Last evening we went to the market here nearby. It was only about a 10 or 15 minute walk, it wasn´t very big, but it was nice to leave the farm for a while and see things. We bought some fruit: apples (really small ones!), bananas, and a citrus fruit that they call a grapefruit but that really doesnt taste much like a grapefruit.
Then we came back and Hannah and I had organized a volunteer meeting to discuss some of the organizational issues that we have noticed with the intern program here at Bija Vidyapeeth, and to ask for feedback from the other volunteers, many who have been here for a significant amount of time and have heard many of the same complaints.
We had previously thought that a few simple things like an activity board that could be updated daily would help to direct interns to where and what was being done on the farm that day, and a volunteer manual that is complete with a self guided map and orientation guide to the farm for new interns. We also think that an intern coordinator is necessary on the ground here at the farm, which apparently has been mentioned before, but there isn´t currently which makes it very difficult to organize anything.
The was a girl who was supposedly acting as a coordinator here, but her role and leadership was minimal. the other volunteers gave us some really good feedback and we have decided to take on the organization of the intern program at the farm as a project during our time here. We have sent an email to Dr. Shiva who will have to accept and support such a project, but we hope it will be a go as we think both the interns and volunteers as well as Navdanya as an organization would really benefit from some more structure and organization.
There is an amazing amount of knowledge and skills here that are not being taken advantage of and used because there is a lack of direction and confusion. So in order to help channel some of this talent, we have drafted a job description for an Internship Coordinator and sent it to Dr. Shiva.
I am really excited to perhaps have my first project, and one that I really think would be beneficial to all. I didn´t work in the fields today, instead we set up the lecture hall for a group of visitors that came for a presentation. Then we shelled peanuts, LOTS of peanuts. They cook the morning rice with peanuts.
Because we had visitors, lunch was delicious!!! We had chickpeas in a sauce, a flour or bean (I couldn´t tell) in a spicy kurd sauce, and a squash/pumpkin dish that was a bit sweet and a bit spicy. Of course rice, and a sweet dish to finish.
I spent some time researching for my paper today too, and this evening, after dinner, will hopefully get to do more of that, granted the power doesn´t go out.
Again, because of visitors and the fact that they needed power, they had the extra generator going, so there was a constant supply of power and therefore perfect condition for work ont he computer today.
We have finished transplanting now! Now the work in the field has moved onto weeding the peanut/corn fields. I don´t know what will be next!
I think tomorrow is the mango festival, but no one has said anything.
The cat was in our room today! I scared it out, and then I felt that it must be lonely so I talked to it for a minute. It talked back. I didn´t approach it though, can´t have it getting too friendly.