solidarity?

So the Rawlee Girls decided to make the month of February the month of challenges. We came back from Re-O super rejuvenated and needed to keep that JVC spirit alive in our community and we figured this would be a good experience for us (ohhh JVC). We wanted to focus on simple living and since we’re pretty solid in the money spending region, we focused on other ways to live simply.

The first week of February was an internet fast, the second was cell phone, the third was electricity, and this past week has been water/gas conservation (NOT elimination haha). The rules were simple- you were allowed to check your emails and do work related stuff at work, cell phones were for work or emergencies only, lights were allowed on while cooking (we didn’t want any knife or oven tragedies), lights were allowed in the bathroom (no messes please), and be mindful when taking showers and let it mellow (so gross).

I didn’t realize how much I used the internet until I gave it up for a week. It was fine not using it at home, but I was definitely more conscious of my usage at work. I turned off my gchat and only went to websites I needed for work. Sometimes it was really slow at crisis, and I admit I checked the latest on CNN more than once, but overall, I really liked the internet fast. I try to not go on facebook or other unnecessary websites when I’m at work anyways because my women can’t use the computers at the shelter (I’ll save my emotions on that for a later blog) but it was cool because instead of checking directions really quick, I had a conversation with either coworkers or my women on how to get to a specific destination. I got needed information like “you’ll see a yellow building on your right,” or “if you see a Bojangles then you’ve gone too far.” Those hints can’t be given by a computer and are definitely necessary when I am prone to getting lost. The anticipation of seeing my boyfriend on skype for the first time in a week was really exciting too- I’ll remember not to wear sweats next time after a week of not seeing him haha.

Cell phone fast was the worst. I am attached at the hip to my cell phone and I failed within 24 hours. I limited my texting to only my mother and boyfriend (and occasionally an unnamed communitymate as to not rat her out). I decided that it was a dumb fast when my women came in asking me to fix their phones. One couldn’t figure out how to make her new touchscreen vibrate, another needed help learning how to text, and another brought her new iphone in to show me. I was like, “What! I’m supposed to be fasting here!” Then as I thought more about it, the 2 land line phones we allow our women to use and give out the numbers are for local calls only. What if I didn’t have a cell phone (like many of my women) and how would I call anyone I knew back home? That’s like supreme long distance. It was hard, and it sucked not using my cell phone, and though I failed that week, I am definitely aware of how attached I am to it. It’s frustrating knowing this, but it’s really the only form of communication I keep with my mother, and I would probably go crazy not talking to her for a week (in fact I think i talked to her like twice a day that week haha). I did sign up many a people for the free government cell phones. It made me feel a little better with my failed attempt at not using my own, but it pained me knowing that other people don’t have that communication with family or friends due to their lack of phones.

Electricity fast was by far my favorite week of all. It was so much fun sitting around the table with candles and holding a candle around the house to light your way. I felt so “revolutionary” I think Kate called it. Our candlelit dinners were fun and romantic in a way and they lasted so long. By the end of the week our candle collection was pretty much gone, but mostly because Hanna and I played with all the wax haha. We wrote letters to our friends back home and reminisced about the days before Ben Franklin flew the kite. Seriously what did people do at night without light? Kate said our bodies are supposed to sleep when the sun goes down and wake up with the sun, and seriously it’s true. We all got tired by like 9pm! It got me thinking a lot (again) about my women. There are 28 women in the large dorm and 8 women in the small dorm. They aren’t allowed to use the outlets in the large dorm (apparently it caused fights) so they have to power up their stuff in other rooms- and there are probs only like 8 outlets they can use. Like how do they keep their phones charged? Power up a blow dryer? Their ipods (yes they have these)? Irons? Hell, the lights at the shelter turn off at 10pm Sunday-Thursday and at 11pm Friday and Saturday. There are some nights where I am still awake past 10pm and the lights are on. I’m sure sometimes my women would like the same- even if just to read in bed or something you know? Then also, what about those families that come in to crisis and say how expensive their Progress Energy bills are and they have FINAL NOTICE on the top? It’s not fun then.

Water and gas conservation wasn’t that bad for me. Hanna and Britt took showers at the gym, and though I commend them for doing that, that’s just not my cup of tea. During electricity fast I left my hair wavy since I couldn’t use my blowdryer, so this past week I used the dryer so I would only have to take a shower every other day instead of every day. This week was a more personal goal for myself. Like: take 10 minute showers, don’t leave the water running, let it mellow (still think it’s gross), and even though it’s freezing, just add a 3rd sweatshirt on. It wasn’t bad but it didn’t make me think like the other weeks had.

What I have been thinking a lot about is how these past 4 weeks have been like a little glimpse into the lives of our clients. One of my communitymates said it was like a little act of solidarity, but I strongly dislike that word. There is no way I was in solidarity with my clients and I will never be in solidarity with them until I’ve truly lived what they have lived. That word is used way to loosely and it’s too powerful a word to do so. It’s truly annoying because though we had all these challenges, what we “gave up” didn’t actually leave us. Our laptops and phones went into hiding; I found using candles to be fun, and I could have taken a longer shower this morning if I wanted or needed to.

The challenges this month wasn’t to be in solidarity with our clients or to catch a glimpse of how their lives are, but rather to be aware politically, economically, and socially of the injustices that technology and the like have on us and just be mindful of our dependency on things. This month made me more conscious, just with a switch of a light.