Life At SECMOL -- by Dylan

My life at SECMOL is an interesting one, one I’ve been longing for ever since I joined the public school system. This school is run by the students; anything we want done we do ourselves. This is exactly what I needed, because I was tired of being herded like a sheep at my school back home. The things I learn here relate to things I can see outside the class room window, so I feel that I’m learning with a purpose. I also learn a lot about the Ladakhi culture, as well as traditions.
I wake up to a bell ringing just outside my room, a call for the Ladakhi student’s to class. I lay in bed for however long suites me, and then roll onto the floor, where I begin my stretches. From here I meander my way to the community kitchen, and fill up my glass jar with some green tea. I am now left with about a half hour until breakfast, in which I often read, or loiter in the kitchen. I enjoy a different breakfast every morning, and then I collect the necessary books for the days classes. I stop in the bathroom, and join my fellow teeth brushing students. I then continue my way to the classroom, settle down cross-legged on the floor, and anticipate the next few hours of education.
In my science class, with my Viking teacher Daniela (alias Gailstrong), I’m studying the comparison between ancient methods of farming in Ladakh and the new methods brought about by modern technology. I had an interview with the head officer of the department of Horticulture, and I have several more lined up with other higher-ups. In my ‘History of Ladakh’ class, I am studying the roots of conflict in Kashmir, as well as routes to peace. I am also doing a project in this class, where I am going to have to lead a discussion on the conflict over modern technology being introduced into farming. In my English class, we’ve been writing journalist pieces on different Buddhist celebrations we have witnessed in the last several weeks. I am doing a final project in this class as well, were I have to write a final piece on my agricultural studies from my other two classes.
I have learned a lot about farming here, and the methods aren’t completely different to those in VT. Depending on different villages’ elevation, they plow in different times, but usually around early April. The whole family helps for this process, because most Ladakhis use animals to plow, which is a much longer process then with a tractor. The plow is of the same design as the one we hook up to a tractor on my farm. After the field is plowed, they whole family helps to plant. Most families grow barley, and vegetables, and many are now growing apricots. Irrigation is very interesting, and most fields are propagated by the Indus river through gutters that channel the water to the fields. In the last twenty years there has been a major increase in farmers using chemical pesticides and fertilizers. However, many use home made organic pesticides, and almost all use ‘humanure’ from their composting toilets.
Harvest season is usually around August or October. The apricots are put in jars with sugar, and stored in a cold cellar. The families also store onions, potatoes, barley, cabbage, and other vegetables in the store room.
After we drink tea at around 11:30, everyone on campus is assigned a job from our student elected coordinator, Dolma. The jobs differ every day, depending on what needs to be done. Some of us work in the greenhouses, some of us build stone walls, and the unlucky ones have to clean out the composting toilets. Work hour is one of my favorite parts of the day, because you can see all 30 some odd students going to and fro’ working on this and that. It really gives you the sense of a working community.
After work hour, we all do our responsibilities for a half hour. Our responsibilities are assigned to us; each one of us has something different to do for a period two months. I was put in charge of the garage, and all tools inside. This means I have to go campus several times a week, searching for tools people borrowed and forgot to return. I also have the task of putting handles on all the tools with out one. This week I made two axe handles, and thee pick axe handles. This is my favorite part about the job, because it reminds me of working in my school shop back home, making axe handles for my forestry class. Other responsibilities include working in the green house, the school store, the library, and many others.
Lunch is sometimes good, sometimes not. Either way I eat, and get on with my day. For most of the afternoon I do my homework, or take part in soccer or cricket games. At 6:00 most days we have conversation class, where we talk about various things with the Ladakhi students to improve their English. After an hour of conversing, us VIS students have Ladakhi language class, where we learn to speak simple, yet necessary phrases.
After language class we all go to dinner, where we sit cross legged in one room, a real community. After we eat, someone has to get up and talk about whatever they want, for however long they want, and are then asked many questions. Most Ladakhis talk about their villages, and some VIS students have talked about traveling, and snow boarding. Dinner is often followed by a movie, or sometimes various activities, that help everyone get to know each other better.
In short, my life at SECMOL is similar to my life at home, only I’m much more involved with everything that goes on around me.