“OM SANTHI SANTHI SANTHI OM” (Harmony. With the God/s, with self and with others)
Highlight of my morning: Walking to the internet café with my headphones on trying to contemplate our project, I hear really high-pitched shrieking on the other side and see 3 really cute 8 year-old school girls sitting outside their school waving and giggling at the BULE (foreigner/white person). Just goes to show how much we miss when we tune out the world.
So they weren’t kidding when they said that this week would be crazy. I have been waking up at 6 am everyday (5:45 today to get to the internet café) just to prepare myself for the day to come. After making sure that my bag has my notebook, LOTS of water, comfort food and insect repellent, I sit down on my table and think. What did we talk about yesterday? What do we need to talk about today? How much time do we have left?
ONE WEEK.
Next Tuesday, we will be presenting a full social enterprise plan put together in 2 weeks. We have to prove that through our research, assumptions, conversations and perseverance, we were able to find a problem, test out our assumptions on the causal links and propose a solution. This solution has to be something new, creative, culturally-appropriate, sustainable and PLAUSIBLE.
So we’ve spent this week talking about how to reach out to different pressure-makers and decision-makers who would implement this project, how to effectively use the media, how to budget and use our networks, how to step out of our “western” bubble and utilize the way things are done here.
Everyday from 6 am to 5 pm, we are brainstorming, adding ideas, scrapping ideas, getting frustrated then pulling each other up again. By 6 pm, the brave ones trek to the internet cafes, some pass by the bakery or the store to get MAGNUM, and some get friend chicken. In a way, it’s kind of nice to see people stressed because that means that we care SO much about what we’re studying and doing and if there’s a slight chance that it can work, then we’re going to aim for that.
So it has beenchallenging, but exciting :)
Little joys:
2 nights ago, I stayed in my room and got to talk to my parents.:) They apparently read my blog so hi mom! Hi dad! :) hihi. See you soon!!!!
Everyday after-lunch in-class dance parties :)
Having the most random spontaneous conversations about people’s family’s, hobbies, favorite songs, personalities, ambitions :)
Dinner and chilling with the girls last night. much-needed… even if we did extend an hour past our usual bedtime (9:30pm). :p
