Varsha Menon talks about her experience with compulsory social work in her curriculum
I’M NOT A BAD PERSON
I get it. I shouldn’t deny society of its right to be helped by able bodied individuals such as myself. But doing social work interfered with my plans to hibernate during my free time. I just could not accept that. It was almost a 150 hours of action, service and creativity hours. I then decided to change my name and migrate to Iceland. For whatever reason, this did not bode very well with my parents who preferred to live amongst other human beings.
OKAY, FINE. IT’S NOT THAT BAD
As the year progressed, we were handed more social work and with time it became less of a mandatory aspect and more of a voluntary action. I started looking forward to such trips. I eagerly anticipated spending time in old age homes or helping farmers with their daily chores. Each trip was a new experience. I made friends in unlikely places and heard stories that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I saw goats and hens and unnaturally huge buffaloes. I even tried to strike conversation with one stray cow I met. She wasn’t too responsive though.
IN HINDSIGHT
It was amazing. I never expected to enjoy it as much, but I did. I also wouldn’t trade my experiences for the world. For all those out there who are not forced to do social work, they should definitely volunteer for such tasks. No matter how exerting or tiring they sound. Social work should be advertised as a 100% guaranteed satisfactory experience.
WAIT A MINUTE…
My school organised a day of volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity which included painting newly built houses in a village. At the very thought of the menial work that it would involve, complaints and incessant whining ensued all around me. Everyone’s backs began to hurt even more the work began. However, once my classmates and I started our tasks, we realised that the amount of fun and satisfaction that we experienced that day was unparalleled. The joy on the faces of the villagers, the interaction with them and the happiness of seeing completed work were some of the highlights of the day. We lef t feeling like better human beings.
Volume 4 Issue 3
