New Indicorps Fellowship Application!

INDICORPS - FELLOWSHIP APPLICATIONS DUE APRIL 1, 2007

Indicorps is proud to announce its newest Fellowship opportunity. Apply now for a chance to be part of the newest class of Indicorps Fellows: http://apply.indicorps.org

Indicorps seeks committed individuals with the experience, conviction and leadership potential to find constructive solutions to India's most pressing problems. As an Indicorps Fellow, you will join a community of individuals who constantly push their limits for both individual performance and collective impact. Although you may work in some of the most challenging circumstances, the Indicorps Fellowship is a rewarding and transformational personal journey. Visit the Indicorps website (http://www.indicorps.org) for detailed information on the Indicorps vision, program, and application process.

This year's project opportunities are particularly innovative in their push to generate new solutions in creative ways. Ranging from creative health interventions for kids through Seasame Street Productions to reviving natural dying in handicrafts productions, the projects call for talent, creativity and above all, relentless passion.

Applicants must be of Indian origin (by the definition of the Government of India) and have, at minimum, a university degree or five years work experience. Individuals must make a minimum commitment of one (1) year and are required to apply specifically to projects of their interest. The application deadline is April 1, 2007.

Why try to grow my own food?

I'm making an honest attempt at composting and gardening in the backyard. I know very little, and haven't done MUCH yet... but we (myself, family, and friends) have started.

Many reasons... in no particular order

1) To KNOW what I am eating. To know that I'm eating something chemical and preservative free.

2) To reduce pollution. Does it make sense that a peach has to travel on a ship and in a truck creating all sorts of pollution when it can be grown in the backyard? Does it make sense that that peach that travelled half-way around the world still may cost less than if I grow it in my backyard? Something's fishy...

3) To do my part to fight against the global capitalism of today. Growing my own food, or buying local... I am making my stamp against the corporatization of EVERYITHNG.

4) To do physical work.
A - As more and more value is placed on mental work in our society, this is my way of placing value on physical productive work. I have a theory - There is a certain amount of physical work that needs to be done in this world to provide us with our necessities (food, shelter, clothing, water, transportation, etc.). If x number of people do no physical work, then this increases the load on the rest who do physical work. Today, in the U.S., I would imagine that a very small percentage of the population does regular physical, productive work increasing the load on the rest of the world.
B - It's exercise. What's the point of being in shape? Or being strong? To me, the point is so I can WORK, so my body can carry out whatever activities I want it to.

5) To identify and participate in my relationship with nature. Everything comes from nature, and everything returns to it... yet we've become so alienated from it. As a result, we don't even realize how much we depend on it, and go on polluting it (global warming, etc.).

6) Valuable activity to share with friends and family. It definitely beats sitting around and shooting the shit, or watching TV.

Blog Entry

It's been a looooong time since I've written a REAL blog entry. By 'REAL', I mean reflective; I mean talking about events that have influences me, inspired me, made me think; I mean my thoughts and opinions.

I don't think this will be a 'real' entry either... I really don't have that much time right now. But, I just wanted to sit and type... for a bit.

There have been ups and downs. I'm passionate about InSPIRE... and the potential that the program has. But, I don't like that I'm spending soo much time just sending out emails, and sitting on the computer. I also don't like that I'm probably about 60% efficient on the computer... meaning that 40% of the time, I'm probably surfing or chatting, or something. Also.. what are other ways of 'spreading the word'? I'm sure we could have tried to be more creative and 'pure'... but, this is what has been conditioned into us, this is what we know, this is what everyone else knows...

And, then.. there are other things like gardening and volunteering at City Slicker Farms (community garden in Oakland)... and trying to work with children/youth... etc. All of these things have taken the back-burner. I'm spending a little time in my backyard trying to start a garden... and at City Slickers... but not nearly as enough. Not regular.

Trying to do yoga/pranayam everyday... and get to meditations on Wednesday... has definitely been a struggle.

Reading and writing in my journal and/or blog have been pretty non-existent.

Pushing myself to open up to family and friends... started strong... but has since tapered off.

Riding my bike and taking public transportation more... also, ups and downs... sometimes I just am unable to plan ahead, and sometimes just succumb to the 'easiness' and 'convenience' of taking my car.

It seems like slowly.. I'm falling back into the 'rut'.. or 'comfort zone' that i'm used to, here... and it's not a comfort zone I completely enjoy. It's a comfort zone fillled with contradictions, filled with temporary comforts, and filled with isolation.

All THAT being said... I am MAKING strides.. I am ATTEMPTING at a shift in lifestyle, and maybe I expected to see the changes happen quicker than is possible.

I want to be more regular now --
Wed. night - meditation, write in journal
Thur-Sat - spend at least two days at City Slickers
Sun - Swadhyay or discussion at Stanford, write blog entry
Sun-Tues - work on garden at home

InSPIRE - India Summer Program Inspiring Reflective Exploration

www.SummerInIndia.org

Applications are due on March 14!

Are you trying to figure out what to do with your summer? Are you trying to figure out what to do with your life?

Become InSPIRED.

It's about stepping out of your comfort zone… so you can discover the world, so you can discover yourself.

It's about connecting with India, with its culture, with its people.

It's about finding your passion, and the strength and courage to follow it.

It's about sharing genuine, real experiences with those of a similar mindset.

It's about figuring out your role in shaping this world.

It's about service. It's about adventure. It's about connecting. It's about education. It's about wisdom. It's about reality. It's about lighting the fire. It's about YOU.

InSPIRE
India Summer Program Inspiring Reflective Exploration

InSPIRE is a non-partisan, non-religious 5-week long immersion program that reconnects young Indians and South Asians from abroad to India. The program is open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 24 who is of South Asian decent.

InSPIRE is about exploring and experiencing India, to get a better understanding of ourselves, India, and our relationship with the world. The program will consist of exposures, interactions and sessions, readings, cultural immersion, service work, exploration of development, and adventure. All of these will be used as instigators for each participant to look within and grow as a human being.

To see the InSPIRE trailer, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StTped88ntQ

For more information, go to www.SummerInIndia.org.