Life in a commune

[waysider]

I have thought for a while, how, for many of us, our lives were impacted by communal living. For many of us who were involved in programs such as Way Corps, Fellowlaborers, Way Home, WOW,Minuteman, etc., a big part of what may have made a lasting impression on us was the fact that we lived, to varied degrees, a lifestyle that was essentially a "commune".

Not the Hollywood version of flower power, drugs and freewheeling "do your own thing", but the very real, textbook version of a "service" commune, dedicated to a unified mission.

For those who did not experience this aspect of TWI, please jump in and comment or ask questions or it's liable to get boring pretty fast.

My personal brush with the "commune" aspect of TWI came as a Fellowlaborer, an experience I may share in due time.

Any questions, comments or snide remarks will be welcomed at this time.

OK----Try to go a little easy on the snide remarks.

[dmiller]

I've been in four *communal living* situations. Two in twi, and two pre-twi.

(Maybe that's why I like living alone now)!

[excathedra]

the guy who took my new bath towels to clean his car engine really ....ed me off

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[Watered Garden]

If I'd known FLO was what it was in advance, I'd never have shown up! I always found it interesting that everything I owned immediately became communal property, however, everything that others owned was theirs, dammit, and keep your mitts off. Like the chick who "borrowed" a pair of silver and turquoise bracelets that had been courting gifts from my father to my mother, then kept fthem or weeks, locked in her car in plain view, but was "too busy" to get them for me, until I simply blew up, and said, "You get them now or I break into your car."

No privacy. Four girls in the bathroom at one time, a requirement of the house leader. One in the shower, one brushing her teeth, one doing hair/makeup, and one, well, you know! And four girls always used MY hair dryer. No. 5 had her own, and kept it to herself. Of course, mine broke down fairly quickly and I was selfish and hateful with the replacement and told the three (longhaired of course) to get their own dryers!

However, one thing I got out of Fellowlaborers makes it all worth it! My extremely wonderful husband of almost 30 years!

WG

Edited March 23, 2007 by Watered Garden

[SafariVista]

Four strangers, two guys, two girls heading to the airport from an Ohio corn field on a steamy August night... flying to Hawaii.... what was I thinking? We had a dick-tater corps guy, a sweet corp guy (who always like to take a different route each time.. hehe), and two of us women....(we’re still best friends)

Very strange year.... the Local Hawaiians couldn't figure us out.... our landlord thought we were two married couples During ‘witnessing’ outings, I seemed to get myself into 'odd' situations, witnessing drug busts in the sugarcane fields, walking & getting lost - stumbling across cock fights.

The daily ‘routine’ was okay, the house always had some type of LARGE insect, spider & gecko in it… the flowers & plants were WONDERFUL though!!!!!

I do remember groceries being the same week after week... NOT very nutritious! The local fruit was nice, fresh off the trees. The 'rule' I heard was if the fruit hung over the property fence, it was okay to help yourself... so at least we could find some nutrition while walking to the bus stops

The only one that seemed to think we should ‘share’ everything was that one corps guy… this included money, stuff & our bodies/affection~ Glad to say, I was NOT convinced on all points~ now... if we would have had that other family coordinator ....

Oh well.....