Worker Bees

I have never been a person who doesn't like willingly getting my hands dirty from mud. But my course in Auroville demanded all of us to work physically to get things done. I wouldn't actually complain about the physical energy it demands or the sweat; it's only the thought of getting my hands dirty. And I realized that when we are ACTUALLY working on things, touching and feeling them, we are likely to understand better the type of materials we work with, which is vital in a field like Engineering. To be able to assess a material's capabilities and incapabilities. With that said me and Amma have been on-site doing petty to significant work since day one.

We had been there full-time since the day the land was cleared and the land was dug for the foundation. The breeze in the countryside and the fact that we were toiling under the sun kept us boosted. The routines changed. We worked on different tasks which got us physically tired; this meant no time wasted scrolling through Insta reels. It also meant sleep almost immediately after falling on the bed. It also meant we drank a lot of water. We sweated a lot. We got super tanned.

Powerpuff Girls

The excitement rose every time we were onto something different. For example, when the CSEB blocks arrived, next when the wood frames arrived, next when the roof tiles arrived, next when the floor tiles arrived, and so on. We did a lot of work mostly in the masonry part. We shifted blocks from one place to another, stacked them, and checked them for level and plumb. We mixed cement sand slurry and poured them into the interlocking gaps. Learned to tie together metal rods. Not even kidding if I say learning to work on-site was way more fun than learning technical engineering from under the roof.

There were a couple of sets of labour for the masonry work. One with whom we started didn't really match our speed or requirements, and we had to make the switch. The switch felt so satisfying because the new set of people was experienced. They were more regular in their work and understanding of our needs.

Since this was a new type of construction, it required time to teach people the procedure, but the second lot was quicker at picking up.

By now, with just one project's experience, I have worked with at least 4 to 5 teams from carpentry to painting, and each of them gave me learnings on their own.

• The speed and accuracy with which people work depend on various factors, including if it's contract work (a deal is decided for the entire work and the amount is paid irrespective of the number of workers or the time of their work) or if it's a daily-labour work (workers are paid daily, irrespective of the amount of work that is completed).

• My mom taught me what it means to connect with workers as they work. Respect was a give and take since day one. It would be amazing if everyone working on-site were 100% sensitive to your situation too, but that would be an ideal situation. There would be mornings when you go to the site and realize, "Oh god, why has no one turned up?!"

• It would be easier to expect perfection from workers when we have made the effort to make them understand the expectations. For example, even if the work is as simple as shifting blocks from one place to another, if we can make the effort to tell them why they are asked to do that, there would be clarity in the work. They need not come back to us for every doubt that arises in the process, and they would feel the intent of satisfaction with the work they do.

• It's a thin thread between "Placing trust in everyone for your peace" and "Doubting everyone for work perfection," and when working with multiple people at hand, it's about how we balance walking on that thread. I learnt most of the people management from Amma, who has by now acquired a Masters in it through experience.

• There are definite setbacks on-site if you are really young. But the moment you tick off those challenges one by one, they are enough boosters to last throughout your day. So every time I was intimidated by the experienced grown-up crowd in front of me trying to tell me what to do, I had to put a foot down and make decisions. I would say I am just 10% there. There were (still are) days when I felt I could saved a lot of money if I had sounded more confident about the deals I spoke about and more stubborn about what I really wanted. I put too much of others' feelings in front of what I really want out of work and that has put me in situations of regret and guilt. I see the growth curve, however slow and am hoping to reach a point where I can convey what I want with the confidence it has to be delivered, not giving space for people to take advantage of my lack of experience

• There are not enough women in this field. Women are rarely engaged in these jobs mostly because they are physically exhaustive, but I suppose it is doable. To have a mob of women building an entire house altogether wouldn't be a Himalayan task. And I suppose that would be wholesome to look at and cheer.

Learning to deal with people is something that I am still working on, and if it is something to acquire over time, I might need experience. But there are also parts of myself that need changes and confidence to execute projects better. This is yet another shift like jumping into becoming an adult. You are suddenly expected to know what exactly needs to be done when you have forever been instructed what to do and never really learnt the art of decision-making, let alone dealing with confidence its consequences.

It’s a bumpy ride but I am sure the challenges are totally what make the journey worth it.