ShnUpdate - Savyon 19.07.18

The entire GA woke up on thursday morning with sleep in their eyes, but excitement in their voices - that fateful day would be the last before presenting our permaculture design projects. After a class on worm composting, and eco villages, we were given our final time to work on our projects. As the afternoon wore on, the atmosphere became thicker and thicker with the pressure mounting (although part of that may have been the 40 degree heat). Tasked with designing a project that the kibbutz needs, we had been working on these projects for two weeks, in groups of about 3. Following a strict structure that had been bestowed upon us by our three permaculture gurus, Mike and Alex and Mark, we had thought stuff, measured stuff, listed stuff, evaluated stuff, drawn stuff, written stuff, and thought about maintaining stuff- basically. The things that were presented the next morning were widely varied. We heard about a wellness centre, transforming the pool area, a new community hall, and a new classroom, to name just a few. Each design had been extremely well thought out, and the leaders were either very impressed, or very good actors.

Suddenly the end of the GA was upon us. We had completed the “Permaculture Design” part of the “Permaculture Design Certificate”. With only two days of class left, it seemed like the Bustan (our neighbourhood) was echoing with the question “So what are you doing next?” After the closing circle, where everyone shared their own personal contribution, the GA started trickling out of Kibbutz Lotan, and now, on Wednesday afternoon, there is only one survivor. It was sad, but no one has left the Whatsapp group yet so we’re still officially a family.

We are leaving the GA program reflective. Not only are we past the halfway point of our year in Israel (I actually got butterflies when I wrote that), but we have learnt so much in the past month. Perhaps reflection is a good feeling to end with, because that reflection upon our studies has resulted in an energised and motivated group that is buzzing with new ideas and experiments.

SInce the end of the GA we have been working in the eco kef (literally eco fun) flipping compost we made, finishing mud walls, weeding a garden bed we planted, and collecting seeds. We have also been working on a video that will make an appearance next week, so get hyped. Maybe even rent a movie theatre for the screening. It’ll be worth it, I promise.

Maybe.

Quote of the week: “zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzxxxxxxxxxc”

-Pita, the neighbourhood’s cat, when she walked over my keyboard