Ashaniketan

L’Arche Kerala- Ashaniketan

    I am back in L’Arche and it feels great! I was delayed arriving here as I was sick while in Goa, and took a few extra days to rest and recover by the beach, lucky me! I arrived in Calicut, Kerala after a slow five hours waiting for a connecting flight. Once I arrived I grabbed a prepaid taxi, which I didn’t have to prepay for, and headed to Ashaniketan in Nandi Bazaar.
    When I got in the taxi, the car had trouble starting, but the engine turned over and there didn’t seem to be a problem. Word to the wise, in India, always get into a reliable automobile! I was super excited to get to the community, meet everyone, and settle in. Off we went. The driver said it would take about an hour, hour and a half to get to Nandi Bazaar, where the community is located. I had fun taking photos of the sights from the taxi. We stopped once to get water, and I bought us some ladoo for the road, such a perfect little snack!
    Time passed and the taxi stalled once. Then it stalled again, and again, and yet again. The driver always seemed to get it going again so I really wasn’t worried about making it to Nandi Bazaar. Finally the taxi stalled for good! The driver popped the hood, got out and started doing something under the hood. I wasn’t upset or concerned at all, I was headed to L’Arche, in Kerala, India. I was excited and beyond content!
    And hour and a half later, the taxi still not fixed, a myriad of people had come through to help my driver with the car and still nothing. The sun had gone down a long time ago, I was tired as I had been up since 5am, I was sweaty as Kerala does not have the breezy beach weather of Goa, I had to pee, and I really just wanted to get to the new community. It was time! Thankful my driver was not stubborn and did give up on the taxi. He called a rikshaw to take me the rest of the journey, only thirty kilometres or so. Meanwhile the director of the L’Arche community is calling me asking whether or not I have reached safely, as I am very very late. Not the best first impression, that is for sure!
    I climbed into the rikshaw, with my driver close behind. He was certain to get me there safely and would accompany me the rest of the way. Also a good idea considering I had no idea where Ashaniketan was, I’m sure the driver didn’t as well, it was dark, and I don’t speak Malayalam, the local language. He was a gentleman I must say. Even during the taxi ride we would chat with what little language we both had. I learned that he had a little girl who was three years old, and a boy who was seventeen days old. He was such a proud papa. During our drive he would say “Stephy, look, look!” I would look and there would be a dog pack walking down the street, or a beautiful Keralan river with a houseboat drifting away. He was a great help when we got to Nanddi Bazarr, asking locals where Ashaniketan was, then telling the driver which way to go. We got lost once but found our way. I noticed the L’Arche symbol of the people in the arc, so I knew we were on the right path. Sure enough we found L’Arche and every member of the house was waiting on the doorstep for me! Such a L’Archy welcome, and gladly received after my long day of travel!
    I said goodbye to my taxi driver who was so helpful. He apologized for the millionth time about the car problems, and went on his way. The taxi did eventually get fixed. Apparently there was a missing washer. I climber the steps to my new home at Anandalayam house. It has taken me four days to be able to repeat this name! When you walk into the house the centre of the house opens up in to a large open circle. The hallways trace this centre circle, and there is no roof closing in the circle itself. When I was first journaling about this I felt like the architecture of the open circle represented both unity, with the circle shape, and infinity, with the open roof. Such lovely symbolism for L’Arche.
    I was shown to my room, which I share with another assistant Shakeela. Hers was the first name I was able to memorize as it is similar to Shakira, the Latin American pop singer. Most of the other names here I am still learning. On my bed were two bouquets of picked flowers, again so L’Archy, and I love it! When I spent time in L’Arche Honduras fresh flowers were picked all the time for our weekly community meeting, prayer, or any and every, celebration. I love fresh flowers. They make me so happy.
    After a few minutes of dropping my bags, splashing cool water on my face, and using the facilities, Soumiya, quietly came over and asked if I was hungry, which I was. I had had some papaya and coffee for breakfast that morning, and the ladoo in the taxi, but not much else. I joined the house in the kitchen to eat dinner. They had been waiting for me to arrive to have dinner. Everyone else was very hungry too! Instead of a kitchen table we all gather on the floor, sitting on straw mats, which are placed around a centre tile display of flowers. There are metal canisters which contain different foods for dinner; a curry, rice, another curry, and maybe a chutney, or raita. Soumiya takes a metal, deep dish plate, and spoons each of the different foods into it. After everyone has received their plate one of the core members gives a prayer, then we are able to eat.
    My first meal at the house was lovely. There were two French girls there who spoke a little English. They gave me some information about the community and themselves. They were leaving the next morning, as their time with Ashaniketan was just closing. Shortly after dinner I got myself ready to bed and passed out after a long days journey! Who knew getting to L’Arche would be so exhausting?