Mid-week Update on the Project!

As the project goes on, I am faced with more choices and more findings and more new ideas. Picking this week for the project made my project that much more interesting since it is Easter weekend and I left campus to go back home to Connecticut. So here we go down the list to learn about more of my failures...and successes at times.

Transportation: No more using the shuttle, I walked to CVS in Tenley! It was a nice walk and I enjoyed the weather! But.....Easter. At the beginning of this semester, I bought a ticket to go home for the weekend because Easter is widely celebrated throughout Ukraine as well as throughout our community here in U.S. Coming home included: a cab ride to Union Station at 3 am, a train ride up to CT, a car ride home from the station. The weekend is filled with "Go to that store and buy this...go there and get that." Escaping using the car is impossible!!! Especially preparing for Easter brunch. Although, I did find out some pretty cool stores around my house that are a walk-able distance away. Since the weather is nice, my friends and I enjoyed a nice walk around the neighborhood while doing some shopping. (Yes, shopping.)

Food: This is, surprisingly enough, is the easiest part of the experiment. The week before Easter is strict lent! So, ever since the experiment started, I only had meat one day therefore I am still on board with my project. I also found out some meat alternatives. For example, fruit salads are delicious especially when you make them yourself.

Consumerism: I broke the plastic rule in every way possible. I went Easter shopping while my mom did all the house work. And since a lot of our foods in the local supermarket come packaged in plastic, I ended up with a lot of plastic in trash. As I mentioned in my previous post, I was trying to limit the amount of trash. It is hard! I don't buy anything for myself that is in plastic or paper but I did end up having to buy plastic covered food for the Easter prep.

Technology: I learned that I can live without Facebook during the first half of the experiment! I only use my cell phone to call/text my parents or my friends to find out information that I need (convenience). But I don't use my laptop for more than three hours. Life is great! I have much more time to spend reading, writing and simply talking to my family.

Positive Impact: I did go to a meeting of a Russian Culture Club and weekly, I attend a Dialogue Development Group. I didn't have a chance to go to an event on campus but I am planning on attending one next week.

Health and Happiness: When I came home, I found one of my old journals that I used to write in. Going along with my goals of this project, I resumed writing in that journal. I write in Ukrainian so not only does it allow me to organize my thoughts but also I practice my Ukrainian so I don't forget how to write!

My project started out negative. I realized how much our society relies on using plastic, on technology, on driving. But as the project goes on and I make little adjustments to my life, it makes a big difference. I discover new things and I have more free time! This is great :)