Thanks to all of you who are reading our posts and leaving comments and questions – it really enhances the experience on this end! Please keep it up and, if you’ve been silent thus far, find your voice! The more, the merrier.

We spent some time this morning thinking about and answering your questions from recent posts. Here is some of what we discussed and came up with:

QUESTION – Is it OK/would it be appropriate to send a care package to the kids of Agora?

-Yes, because they could then enjoy American toys.

-Because they’re so curious, they would appreciate it.

-“I think it wouldn’t be beneficial because with electronics already being introduced, this would just be the next Western thing to arrive.  Agora is one of those places where all this stuff doesn’t exist yet and introducing that might not be the best.  And if they did get bored of the thing, it would turn into waste.  What about something practical like a filter for the main water for the village?” -Pierson

-“When I was growing up, we didn’t even know there was a term called bored.  We were connected to the place and to the people.  We were always keen to do, see, and check what’s going on.  Now that I have a mobile phone and computer, I feel distracted and sometimes disconnected from the surroundings.  That’s what creates the boredom.  I feel bored when I am using technology.  When I get to take a break for a few days, I don’t feel that emptiness.” -Suman

-“I agree with Pierson.  People might be more reliant on the toys if they arrived and less reliant on each other.  That might create a habit of boredom.” -Barbara

-“As someone who has given gifts of things to my kids for their entire lives and is now in the process of moving, I can say that it’s startling how much stuff was used for a very little bit of time and then turned into something to discard.  Do the things we give as items give us value for more than a month?” -Ms. Showalter

-“I believe it would be good to give them something to play games that they already play, like more cricket gear or a volleyball set.” -Mau

-“Can we give things that will be used by groups of kids for a long time?  What things could we give that would last?” -Reese

-“What about paper and pencils, stuff for school?” -Ms. Wilkinson

-“What are things people could actually use/need?  What can we see.  In the past years, the school has brought clothes and shoes and other things.  Those things were really useful.  Could you guys bring that back?  If you pay attention, you’ll see that kind of thing lasting in the village.  Clothes and shoes can be super helpful.” -Peyton

QUESTION – How do the floods and the story of the Assi Ganga and surrounding rivers fit into the small circle idea?  When people do something that impacts nature, how many circles does that impact touch?

-“A ton.  A lot of people here rely on natural resources.  Everywhere you look, people are using them to their benefit.  So, if modernization impacts the natural world, it’s not only impacting nature itself but the people who rely on those resources for basic needs like water, food, and the materials to build houses.” -Lillian

-“You can think about the laborers who came from very far away to build a hydro dam.  The dam project brings them into a very different thing, where there lives can be lost.  The way we try to manipulate nature forces people into situations.  There’s a reason why people venerate rivers.  It’s all really connected.  The river is supporting and giving life.  When the river is impacted, the community is touched in a lot of different ways.  It’s like a suction.  A huge project creates a huge circle and sucks a lot of people into a situation.” -Mr. Pausic

QUESTION – Do the residents collectively make sure the village runs smoothly and meets the needs of everyone that lives there with specific jobs, chores, tasks? Are there daily, or otherwise, rituals evident in their lives unique to Agora?

-“With the group effort thing, 100%.  It’s not like one person has a specific job.  It depends on the day and the conditions and what other people are doing.  It’s a constant team effort that goes back to the small circle idea.  The people work for themselves and the people around them to benefit the livelihood of the village.” -Lillian

-“Coming to that idea of connection and how we’re connected to ourselves and nature.  Today is World Environment Day.  We’re here in this place, Agora, where people are very connected to nature.  We have a connection, all of us, from our living to the jungle.  It would be good to think about that on World Environment Day.  We have deities and gods that we think about in the jungle as well.  The connect of nature is not just a physical one.” -Suman

-“We might not see all of the unique ways of living but people are definitely living directly off the wilderness.” -Mau

QUESTION – What are some focus areas regarding education for the children? What are some leisure activities/hobbies the adults and children do for fun?

-“Cricket!  Volleyball!” -Group

-“Playing with the dogs and animals seems pretty common.” -Harrison

-“Making use of their surroundings.  They use flat land to play games.  They use natural resources to include in their games.  There was one where we had to stack rocks.  They take into account their surroundings when they’re playing these games.  They might not have the materials we have – the unnatural ones.  There’s very little waste in the use of the natural world here.  Things get reused and natural resources are part of how people play.  They’re raised from an early age to depend on themselves and others and to see fun in the natural world.” -Lillian

-“They hang out in the central square.  They play cricket there.” -Mauricio

-“They’re learning a lot from their parents jobs.  Like the blacksmith, who learned from a young age how to be one.  They’re learning physical and social skills just from watching this community.  They’re learning how to co-exist.” -Harrison

-“Some of the kids in school are learning English and there’s an emphasis on that.  Probably because English is a universal and useful language.  More people are coming to visit so they need to be able to speak with them.” -Jesse

-“I think also the government is working to make sure that tourism and cultural activities are part of how people are learning.  Ecotourism is a clear idea here.” -Mauricio