Shefali

I was born here in November 1983 (well, actually it was in Pondicherry) and have lived in Aurelec (a settlement in Auroville) ever since with my parents and my brother Akshay. My father came to Auroville because the Mother had asked him to start the company Aurelec (with some friends); and my mother followed him and works as a vet in Auroville.

Schooling in Auroville

I have great memories of my childhood in Auroville and think that I was very lucky to live this exceptional part of my life here. I think all those who grew up here feel it was something special. Until I was nine, I went to the Auroville schools (Kindergarten, then Transition). Then I went to Pondicherry's Lycée Français to pursue my studies and am still studying there now (for the last year). The reason that I went to Pondicherry was that Auroville does not offer the possibility to pass an exam at the end of our schooling. The Lycée in Pondicherry was the closest school where they did offer that possibility, and my parents thought I might want to go abroad some time later in my life and that it would be good to have a diploma. In the beginning it was very hard because I hardly knew French and I had to make new friends. The timings of the Lycée are also much tougher than the ones in Auroville and, on top of that, the small journey to Pondy also takes time! But I don't regret anything, I'm learning many things, and that is what counts.

Marine biology

When I've got my diploma, I want to go to USA and study marine biology there. After that I hope to come back to Auroville and do something in the same field of work, - that would be perfect! I wouldn't mind starting a project to keep our sea clean, for instance, and make it a better place for all the animals living in it..

I'm rarely bored

I like Auroville for more reasons than I can think of expressing.
Contrary to some other youth, I'm rarely bored. I have some good friends and I go to most 'happenings' here, the shows, concerts and fairs.. I go weekly horse riding and take dance classes (Salsa lately). I enjoy the beach too and love taking my lunch in the Solar Kitchen where I meet so many different people.

A gap

The only thing that bothers me a bit is that the Auroville children who go to Pondicherry to study are, in their free time, not always welcome among the other youngsters in Auroville. I don't really know why, but somehow there's a real gap there and at times it's hard to make friends with other kids than the ones you see in school..