Discovery week

for Newcomers

To be a 'newcomer' to Auroville is a venture in itself, it can be quite a tough time.. While for 'foreigners' to India the first period here implies adjustment to a new country, a new culture and a new climate, for ALL newcomers it means an adjustment from being an individual to being member of a collective experiment.. You find yourself in the middle of a bunch of people with whom you are supposed to live together, but who are all very hard busy with building the township and who have no time whatsoever to talk with all these visitors and newcomers and students and researchers and..

So there you are.. You have left your 'old' life, your family, home, career, to come to 'The City of Dawn', and now what..?

Ins and outs of adjusting process

To help you get along and acquainted with Auroville's ways, the township is organising special introduction Discovery weeks for Newcomers 2 to 3 times a year. Although these programmes are somewhat similar to the Introduction weeks for guests, during the Newcomer weeks specific information is provided regarding the ins and out of precisely this first adjusting period and of all the hassles a newcomer can expect, be they of physical, psychological or spiritual nature..

Indispensable humour

The newcomer will also receive a good dose of the light-hearted, humoristic and courageous streak which runs through Auroville's dialectics and communications, and which has proved to be a sine qua non to participate in the Work..

Five days in April 2000

The following N.E.W.C.O.M.E.R.W.E.E.K. feedback list was jotted down by a newcomer last year and, as it still stands, we happily share it with you here:

Necessary

Weeks like this should happen every half year, if possible. The benefits of this experience should be given to all newcomers. It was narrative, newsy, nourishing and nice.

Efficient

Efficiency was the group's angel card. And the aim was quite kept, there was no useless fiddling about or time-wasting. Nevertheless, it was also no working group with a target to reach. The way was the goal.

Well-balanced

Information, sightseeing-trips to different communities, old and new videos, talks and discussions, conflict resolution, fun, games and totem painting - it was interesting and exciting every minute.

Consciousness

The crux of the Auroville Dream. Consciously we played games, consciously we tried to remember each other's names, consciously we ate together at the Solar Kitchen and consciousness we will keep.

Om

No comment.

Magnificent

One week break. From work and from day-to-day thinking. New faces, new impulses, new ideas. Wonderful.

Energetic

From 9 am to 4 pm but not tiring. We tanked energy like at a petrol bank. Human unity gives power.

Rich

The chance to hear old-timer Aurovilians talk about their experience in coming here decades ago was superb. To learn how Mother welcomed Newcomers in those early days.. To learn how the housing problem was at the time, to feel the emotions.. All this enriched our way through this period of being 'new'.

Worth while

We have met our fellow newcomers, we know each other's names, where we work and live, and we'll meet again. Good.

Ecological

Mike's detoxification report and Samriddhi's water supply story; the vivid show of Horst telling about the confrontation of the Adventure settlement with real estate developers who had bought a large area in the south of Auroville's Green Belt; the gold discs on Matrimandir; Marti's scolding about the motorbike traffic in the Forecomer's green area; Alan's Auroville Today to show the world how Auroville grows. Auroville = Ecoville.

Embracing

Everyone comes to Auroville for different reasons. Let us accept each other's individuality but let us embrace each other with love and understanding.

Karmic

Everything is karma. Also being part of this week was written in our stars long back. The participants did not choose, they were chosen. Thanks to the divine. And thanks to Ambre, Ross and the Entry Group.

For further details, contact: ambre@auroville.org.in

Coming to Auroville > Joining Auroville > Discovery week