To grow as individual and better members of the society its imperative for us to embrace unconventional challenges. The recent CAS trip to Lachhakadi, a remote village near Navsari, exemplified this. Departing from the urban landscape and immersing ourselves in the genuine rural lifestyle, engaging with the local community, and residing humbly amidst nature’s abundance for six days, allowed me to delve into an indispensable facet of our country, one that was previously unfamiliar to me. 

LO2  DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY HAVE UNDERTAKEN CHALLENGES, DEVELOPING NEW SKILLS IN THE PROCESS

During our expedition, we encountered a multitude of novel challenges that introduced us to diverse experiences, one of which involved immersing ourselves in turmeric farming. Working the land alongside local farmers, our group learned how to cultivate the spice from the ground. This seemed like a hard and strenuous process consisting of hard shoveling, digging and tediously separating the spice from the rest of the dirt. Additionally, our journey included an engaging venture into bamboo processing, Guided by skilled local artisans, we were taught how to process bamboo from its raw natural state into a usable form. Additionally, we were taught how to use bamboo as a canvas for local artforms and how local artisans have built a living out of the same. Another captivating challenge we encountered was our foray into the local art form of Warli. Tasked with filling four school walls with this art, we were given a glimpse into the swift yet intricate techniques used by the locals. Through these experiences, we not only refined our artistic and laborious skills but also cultivated essential social skills. Observing and learning from local artisans and farmers allowed us to pay close attention to intricate details while understanding the significance of their craftsmanship. Additionally, collaborating within our team (all three activities mentioned were group activities ) enabled us to discover more efficient methods, leading to the production of high-quality work.

LO4 SHOW PERSEVERANCE AND COMMITMENT IN A CAS EXPERIENCE

During our time in Lachhakadi commitment and perseverance truly became a true part of our routine. Our days were filled by activities lined up back to back, where some days we spent more than 12 hours outside the campsite even the time that we spent in the campsite was spent deciding the next warli design or readying an entire play. An creative act that truly embodies our commitment and perseverance in trip was the warli mural. From start to finish we only got to spend about 2 half days to complete 2 complete school walls with warli artwork. It was a daunting task to say the least, although with the help of our teacher, dividing efficient roles and involving the students of the school to finish the task, our “warli group” of 6 students and 2 teachers were able to paint 4 school walls double of what was initially expected. The product was a result of perseverance and commitment shown by working for longer than expected. This also meant that we had to separate from the rest of the group and their planned activity to do this.

LO6 ENGAGEMENT WITH ISSUES OF GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE

The trip to Lachhakadi was an eye opening experience, one that forced us out of our comfort zones into the dead center of rural india. This change brought us to the realization of issues of global significance. One of these instances was the issue of deforestation and climate change.

Talks about sustainability and global warming have always been just a mere topic in school or a page in a textbook. Experiencing the implications of the issue first hand seeing how it not only affects the wildlife and the flora but also the farmer who earns a daily wage was striking. Having one on one interactions with these communities such as going in small groups to one of these local houses ,invited over a meal, initiates insightful conversations of their daily life and how these issues have a direct and immensely relevant impact on their lives.