Community is Everything
What do a ghostwriter, a public speaking coach, a software engineer, and a doctor have in common? Along with thirteen others, they committed to the one-year Teach For Nature Fellowship at Bhoomi College. Seventeen of us, diverse in temperaments, ages, professions, and places we call home, have come together with one mutual aspiration: to help children fall in love with nature.
There’s something about being at Bhoomi that dissolves the widely held belief that we are alone in our experiences. Here, you feel like an integral part of both the human community and the larger Earth community. You realise that you have plenty to offer and just as much to receive. You are both participant and contributor, shaping the collective experience.
In this spirit, during the first week of orientation, we co-created a set of first principles: guiding values that would support us in our journey over the next three and a half months. These principles would remind us to be more mindful in our relationships, the space we occupy, and the resources we share.
Some of us felt at home right away; others needed more time to explore the idea of belonging. Gradually, we began to connect over simple, shared joys: imitating bird calls, napping under the honge (Pongamia) tree, bonding over coffee, and playing throwball together in the evenings.
Our connections have deepened through Sankalan (deep, meaningful) conversations, shared laundry detergent, outbreaks of infectious laughter, and exploring the wonders of the natural world. A communal hot water bottle makes its rounds when someone is on their period. Delicious tropical fruits from home are joyfully distributed.
We help each other design brochures for school applications and act as sounding boards for lesson plans. We’ve come to know who cooks a delicious meal, who keeps a room full of natural treasures, and who to approach when we’re sick and in need of care, comfort, and solid medical advice.
Learning about climate change can feel overwhelming, but I’m grateful to not hold it alone: to have spaces where we can speak, hug, move, sing, and shake off the heaviness so we can keep showing up with care.
For me, one of the most meaningful aspects of this experience is the freedom to be completely myself. I can be playful, silly, contemplative, quiet, curious, brimming with emotion, and in need of solitude: all of it is welcome. I can walk barefoot without strange looks. I can speak my truth without the fear of disapproval. I'm gratefully soaking in the abundance of kindness, openness, and generosity that fills the space.
Cultivating a respectful relationship with the more-than-human community is an integral part of the Bhoomi experience: a plethora of species of trees, plants, animals, birds, and insects, both seen and unseen. As the rain descends, beings we didn’t even know we shared this space with are emerging from all directions!
Community care shows up in these relationships too, be it chalk circles drawn around cocoons on benches so they remain undisturbed or adventurous insects being gently escorted back outdoors so they can continue their brief but meaningful lives.
As curious observers, we are perpetually thrilled to watch the creatures around us go about their day: Pintu the hawk moth caterpillar, the barbet parents darting back and forth to feed their chicks, and the Gulmohar tree bursting into fiery red bloom. We often find ourselves looking up, down, closer, and inward all at once. A special mention to our in-house naturalist Rakesh, who enthusiastically guides our explorations and panders to our incessant stream of questions.
Our days are also infused with love and entertainment by the presence of other beings: Kutti, the shy cat, and Loli, the vocal one, and the gentle calves in the cowshed, eagerly waiting for some chin scratches.
With its ashram-like setting, Bhoomi encourages us to embrace self-responsibility. Each of us contributes to maintaining the space: cleaning our rooms, washing our plates, and making sure our learning areas are fresh and inviting. Our daily routine includes hands-on engagement through gardening, cooking, and cleaning, with roles rotating weekly so everyone participates in all aspects of communal life. What would normally be considered effortful becomes lighter and more joyful when done together.
The schedule ensures we learn from each other’s incredibly interesting experiences. It includes participant-led sessions and a safe and supportive environment to test out ideas with a group of eager guinea pigs. So far, we’ve had sessions ranging from foraging and forest bathing to stargazing, fiction writing, public speaking, marine biology, clay play, and nature art.
While community life may seem idyllic, it is not without its challenges. Termites function as a superorganism, but we carry our conditioning, habits, and expectations. These differences can manifest in various ways, such as dishes left unwashed in the sink, varying levels of energy and ability to contribute to shared tasks, and differing expectations when it comes to showing up. With the level of diversity we have, misunderstandings and conflicts are inevitable. All of these experiences teach us how to co-exist, communicate effectively, find creative solutions, and repair relationships healthily.
At Bhoomi, learning emerges not just through the classroom but also from the culture, the land, and the relationships we are part of. Bhoomi is a thriving, vibrant ecosystem for curiosity, reflection, and well-being, a serene haven for sensitive people like me.
To me, living at Bhoomi has reinforced the idea that community is everything. Many of us try to create wonderful things alone, but the work becomes more impactful, not to mention more joyful, when done together, in consideration of the larger Earth community. Whether it is cooking a meal, creating art, or imagining nature-friendly futures, community infuses the humdrum with joy and belonging.
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Shared by Rhea Rego,, Teach for Nature Fellow, 2026 Batch, Bengaluru, Karnataka