We had no clue how to build a place from scratch. We did get help from the old-timers, the pioneers, in that sense it went quite ok. Only that money issue always: “No money in Auroville!”. Barter was ok, but the only thing we had to barter with was money. And we were so obedient, we didn't dare to speak up.
But Jacques helped us with the bore-well. Sundays were off, but I agreed with Günther that we had to agree to a payment with Jacques.
I can still see it vividly: Monday morning I had called Jacques, but he ran straight to the well and threw all the pipes that needed to be drilled into the ground into the well, because we hadn't paid him yet.
It almost completely ruined our water well, special Tamil experts needed a week to get the pipes back out. And we would get a huge scolding from the whole pioneer gang.
But I was done with the whole schizophrenic situation around money. Nobody knew how to deal with that “No money in Auroville” sentence.
I wasn't planning on going mentally disturbed: either you make it work without money, or we talk openly about the fact that we can't do without it yet.
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