This is Mana’s first blog post, and we want to make you feel like you were part of today with us! Mana’s motto is: work hard, work together, and stay committed to our environment. We’re an efficient team that always has each other’s backs, and we especially love a game of “Beat Master.”
Today was extremely busy and full of excitement, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
We started the day with peaceful, mind-clearing yoga before continuing with breakfast and gathering at 8:45 for the bus to the worksite. The site is coming along swimmingly—high motivation combined with strong work ethic has led to impressive progress from our cohort of students. During breaks, we love indulging in chai and snacks while chatting about cultural and school differences, like the jealousy Australians feel over New Zealand’s Haka!
By 11:30, we had made a significant dent in the workload. Everyone was tired but proud of what we achieved as Mana. Then it was a quick turnaround for visits to the temples and museum. Honourable mention: the banoffee pie at lunch. We are pretty sure our team ate half the tray! Definitely a highlight of the day.
The back row of the bus has Mana’s name written all over it. We sit together as a Baraza because we genuinely enjoy each other’s company. We gossip about home, food, friends, and family, and discover new things about each other. At the museum, we explored tribal and regional houses – eye-opening and fascinating to see how homes have evolved over the years. Indian history truly feels like imagination brought to life.
Next stop: a Jain temple with some incredible (and occasionally questionable) images and messages. It was amazing to experience different religions while deepening our connections. Another highlight was the smaller temple where we meditated together—such a grounding moment for the group.
Finally, before heading back, it was shopping time! Most of us wanted trinkets and gifts for family and friends, but choices and time were limited. The bus ride home was much quieter, everyone was tired and ready for sleep. Dinner was a delicious spread of noodles, veggies, rice, and multiple curry dishes.
As you read this, Mana is sitting in our second Baraza session, discussing challenges and peak experiences so far. We love Baraza because it gives us space to talk openly and share any worries. Soon, we’ll be heading to bed.
Thank you for reading Mana’s blog—we hope your day was as awesome as ours!
Written by Gracie and Craig, supported by the mighty “Mana”
MVPs
Thursday MVPS (Most Valuable Players) were India, Molly, Asanda and Izzy. Special mention shoutouts went to Vashisht, Dhariyan, and Enzo.
India was chosen by her student leaders as one of Thursday’s MVPs because “she has had such a positive attitude consistently throughout the project and always offers a helping hand.”
Vashisht got a shoutout because “he saw something that needed to be done and did it without complaint and at a high standard which served as an example for most of the group.”
Molly was MVP because “She worked tirelessly and endlessly with no complaints and so much enthusiasm”
Dhariyan got a shoutout for “always being willing and available to help anyone and also worked tirelessly with seemingly never-ending energy”
Asanda was MVP: “Because he was always helping everybody and working really hard. He also was very hardworking and motivated the group”
Enzo for a shoutout because “he was so committed to the work and the team, displaying his consistently strong work ethic.”
Izzy was chosen for MVP because: “She was really positive in lifting up everyone’s mood and coming up with innovative ideas which helped our progress in the project.”
A little motivational singing on site