I am getting closer to completing a month at EarthJust as a fellow. How quickly the days of my fellowship life are passing! My journey so far has been an amazing mix of learning how to survive without a fridge to meeting different people. Were you thinking that I am going to talk about professional life? Duh, I am going to have to disappoint you here. Of course, I am learning career developing skills. But that will be a blog for some other time.
People I Have Been Meeting 1/7
I have met so many different and interesting personalities here. Let me start by introducing the co-founder, the ‘Rock’ Abhishek. Who happens to be a tall, cool, fun, Punjabi ‘munda’. No, he isn’t single. In fact, happily married and has two amazing women in his life. His wife Shruti, who is also his work partner and daughter Aisha. Abhishek has worked in the corporate sector for several years with different organisations across the globe.
By the way, he has also managed a full-blown factory of more than 200 employees. Whew! Sounds like a dull workaholic, right? Haha, yes, I thought the same when I first came here in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. But how he has surprised me! Foolish, I thought at first. How naïve of me to judge him! Would his urban lifestyle give him the comfort of working from the valley?
I see him balancing perfectly between work and home. From yoga, to cooking, to cleaning and obviously working, while being super productive.
He proves that age is just a number. He can be a little bossy at times (of course, he is the boss). But he is equally fun. Cracking up jokes, asking us about our love lives, taking driving lessons, fixing things like broken bed, eating, cooking. He does it all, for us, with us. Checks up on me regularly. Whether I had good sleep, whether I had a good meal. And he also helps me find potential groom (my parents should pay him for this). He is patient and calm; although sometimes he also loses his temper.
People I Have Been Meeting 2/7
The next team member that I get to spend the most time with is Manisha. A National Youth Climate Consortium Champion, Manisha hails from Uttarakhand, and is a perfect example of ‘chota packet, bada dhamaka’. Her voice is as sweet as ‘chashni’. But the work she does is commendable. From managing the program ‘Satat Shikshak Samudaya’ to helping me settle in Solan, she does it all, without cribbing … unlike me!
She is my neighbour; helped me set up my ‘home’. Fed me when I had no sense of what is going on, and carried heavy shopping bags with me.
As clumsy as I am, I broke her mirror. She didn’t say a word to me. How kind, right? This girl I tell you is sweet, kind, responsible, caring. Yet holds the strength to knock down someone who does wrong. Passionate about her work, she is also a responsible daughter and sister. Always there for her close ones. Ready to help others. “Out and forward,” as she says.
In frame: Manisha (Right) and Shubhashri
People I Have Been Meeting 3/7
Shruti is the co-founder of EarthJust and a partner in Colabx, a leadership consulting firm. She is also a full-time mom. Most of her day passes by providing consulting services virtually. She is a go-getter. Every morning as I refill water in the kitchen (workspace is a part of their house), she asks me if I would like to have breakfast. Just reminds me of how my mother would make sure I am well fed.
We do not get enough time together. But she makes sure to accommodate me in her space. What a vast knowledge of things she has! The way she articulates everything become easier to understand. Sit with her for a few minutes and get your mind blown about facts you did not know. Assertive in her conversations, she is humble and grounded. I keep getting astonished at how she manages work along with parenting Aisha. It is impressive to see how she inculcates values in Aisha by simply talking to her. Parenting lessons for me, I guess.
People I Have Been Meeting 4/7
Don’t worry, no child-sized coffee cups needed here. We’re hustle-free! Aisha is our cute team member. As soon as she comes back from school she runs to the office and says “Shubhashri didi, aap kya kar rahe ho, chalo khelne”. Believe it or not she legit said, “aapko yahaan mere se khelne ke liye bulaya hai”.
My role with Aisha is simple. Playing with her and Vani (her best friend), making creative hairstyles, arranging her toys and helping her with her homework. Recently, we celebrated her 6th birthday. She instructed us, “Manisha didi mujhe dress-up karengi. Aur Shubhashri didi cake decorate karengi”. Did we have a choice? Of course not. In Aisha’s court we don’t utter “no”. Cute, innocent and kind – Aisha is my favourite and the best team member.
People I Have Been Meeting 5 & 6/7
Alpana from Dubai and Bidyut from Bangalore are our core team members, who work virtually. Although I have not met them in-person, it is always fun to meet them on team calls. Alpana, a PhD in Sustainability, is Abhishek’s sister and a mother of two. Bidyut has a communications and marketing background and is also a father of two. Despite not physically being in office, they are always connected with us.
Alpana takes charge of new tasks without giving second thoughts. She takes responsibility and fulfils like a pro. She manages to attend our morning call while dropping her son to school. “Main aaj evening mein free nahi rahungi, but kaam khatam ho jaayega”. Bidyut on the other hand is a creative, supportive and collaborative personality. Spondylitis also doesn’t steal a smile from his face. I must say they commendably balance work and personal life. There’s so much to learn from them.
People I Have Been Meeting 7/7
Khushboo, Project Consultant at EY, is a visiting team member. Why, you ask? Well, she doesn’t work with EarthJust anymore but is a volunteer. Just like your haunting ex, we keep reaching out to her. She facilitates the Satat sessions on Saturdays. And oh, how beautifully she engages the audience during the session. If only I could facilitate a session as effortlessly as she does!
Her smile melts hearts faster than ice cream on a scorching hot day. When she says, “sab apna camera on kar lijiye, apna pyaara sa face dikha dijiye,” no one dares to stay off-camera. She is such a delightful personality!
In frame: Khushboo (Top Left) facilitating Satat Shanivaar
And More …
If you thought that I would be done by now, then wait. I still have a few members left. How can I forget Pushpa didi? Other than cooking delicious meals, she also manages to make us laugh with her sly humour. Her positive energy radiates on her face. Smiling through her pain while fasting. She then goes on to say, “mujhe chakkar aa raha hai” while holding a mop in her hand. Wow, I would be dead meat if I was fasting while working this hard.
Last but not the least are our purr-fect team members Shakkar and Billu – the cat duo at the office. These two are not allowed to enter the office because they distract us with their cuteness. But they keep meowing in the office premises throughout the day. To an extent that we have to first feed them. It’s a real treat to watch them play with each other. Sometimes they sleep on the chair outside in the soft sun enjoying pleasant afternoon breezes. At other times, they nibble on footwear. In image: Shakkar (Right) and Billu (Left)
Comfort And Camaraderie
That’s my EarthJust family. Distinct personalities yet closely knit with each other. They comfort me in ways I could never imagine was possible before my fellowship life. Knowingly or unknowingly, they teach me new life skills. They give me the space to learn and to grow. With them the journey seems lively, if not easy. One thing is for sure, I will become a better human in their camaraderie.
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