Time management

W7 – taking my time

The past week, I have been driving a lot between Vegetarium and Svoge to take care of errands with people from the community. The road from here to Svoge is about 10km and with the car I like to reserve an hour for the drive. Sometimes we stop on the way to feed dogs, sometimes there is another car parked on the road, sometimes the road is a bit muddier and bumpier. I like the concept of taking enough time for the possible troubles ahead and not stressing about making it in time. With the bumpy roads, it is important to drive slowly. Being in a hurry created unnecessary stress for the car and, of course, for the people.

Living in a community with people from different cultures has made me more flexible with timetables and scheduling. Usually I am on time, I am scheduled and organized, but here I have had to let go and give more space to sudden changes. Now there have even been times when I am a little late, because I know others will be too. All this comes down to adjusting to the surrounding environment and the lifestyle. I do appreciate when timetables are more relaxed, as it creates general ease among the community. I also appreciate the daily schedule here, where you can adjust your responsibilities according to your own schedule. The days flow naturally. I think when I go back home I will go back to my punctuality, but with a bit more relaxed take.

For the next week I will be travelling with another volunteer, as we go to Northern Macedonia. More about that later!

-Inka