It recruits young people of Indian decent from all over the world to serve their ancestors homeland. I arrived late on the 13th via train and orientation started the 15th.  I had the opportunity to really talk to some of the fellows, hear their stories, and see why they were doing Indicorps. Over the course of those two days, I had some serious thinking going on. For the first two months of summer, I oscillated between doing Indicorps and doing my own travels through India meeting family, doing small volunteer work, and basically being a Balaga. If you have any idea of how much thought I put into any decision, you can probably guess what I was going through. I questioned myself constantly, “Is Indicorps the right decision for me?” I decided to tackle the first day of orientation before making any decisions.

The first fellowship day started by doing Yoga, followed by ‘Collective Safai’ as the sun rose. The Safai term represents a progression in Indian society where more families are cleaning their own homes (sweeping, scrubbing toilets, cleaning your own clothes, etc.) as a way to promote social equality. In the past, Dalits’ or untouchables, a section of the Indian caste system, only did these menial and degrading duties. The philosophy of community integration and collective Safai is carried on into the villages Indicorps fellows work in.

However, the main activity of our day was going to the zoo. Zoo? Why the Zoo? The catch was that we would be put in charge of three eight year olds each, who spoke little or no English!!! The day was a total sensory overload. As soon as they told us what we’d be doing, the kids were already stampeding towards us! We took a bus to the zoo and got to know some of the children. The children had so much energy. They were none stop! At the zoo, it started raining pretty heavy and the kids were anxious to run to see the elephants. Even though my hands were full, I was still thinking of my decision about Indicorps.

Our escapade at the zoo ended at around 5:00 and we returned to the University hostel. The University we were actually staying at was founded by Gandhi and follows his founding principles of self-sufficiency. Dev, the head of the fellowship staff, allowed us time to digest what we thought of the day and our interactions with the kids we were responsible for. Now I love working with kids. I love their energy, their curiosity, and their lack of judgment. But with all the times I enjoyed on the first day of the fellowship, I still battled back and forth whether my heart lied with Indicorps or in a path I would forge ahead beyond Indicorps. We would do two more exercises after dinner. One had us sitting in a circle, while each of us volunteered to speak of someone who had an impact on us growing up. This activity let me open up about how my parents impacted my life growing up. I mentioned times when my Dad used to film my brothers and I doing weird, playful, and childish activities around the house. I mentioned how they were always enthusiastic about whatever those activities were. It’s very much the same way I react to children.

It made me think deeper. The second activity started with Molly, an Indicorps staff member, saying something about herself that is something unique to her feelings right now. If someone feels something similar to what she is, then they’ll link hands with her. I remember there were about four people before someone said “I’m a little unsure about things right now.” I immediately went forward and linked up. Taking a minute to think, I spoke and explained “If I’m ever not happy in my life, not feeling well, I’m going to do what I need to do in order to change that and be happy.”

It made me think even deeper. After the link had been completed, I had the opportunity to talk to Dev, the head staff member. I spoke about my conflict I was having and that I was having a difficult time with my emotions. Our talk continued  the next morning during breakfast. As we spoke, I felt as though he knew exactly what I was going through. “Finding peace in your heart, that is what you are looking for” he explained. “Your mind is stuck in oscillation, something we all battle” he continued. After about 30 minutes of conversation, he asked me, “So where do you wish to go from here?”

I stood, thought to myself, as millions of images, thoughts, and words raced to my head. For the past year I have been through this oscillation in my head, so I thought to myself ‘Fuck it’. I told Dev I planned on following my heart by traveling India on my own. While the others attended the first workshop, I packed for my departure. Before I left, I broke the news to the Indicorps Fellows. Some seemed shocked while others smiled knowing I was choosing my path. Short and sweet it was, but honest and from the heart it was as well. Dev escorted me to the van, as we both knew this wasn’t a good bye but a ‘see you later’. When I got to the car, our driver was speechless when he heard I was leaving. As I entered the car, the car went silent, as neither of us knew the other’s language. But such is a sign that would foreshadow similar encounters in the coming weeks.

“I find myself so excited I can barely hold a thought in my head. I think it’s the excitement only a free man can feel. A free man on the start of a long journey, whose conclusion is uncertain.” A quote from Shawshank Redemption seemed to sum up perfectly what I was going through. I had been dropped off at the train station an extra five hours early, but I wasn’t complaining. I felt rejuvenated, ready to start a blank canvas.

To be continued.


No idea

Breaking free from the mudslides and rockslides we would have to hurdle, we then exited these foggy mountains for the next gang of alps ready to stunt our journey and forge obstacles to face. However, the fog we went through seemed to foreshadow our journey ahead.

No Idea where we are!

Arriving in a far outhouse about an hour and half away from our next clinic, we all had begun to feel the effects of this rugged terrain. So then we began the hike a little late through these muddy hills and forestry to our next clinic in a small hammock nestled in the hills past Fanghu.This desolate place had no clear paths to the building we were going to. After almost two hours of hiking, slipping, and falling in mud filled pathways, small streams, and horse shit, we arrived at the village. However, we came to realize we were too late. Most everyone had left. We stayed at the village until 4pm before we would take our journey back to the vans.

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After leaving these rainy parts, we would finally soon arrive at a village we could call home for more than one night.