Just Venting

I was sitting and reading a book trying not to feel too frustrated. The artist who was supposed to bring bring logo designs yesterday evening and who could not be contacted till afternoon today, still hasn't sent me the designs by email as he had promised.

The upholstery man who promised to start work on Mitali's furniture early this morning still hasn't shown up. The story is the same. He could not be contacted till noon. And his "I'll be there soon" has stretched into hours!

It's really frustrating. How can one expect a region with such a laid back attitude to keep pace with the rest of the country which is jostling with each other to move ahead? And the worst part is the lack of a professional attitude towards work. Couldn't either of these people simply call up and say, "I'm sorry something important has cropped up I won't be able to make it"? It seems they don't know how to value other people's time at all!

Anyway, in order to keep my BP under control I decided to sit back and read and try to relax. And then Bhola called to give me news of the project. Actually, he called to inform me that the project "owes" Rs. 42,000 to various people! Wow! I thought I had cleared most of the dues when I left the project in the middle of February. And it's only six weeks since I have been away. There are no volunteers on the project, so how come there's so much expenditure? So I've now asked him to make a list and send it to me. Or better still, bring it along when he comes to Kolkata in early April to escort Nicholas back to the project. I'll get an opportunity to tell him money isn't growing on trees! But I am certainly a worried man! No revenue and mounting expenses. Though I am lucky that I am able to stay at Mitali's place and don't have to pay for my food or rent, I still have personal expenses. And then if I have to take care of the project from whatever little money I am able to beg, borrow or steal, life is going to be difficult indeed!

The project's news is that it's very hot these days. It's 40 degrees in Kolkata and so I am sure it's a few degrees hotter in Roldih. There are hot winds blowing. Summer has come to India a bit too early this year. It's still supposed to be spring!

The vegetables are growing. Bhola, Suman and Shanku are busy watering the plants every evening. School is functioning. Today was Ram Navami. So it has been a holiday in most places. But Baba Gyan Mandir was open.

All is well....

Brief Update

I have some time to spare and I have been thinking about the project and also feeling somewhat "homesick", so I thought I'd share a few words with you -- about myself and also about Roldih.

The project is doing fine. Or so I hear from Bhola when I speak to him on the phone (almost every day). For some odd reason, I am unable to get through to Shanku or Suman. But I've been told they are fine too. School is functioning without a hitch. But English lessons are not happening in classes 3 and 4. But yoga is going on in full swing. Bhola seems very serious about learning and teaching yoga and he holds classes every morning for the children before school starts. I am really happy about this. Yoga will not only keep the children fit and healthy, but will also improve their minds and attitude towards life in general.

Recently, there was a storm in the area and it seems a lot of big trees got uprooted. But there's been no damage on the project. The tin roofs are in place. The trees have survived. But much of the flowers on the mango trees have been blown off. So we will not get a bumper crop of managoes as we had hoped. But there are still many flowers and we are hoping to get a few good fruits during the season.

According to Bhola, it's hot, but not too hot. At least during school hours. So the school timing remains the same. But they are planning to move it ahead by an hour from the start of April.

So, all in all, everything is going fine. My only worry is that English is not being taught. I had hoped that there would be volunteers to teach the subject if I'm not there. But we haven't had any volunteers this month. And at the moment I am unsure if we will have any in April, May or June. These are hot months and maybe that's one reason why no one has applied to be here during this period.

Maybe it's time for me to go back and teach? At least I had planned to go back to the project for a week or two every month. But ever since I left the Roldih, I have been rather busy. I've been to Arunachal, then to Delhi and Hyderabad and am now scheduled to leave early next month for Tripura. Once I get back from Tripura I will probably have to head to Delhi to meet Dakshinayan's accountant and auditors and also meet my daughter who is going on a tour of Europe. I haven't seen her over two years!

I must admit that I do have the time to go there now. But I just don't feel like travelling all that way so soon. I need to be away from the project for some more time. I know that if I go back now, I will not feel like leaving. It's quite seductive -- the laid back lifestyle.

Compared to Roldih, my lifestyle these days seems very hectic! But I am enjoying what I am doing -- meeting young people and participating as a resource person in motivational work which, I feel, will bring about positive changes in India's polity. I am also learning a lot about my country and meeting some very interesting and intelligent people. But it's true that I am also having to make a lot of mental and lifestyle adjustments these days.

Well, that's all from me for the moment.