By Lillian Williams

While walking through the remote village of Agora, I found myself reflecting, the thoughts formulating in my head as I used my senses to acclimate myself to my environment. Using my past knowledge and skills gained from therapy, I used the method of centering myself in my environment by identifying 3 things I could see, 2 things I could hear, and 1 thing I could touch or feel. I then shared this with the group who also participated in this activity, but I would like to go into more detail of the beautiful community that is Agora by stating 3 things I saw, 2 things I heard, and 1 thing I touched.

The terrain in Agora proves to be a challenge for a lazy and non athletic person such as myself. Walking from house to house leaves me out of breath and embarrassed. This embarrassment is amplified when I saw 3 women possibly 4-5 times my age carrying the hefty bamboo upon their backs. Their shoulders hunched over and feet sideways walking down the dirt path. What is the most jaw dropping though is the fact that these women are doing this in FLIP FLOPS. The sound of the smacking on the dirt produced by the flip flops along with the jingling of the heavy jewelry created a surreal sight to me. Super humans are not just in comic books but are also in the village of Agora. This sight interested me, how could these women, less than half my size, carry these things on their back for miles on end. This alone reflects the strength the people of Agora have. The physical and mental determination they carry throughout their lives everyday is impressive and I hope to one day be like them.

When I first came to India, when I heard the word cricket I thought of the loud little bug that bounces, scaring me half to death every time. However, the people of Agora would probably think of the sport first, a sport where a bat is used to hit a ball (kind of like a cooler version of baseball). As I saw the children of Agora, so full of light, play cricket like there is no tomorrow, I found myself intrigued by their delicate smiles on their faces. The joy on their faces when either throwing the ball or hitting a “home run” is infectious and I couldn’t help but smile while observing them. Joy is a major part of Agora. Passing by people on the street and saying the infamous statement “Namaste”, sharing a meal with my designated host family Manita, or helping out with chores throughout the village are all melting pots of joy. Joy can be found everywhere from everyone no matter their age, physique, or occupation. These children playing cricket even in the hot sun laughing along with the students of CCS helped me reflect and realize that joy, even when far from home, is in all places and if you learn to accept it you can also be as joyful as the children of the Agora playing cricket.

Walking around the village I saw many things while I was offering my assistance to all I came across. It was quite embarrassing when they said they didn’t need any help, but this one woman really made an impact on me. She accepted the group’s aid in picking weeds in her front yard. The yard was filled with cobblestone with tiny weeds peeking up in between the cracks. The older woman sat cross legged on the ground hunched over picking the weeds one by one. This sight was then amplified by her occasionally using a pickaxe to dig at the weeds in order to properly extract them. The banging of the pickaxe combined with the shuffling of her legs again surprised me as well as impacted me. This old woman was doing her part to not only keep the village looking pristine, but also preparing for the upcoming monsoon season. The selflessness I have experienced in the short time I have been here lifts me up and encourages me to be a better person myself. This is just one of the countless examples of the teamwork used in the compelling village of Agora.

Not only using my sight, but using my smell increased my experience even more. The smell throughout Agora is unique and special in its own way but 2 specific smells really stood out to me. The first was the bitter smell of chai as I was making it in a small kitchen. The leaves filled the air with their minty, sweet, but bitter smell as we waited for the water to start boiling. Chai is a very popular drink in Agora and throughout India. This drink reflects a major part of the culture and food in India. I often find myself enjoying a cup of chai surrounded by my CCS peers, new friends from Agora, and the wildlife such as dogs and cows. The chai puts me at ease and the smell amplifies the experience here in India as a whole.

Now the next smell I’m going to mention is a little gross but it is so prominent in Agora that I feel it would be a crime not to mention: Cow manure. Now I know this might sound bad or gross or dirty, but the smell reminds me of where I am and how the people of Agora have a special relationship with their animals. Walking on the dirt road is a constant obstacle course trying to avoid the cow manure because they roam throughout the village freely. The respect the people of Agora have for these animals that live among them is incredible. They not only use them for work, but also see them as creatures to be respected. As an avid animal lover I truly love this way of life. Seeing a mother and her daughter walk alongside a cow throughout the village makes me see that the relationships in Agora are not just only among people, but among animals as well.

The final sense I will touch on is touch itself. This to me is the hardest to find and really reflect on because we as humans go throughout our day touching so many things, but not taking the time to reflect and see how the things we touch reflect the environment around us. However one thing sticks out to me the most: stinging nettle. This plant is all over Agora and pokes you when you least expect it. The stinging and eventual pins and needles I got when I was helping an older woman chop down these evil plants alongside the cliff side was unlike anything I have ever experienced. The woman chopping down the stinging nettle was humbling me by just casually stepping in the stinging nettle and cutting them down with ease. I found myself in awe that she did not seem as impacted as I was. This pain I experienced was much needed in my opinion though. Because of the stinging nettle, I gained a new perspective and respect for how strong the people of Agora are and the type of environment they have to adapt to everyday. However, I will now be even more careful when exploring the streets of Agora.

After a long day, I relied on the memory of my senses to really reflect on how I impacted those around me and how those around me impacted me. When going forward while using my senses I will remember the hardcore environment and people. When smelling poop I will no longer think of it as a nuisance but a memory of my terrific time in Agora. When I see flip flops I will be reminded of the tough women of the village. And when I feel the stinging of pins and needles I will remember the work I put in to make the village of Agora a safer place. The village of Agora is truly a package that one can inspect forever and ever but will always find something new. Whether this be a sight, a smell, a feeling, or more. Thank you Agora for enlightening me and pushing me out of my comfort zone with my senses and palette.