It seemed all too early when my alarm announced the start to a new day. Sunlight was filtering in through the blinds on either side of my bed, and it was only as I begrudgingly emerged from beneath the covers that realization dawned upon me - it was my first morning as a Mandala Fellow. Once this new fact settled into my mind, I was able to move around with a certain spring to my step.
I wished good morning to my villa mates; Anna, an athletic girl whose bright red hair has earned her the nickname Red, and Laura, whose heart-shaped face is encircled by soft brunette hair to match her delicate figure. We all chatted while making ourselves presentable for the meeting which was fast approaching. There was a mutual desire for another swim in the lake, and thus the three of us engaged in a short debate on whether or not to bring our swimming gear with us to the Mandala House, or to come back later to change once the morning's events had been concluded. In the end, we decided that it would be more wise to leave our swim things at home in case there were already plans for us waiting to be revealed in the meeting. A few last minute details arranged - a hairband seized from the counter, one last brush of eye-powder, retrieving the keys from their hiding place, a toe stubbed against a bed post - and together we set off through the front door and into the new day before us.
We waved and called out in greeting and good tidings to the other Fellows as each villa opened its door and exposed it's residents like clockwork on the hour. Anna and Laura had decided to run to the Mandala House, so I promised to see them soon and started my engine. A few other students drove or carpooled, however a number of our community decided to either ride bikes or jog to the morning meeting. By the time all of us were jammed into the little spa room, there was quite an assembly of wheels in the front lawn of the Mandala House.
Mrs. Bortins, with her chirping voice and glowing presence, kept the meeting short and sweet. The meeting started off with some housekeeping tips, just keeping things in order and a hint for one of the villas to trim their bushes. She explained to us about morning devotions, classes, and most importantly - jobs. The majority of the time in the meeting was spent describing the vastly numerous positions available to us so that by the time she had finished, each student could only remember whatever job had sounded most interesting to him or her. Many of the jobs were to be expected, such as the many branches grounds maintenance, or the company shipping crew, and even positions of accounting were available. Much of it seemed doable to me, however nothing really peaked my interest as she listed off more and more options. Suddenly, my ears pricked with excitement as the word "writing" wafted like a refreshing breeze through the room and to my ears. I immediately knew that I wanted to be a part of whatever she would describe next - be it publishing, editing, or even customer service. To be paid to do what I love doing would be beyond wonderful. I hoped against hope that none of the other Fellows would try for the writing jobs as Mrs. Bortins finished off the list of career choices with the options of technicians, programmers, radio host, and a music production manager.
The meeting being adjourned, the company of Fellows were invited to stay within the Mandala House for a lovely lunch of wraps. While eating I sat beside a lively girl with chocolate brown hair that had been died kool-aid red near the tips, whose name is Olivia. There was a lively conversation between all of the Fellows regarding what to do after lunch. Some of us wanted to go swimming, but some wanted to stay home, and yet a few others suggested games or cleaning. Still, no one seemed to have a particular opinion on the subject we all just went back to the villas to relax and clean up a bit.
Anna, Laura and I were making a shopping list when we heard the sound of a motor coming from outside. From our window we could see that the boys across the street had an electric hedger and were using it to trim down the gargantuan bushes in front of their villa. Surprisingly, the annoying whine of the machine had the effect of a call to arms. Villa by Villa, Fellows emerged into the sunlight and began a street clean-up. Sweeping driveways, trimming bushes, destroying ant hills, raking the pine needles and even picking up pine cones; my villa mates, neighbors and I worked together to make our new home a more beautiful place to live. The girls would wander over to help the guys with sweeping, and the guys would frequently offer assistance with trimming hedges. With an unspoken unity we aided each other so that soon the entire area shone with new vitality, and as I raked up the bush trimmings I marveled at this community affair. By the time we finished, everything from the walkways to the roofs had been cleaned.
With the work completed, it was high time to play. I was one of many of my fellows who went down to the Marina where we swam out to a floating dock. The other Anna, Blonde Anna, had brought along a ball which bounced on top of the water which we all tossed around while swimming or relaxing on the dock. The water was refreshingly cool and felt wonderful after all of the housekeeping we had done.
William Bortins, a tall Fellow with a fluffy mat of brunette hair, showed up with the motor boat and a two person tubing raft for us to go tubing in. I was extremely excited by this - tubing is one of my favorite things to do on a lake. So our group swam out and piled into the small boat. There were too many of us to all go in one trip, so Will dropped the guys off near his house before heading out into the deep waters with the girls. I sat in the front of the boat with my hair down to catch the wind. The sky had only a few clouds and the air was warm. Close to me sat Brooke, a beautiful girl with long blonde hair and bright eyes. Also in the boat were Red Anna, Blonde Anna, and Olivia. We all chattered on excitedly on how fast we liked to ride the tubes, and by the time we reached the deep waters we had already grouped ourselves according to our preferences.
Once William made the hand signals clear - thumbs up meaning 'go faster', thumbs down meaning 'slow down', waving one finger in a circle above one's head meaning 'loop the loop', so on and so forth - we were ready to get started. Red Anna and Olivia went first, being the more adventurous of our number. We were off as soon as they had their hands clasped onto the handles, building up speed quickly. This boat was much faster and much smoother than the one I had grown accustomed to, and so the sailing was a new and exciting experience. The nose of the boat was tipped upwards as we sped across the surface of the lake, the other girls and I laughing merrily as Red Anna and Olivia struggled to keep their grips on the handles. It was a long and greatly amusing turn but after a sharp turn and a burst of speed, Red Anna was finally thrown from the tube. We picked them back up and allowed Brooke and Blonde Anna to clamber onto the rubber raft. When they had figured out their system of grips, we began once again. This trip was much slower than the first, and much more peaceful. I relaxed and just felt the wind sweep through my curls while we made our way around the lake once more. Though this trip was far less aggressive, it was still just as entertaining to watch the girls' expressions as they glided across the water. Finally, it was my turn.
I was the odd one out, and so had the tube all to myself. I got a good grip on the handles, my thumbs turned outward and wrists upward for optimal support, before signaling the thumbs up to get going. The roar of the boat engine sent a jolt through my nerves as the cord attaching the tube to the boat was pulled tight and my adventure began. The wind whipped past my ears as the boat's wake grew larger, building up speed slowly. Too soon though I grew bored of the peaceful ride, and for some strange reason I though it would be fun to taunt Will by letting go of the handles and using my hands as a head rest instead. It was only a short while before I though better of my actions and once again grasped the handles and then raised my fist with the thumb pointing to the sky. The engine revved and we skimmed along the surface faster, making waves with each turn. Every now and then I would put my thumb up again until we began to make circles and the waves nearly knocked the wind out of me. By a miracle, I managed to hang onto the tube until the end.
After we each had a turn, Will turned the nose of the boat back to his house. The other girls and I got off at the Marina to get our stuff before heading back to the villas. My villa mates and I made some angel hair pasta with seasoning. We had already agreed to eat dinner together each night, and so we all spoke lively of the day's events. During our meal there was a knock on the door. Ian, a tall and well built Fellow with short brown hair, had come over to ask us if we wanted to go into town with him. We agreed because we had a lot of grocery shopping to do, and so we quickly concluded dinner and gathered our things to head out to Wal-Mart. We had a lot to find in the store, and it was nearly an hour before we managed to get it all. The veggies, rices, eggs, and other essentials took a while to gather, but finally we had gotten our shopping for the week taken care of. I thanked Ian profusely on the drive home before settling into the back seat of his Jeep. I danced and sang along with his music, but I was far too tired to really get into it.
We had left the Villa unlocked because we knew that no one came far enough back in the neighborhood to find our street, not to mention the other Fellows were still around. Yet when we got back inside to unpack our groceries we noticed that something was different about our kitchen. On the table sat a strange curiosity - a round loaf of bread. Anna and Laura didn't really give it much thought, but I wasn't about to eat something that I didn't know the source of. I remembered that Barnabas had brought a bread maker, but I decided that I would ask him about it before eating the bread.
After unloading the groceries, my villa mates and I decided to go down to the other girls' villa. We were welcomed warmly by the smell of popcorn and a lively game of cards. There was many lively conversations and lots of laughter as we passed around the giant bowl of home-cooked popcorn. We played one of my favorite games, Apples To Apples, with the other girls till after 11pm before we remembered that we had to get up and ready for church in the morning. Mrs. Bortins had kindly invited us all to her church to help us get started on finding one for us to attend during our stay. So Red Anna, Laura, and I bid our friends goodnight and went back to our own villa.
After changing into my pajamas and climbing into bed, I got out my journal and wrote down what I could remember of the day's affairs. I was weary yet excited from all the excitement, and the anticipation of a new day didn't help my mind settle down enough to sleep. I had set my alarm extra early to give myself time to dress more formally for the service. My mind was filled with expectations, and my heart with excitement as my head dropped into the pillow's warm embrace. Heaviness weighted down on my eyelids as I finally slipped off to Dream Land.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
The Welcoming Ceremony
It was a beautiful Friday afternoon when I set off from my home in Stallings, North Carolina. After months of planning and anticipation, I was finally going to the Mandala Fellowship! Inside of my red Honda CRV I was having my own private jam session by car-dancing to a christian rap CD I was given a few days prior to my departure. The car in front of me was a silver mini-van, also made by Honda, driven by my mother and co-piloted by my grandmother. They led the way from my home town to a place nearly three hours away - the place I will be spending the next 10 months living at.
My anticipation set my nerves on end, but the shoulder-jive I was doing helped calm me as I wondered about what I was approaching. What kind of people will there be? I hoped that no one would be too snobbish. Especially the two other girls who I would share a Villa with. I was already informed that I would be sharing a room with one of two girls - Anna and Laura - and that the one who didn't share with me would get her own room. What if my room mate was selfish, or worse, girly? And then there was the issue of my sleep habits; the annoying way that my days and nights are mixed in such a way that I can fall asleep whenever the sun is up, but once it has set I am wide awake. Would my room mate mind if I kept a light on so I could read? But now was not the time to be worrying about such things, because I we had reached the gate at the entrance to the neighborhood; and now we were on the right street; and now we're parked at the end of the drive to the house of Leigh Bortins, founder of Classical Conversations and the Mandala Fellowship.
I gazed around me as I walked up the drive and into the Mandala House. The grand building has a very sizable and skillfully landscaped front lawn. A porch leading to the kingly wooden double doors is made of cobbled stone and gives the whole place a regal effect. The inside of the estate was, if it is even possible, more beautiful than the outside of it; with its wooden frames and spacious interior decorating, even a spa and stage-style back patio. To make the Bortins' house even more enchanting, the back yard leads into a small stone area with tables, chairs, and the largest fire pit I had ever laid eyes on, all a mere few feet away from the lake. There was a dock and sand bank filled with kayaks, floats, a canoe, and even a small motor boat. Altogether, the effect was quite breathtaking.
Inside the house were many people - the other Fellows (students of the Mandala Fellowship) and their families I assumed. Upon entering, we were approached by a rather tall man whose black hair swooped down to his shoulders. The man's long face, wide eyes, and large hands gave him a naturally theatrical aura, which I found familiar and unmistakable. The man was named Caleb Skogen; I had met him only once in person, however I had been emailing him for the past few weeks in order to iron out the details of my life as a Fellow of Mandala. He smiled as he approach, clasping hands with each of us in greeting. I vaguely herd him explain about the parent meeting that had just begun in the back yard, however my focus was on the fast approaching first impressions exchanged between myself and the people I would be living with for the next ten months.
My mother went outside to join in the meeting, so I escorted my grandmother to a sitting place. I scanned the area around me for anyone who would seem to be my age. Outside, there were a number of figures on the docks and in the lake who looked like they may be students, however despite it being after 5pm, it was still very hot outside and I didn't really want to go into the heat just yet. Casting my eyes upward, I noticed a small group of people playing a game of pool in the loft. My mind was set before I even gave it conscious consideration - I would start by introducing myself to whoever was up the stairs. I made sure that my black fedora was fashionably tilted to the side before making my way up the stairs to the second level of the house where people I assumed to be other Fellows were.
I stood to the side and watched as six boys sized up the marble spheres while conversing and laughing with one another. Two of the boys were pre-teen, named Justice and Matthew; the rest appeared to be only slightly older than myself. I joined in the merrymaking as more than nine rounds were spent by both teams aiming and missing the final 8 ball before the game was finally concluded. Once the game was over I asked each person for his name. First was Harrison, whose lean figure and jet black hair would give him a mischievous aura were it not for his bright smile. Next was a student who, despite having light brown hair, reminded me of Ronald Weasley from the Harry Potter books partly because of his height but mostly for his freckles; his name is Chris. Thirdly was Austin, whose soft features set off his intelligent electric blue eyes. Lastly, but far from least, was Barnabas who was smartly dressed in a tan suit with a matching hat which segregated him from the others despite his average build. Thus, I had my first encounter with some of the Fellows of Mandala. I was glad to have met some other students, and so I introduced myself, Gracsyn (don't try to spell it), with my short size and cherub features. Just as the introductions were concluded, I was called to by my mother; it was time to unload the car into my new home.
Mr. Skogen lead the way to the villas in his car, closely flanked by me and lastly by my mother. There wasn't much time for my anticipation to build again, for after a two-minute drive up the road we pulled into the driveway of Villa 125. There are five villas in all, three on the left and two on the right. Both the two villas on the right of the street, as well as the middle villa of the left side, belong to the twelve male Mandala Fellows; while the first and third villas of the left street belong to the seven females. The drive in which we parked was attached to the first Villa on the left, the one in which I will be spending nearly a year in.
I didn't notice that I was holding my breath as I opened the door to my new home. Directly inside Villa 125 there is a roomy living area connected to a small kitchen area. A door from the living area leads into a small yet beautiful bedroom which contains two twin beds, two desks matched with two chairs, a large dresser and closet, a sink with cabinets, and a bathroom with a shower. It appeared that someone had already settled into both of these bed areas, and so I moved on as a thought began to form in my mind. A short hallway near the kitchen leads into another bathroom, then a turns a corner and holds the doorway to the other bedroom. The second bedroom held only one double bed, yet still contained two desks, two chairs, a dresser and a closet. My excitement peaked when I realized that the second bedroom was vacant of any signs of occupation; it was my room. Caleb confirmed this fact before heading back to the Mandala House, and I had an inward celebration as I realized that my worries had been meaningless.
There was plenty to bring in from the two cars, and it would have taken a much longer time if it weren't that two of the students I had met earlier - Austin and Barnabas - decided to help. Working together, it only took a few minutes to unload both cars into my new room. We all talked and shared a few chuckles as we worked, and I became sure that the connections born of the Mandala Fellowship would be those which lasts a lifetime.
When we all returned to the Bortins' home, there was folk dancing lessons taking place on the back porch. Barnabas and his mother appeared to be professionals in the particular dance style we were learning; and as I had years of dance lessons from other styles of dance, this new class of music was exciting for me. This was where I met and danced with many of the other students, with a few exceptions. The dances were simple, fun, and filled a mixture of cries of frustration and laughter. My mother and grandmother left part way through the dances, and I returned to the villas to change into my bathing suit so that once the dancing was over I could go for a swim in the lake. Once we had said our goodbyes I had returned to the Mandala House, I skipped and laughed and and a wonderful time as I got to know my the remainder of my new friends.
The lessons were concluded with a circle waltz that made me giddy from excitement; the time for impressions was over and now I could let loose and have fun. The live band - which had been playing for the duration of the lessons - played one last song for those who wished to freestyle. I clapped along with the beat and the other onlookers as I watched the two experienced couples dance to the music. Barnabas and his mother had a definite flourish to their dance moves, and it was great fun to watch. Part way through the dance, for it was a very long song, Barnabas' mother left the stage. The boy, now without a partner, turned to the closest appropriate partner - which just so happened to be me.
Feeling extremely outmatched, I allowed him to pull me out onto the dance floor. In no time we were spinning and dancing and having fun all over again. Unsurprisingly, Barnabas turned out to be a great lead; though I still made a great number of amateur mistakes. I was soon out of breath, and we parted so that he could bring another onlooker into the haze. All the dancing had made me, and many of the others, very hot. So once the dance had been officially concluded we all went down to the lake for a swim.
The water was cool and refreshing, and I even managed to jump into one of the floating tubes. After some swimming and socializing, I was able to get my hands on one of the two kayaks before everyone decided to swim further out to a sand bank. I watched from my kayak as the other Fellows played water games, and I joined into a great many conversations.
By the time we got back to shore, the sun had long set and the families had gone back to their hotels or rooms for the night. A beautiful woman with short dark-gray curls came down to us when we got out of the lake and were drying off. I recognized her as the founder of Mandala and Classical Conversations, Mrs. Leigh Bortins. Her sweet voice trilled as she told us where she kept the extra chairs and instructed some of us to find matches to use to light the bonfire. Soon enough there was a circle of chairs and Fellows surrounding the fire pit, within it a raging inferno of logs, sticks, and browned leaves blazed up and warmed our still damp swim suits.
I poked at the flames with a rather long branch while talking with my neighbors and villa mates. A girl with curly ginger hair I knew was named Elizabeth and a very tall boy named Seth were talking about shows as another boy admitted that someone had switched the couch they had with another one. Upon reflection, I realized that all of my worries were without need. Everyone I had met was very passive, and was excited about the upcoming months of learning and working. There was a feeling of intimacy from being surrounded by my peers who I knew to be like-minded to me both in faith and in desire to learn.
In the morning there was to be a meeting at the Mandala House, and so after writing down all the happenings of the day, I tried my best to get some sleep. As I lay in my bed that night, having unpacked all of my belongings, I realized that in my heart I felt an understanding bloom that Mandala was exactly where I was supposed to be. At that moment, my new house in Villa 125 became my new.
My anticipation set my nerves on end, but the shoulder-jive I was doing helped calm me as I wondered about what I was approaching. What kind of people will there be? I hoped that no one would be too snobbish. Especially the two other girls who I would share a Villa with. I was already informed that I would be sharing a room with one of two girls - Anna and Laura - and that the one who didn't share with me would get her own room. What if my room mate was selfish, or worse, girly? And then there was the issue of my sleep habits; the annoying way that my days and nights are mixed in such a way that I can fall asleep whenever the sun is up, but once it has set I am wide awake. Would my room mate mind if I kept a light on so I could read? But now was not the time to be worrying about such things, because I we had reached the gate at the entrance to the neighborhood; and now we were on the right street; and now we're parked at the end of the drive to the house of Leigh Bortins, founder of Classical Conversations and the Mandala Fellowship.
I gazed around me as I walked up the drive and into the Mandala House. The grand building has a very sizable and skillfully landscaped front lawn. A porch leading to the kingly wooden double doors is made of cobbled stone and gives the whole place a regal effect. The inside of the estate was, if it is even possible, more beautiful than the outside of it; with its wooden frames and spacious interior decorating, even a spa and stage-style back patio. To make the Bortins' house even more enchanting, the back yard leads into a small stone area with tables, chairs, and the largest fire pit I had ever laid eyes on, all a mere few feet away from the lake. There was a dock and sand bank filled with kayaks, floats, a canoe, and even a small motor boat. Altogether, the effect was quite breathtaking.
Inside the house were many people - the other Fellows (students of the Mandala Fellowship) and their families I assumed. Upon entering, we were approached by a rather tall man whose black hair swooped down to his shoulders. The man's long face, wide eyes, and large hands gave him a naturally theatrical aura, which I found familiar and unmistakable. The man was named Caleb Skogen; I had met him only once in person, however I had been emailing him for the past few weeks in order to iron out the details of my life as a Fellow of Mandala. He smiled as he approach, clasping hands with each of us in greeting. I vaguely herd him explain about the parent meeting that had just begun in the back yard, however my focus was on the fast approaching first impressions exchanged between myself and the people I would be living with for the next ten months.
My mother went outside to join in the meeting, so I escorted my grandmother to a sitting place. I scanned the area around me for anyone who would seem to be my age. Outside, there were a number of figures on the docks and in the lake who looked like they may be students, however despite it being after 5pm, it was still very hot outside and I didn't really want to go into the heat just yet. Casting my eyes upward, I noticed a small group of people playing a game of pool in the loft. My mind was set before I even gave it conscious consideration - I would start by introducing myself to whoever was up the stairs. I made sure that my black fedora was fashionably tilted to the side before making my way up the stairs to the second level of the house where people I assumed to be other Fellows were.
I stood to the side and watched as six boys sized up the marble spheres while conversing and laughing with one another. Two of the boys were pre-teen, named Justice and Matthew; the rest appeared to be only slightly older than myself. I joined in the merrymaking as more than nine rounds were spent by both teams aiming and missing the final 8 ball before the game was finally concluded. Once the game was over I asked each person for his name. First was Harrison, whose lean figure and jet black hair would give him a mischievous aura were it not for his bright smile. Next was a student who, despite having light brown hair, reminded me of Ronald Weasley from the Harry Potter books partly because of his height but mostly for his freckles; his name is Chris. Thirdly was Austin, whose soft features set off his intelligent electric blue eyes. Lastly, but far from least, was Barnabas who was smartly dressed in a tan suit with a matching hat which segregated him from the others despite his average build. Thus, I had my first encounter with some of the Fellows of Mandala. I was glad to have met some other students, and so I introduced myself, Gracsyn (don't try to spell it), with my short size and cherub features. Just as the introductions were concluded, I was called to by my mother; it was time to unload the car into my new home.
Mr. Skogen lead the way to the villas in his car, closely flanked by me and lastly by my mother. There wasn't much time for my anticipation to build again, for after a two-minute drive up the road we pulled into the driveway of Villa 125. There are five villas in all, three on the left and two on the right. Both the two villas on the right of the street, as well as the middle villa of the left side, belong to the twelve male Mandala Fellows; while the first and third villas of the left street belong to the seven females. The drive in which we parked was attached to the first Villa on the left, the one in which I will be spending nearly a year in.
I didn't notice that I was holding my breath as I opened the door to my new home. Directly inside Villa 125 there is a roomy living area connected to a small kitchen area. A door from the living area leads into a small yet beautiful bedroom which contains two twin beds, two desks matched with two chairs, a large dresser and closet, a sink with cabinets, and a bathroom with a shower. It appeared that someone had already settled into both of these bed areas, and so I moved on as a thought began to form in my mind. A short hallway near the kitchen leads into another bathroom, then a turns a corner and holds the doorway to the other bedroom. The second bedroom held only one double bed, yet still contained two desks, two chairs, a dresser and a closet. My excitement peaked when I realized that the second bedroom was vacant of any signs of occupation; it was my room. Caleb confirmed this fact before heading back to the Mandala House, and I had an inward celebration as I realized that my worries had been meaningless.
There was plenty to bring in from the two cars, and it would have taken a much longer time if it weren't that two of the students I had met earlier - Austin and Barnabas - decided to help. Working together, it only took a few minutes to unload both cars into my new room. We all talked and shared a few chuckles as we worked, and I became sure that the connections born of the Mandala Fellowship would be those which lasts a lifetime.
When we all returned to the Bortins' home, there was folk dancing lessons taking place on the back porch. Barnabas and his mother appeared to be professionals in the particular dance style we were learning; and as I had years of dance lessons from other styles of dance, this new class of music was exciting for me. This was where I met and danced with many of the other students, with a few exceptions. The dances were simple, fun, and filled a mixture of cries of frustration and laughter. My mother and grandmother left part way through the dances, and I returned to the villas to change into my bathing suit so that once the dancing was over I could go for a swim in the lake. Once we had said our goodbyes I had returned to the Mandala House, I skipped and laughed and and a wonderful time as I got to know my the remainder of my new friends.
The lessons were concluded with a circle waltz that made me giddy from excitement; the time for impressions was over and now I could let loose and have fun. The live band - which had been playing for the duration of the lessons - played one last song for those who wished to freestyle. I clapped along with the beat and the other onlookers as I watched the two experienced couples dance to the music. Barnabas and his mother had a definite flourish to their dance moves, and it was great fun to watch. Part way through the dance, for it was a very long song, Barnabas' mother left the stage. The boy, now without a partner, turned to the closest appropriate partner - which just so happened to be me.
Feeling extremely outmatched, I allowed him to pull me out onto the dance floor. In no time we were spinning and dancing and having fun all over again. Unsurprisingly, Barnabas turned out to be a great lead; though I still made a great number of amateur mistakes. I was soon out of breath, and we parted so that he could bring another onlooker into the haze. All the dancing had made me, and many of the others, very hot. So once the dance had been officially concluded we all went down to the lake for a swim.
The water was cool and refreshing, and I even managed to jump into one of the floating tubes. After some swimming and socializing, I was able to get my hands on one of the two kayaks before everyone decided to swim further out to a sand bank. I watched from my kayak as the other Fellows played water games, and I joined into a great many conversations.
By the time we got back to shore, the sun had long set and the families had gone back to their hotels or rooms for the night. A beautiful woman with short dark-gray curls came down to us when we got out of the lake and were drying off. I recognized her as the founder of Mandala and Classical Conversations, Mrs. Leigh Bortins. Her sweet voice trilled as she told us where she kept the extra chairs and instructed some of us to find matches to use to light the bonfire. Soon enough there was a circle of chairs and Fellows surrounding the fire pit, within it a raging inferno of logs, sticks, and browned leaves blazed up and warmed our still damp swim suits.
I poked at the flames with a rather long branch while talking with my neighbors and villa mates. A girl with curly ginger hair I knew was named Elizabeth and a very tall boy named Seth were talking about shows as another boy admitted that someone had switched the couch they had with another one. Upon reflection, I realized that all of my worries were without need. Everyone I had met was very passive, and was excited about the upcoming months of learning and working. There was a feeling of intimacy from being surrounded by my peers who I knew to be like-minded to me both in faith and in desire to learn.
In the morning there was to be a meeting at the Mandala House, and so after writing down all the happenings of the day, I tried my best to get some sleep. As I lay in my bed that night, having unpacked all of my belongings, I realized that in my heart I felt an understanding bloom that Mandala was exactly where I was supposed to be. At that moment, my new house in Villa 125 became my new.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
The Essence of Mandala
Good morning, afternoon, or evening everyone! My name is Gracsyn Prevette, and I am part of the Publicity and Editing Team here at the Mandala Fellowship, a branch off of the Classical Conversations community. Basically, I have been assigned the job of keeping our family, friends, community, and online readers up to date with the happenings of the Mandala Fellowship.
For those of you who are new to the Mandala Fellowship, welcome! We are a community of select High School Graduates who seek to learn more about maths, music, and the world around us. Many of us have been involved in the Classical Conversations community, though there are a few of our number who have never taken a course from the Classical Conversations curriculum. Nevertheless, we have all gathered under the influence of Leigh Bortins, founder of Classical Conversations, and Caleb Skogen, the music instructor and administrator of Mandala. The nineteen students have each been assigned to one of five villas, which we are to run and maintain during our time as Mandala Students. Together, we are a body of christian young adults who are excitedly anticipating the adventures and experiences we will share as part of the Mandala Fellowship.
Now that you have the basic idea of who we are, I am going to dedicate my blog to giving my readers insight into the lives of the students. Be it outstanding conversations mentioned in our morning devotions, mind-blowing mathematical insights bequeathed from our daily math lessons, honorable mentions from one of our frequent music jam sessions, or thoughtful comments impressed into our minds from our star-gazing studies; I hope to give readers a full view of the lives and experiences of the Students of Mandala. Beyond the classroom, each student has been given a job position which they are to fulfill; upon these I will also write. However, the most predominate passage theme you will find in my blog will be derived from neither the classroom nor the business, but will be based on the activities we as individuals choose to spend our free time on. I hope to comfort parents by expressing the wholesomeness of our choices, as well as wet the appetite of future Mandala generations with the anticipation of the freedoms we are entrusted with.
In all truthfulness, this blog will greatly resemble a journal regarding the daily events of the students of the Mandala Fellowship. It is my hope that these entries will be a comfort to parents, an informant to friends and the community, and an inspiration to the upcoming generations. We are a unified proof that there are still youth in America who truly wish to acquire understanding and life experiences, rather than fitting into the mold set before us. With the support from our families and community, the guidance from our superiors, the counsel of our peers, and the relationships we are building each day, the Students of Mandala will be able to accomplish any goal set before us.
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