Ideaplants

By the end of 2005 the Stationswerf community living in the old storage house included more than 15 volunteers from different parts of the world that had initiated several projects (including children playing groups, regular networking meetings of a local self sufficiency networks and project development initiatives, art courses, cooperative games, design workshops & planning of an entire neighbourhood based on the Werf principle, events for local school classes, etc.). On the 4th of December a fire broke out in the complex were the community lived. Since there was no permission for some of the buildings of the complex and security standards were not met by the constructions, the city government decided to tare down parts of the buildings. Although the original project continued and was completed in summer 2006 and some of the above mentioned initiatives are run until today (Care4Real), the Stationswerf community had to leave the buildings and due to a lack of living space individual volunteers had to leave the project.

Below a number of interviews with the volunteers that had to leave the farm:

C. USA:
What were you looking for when you came here and what did you find?
A cross of cultures, a cross of languages and the harmony that happens when people meet from all around the world. Ever have there been some weird people that were just so
close to being crazy that it was perfectly genius. These people from all over the world, that have come and gone, brought just a little taste of the rest of the world here. They are coming together to form a community and to create a unique culture.

What has happened here in the last days?
Everyone is torn apart. But now that we have spend so much time building on our relationships, building on this community and building structurally, it is still going to resonate and everyone is going to take this part of the Stationswerf with them – wherever they go.

What will happen in the future and what have you learned?
We are all from around the world and we going to take this around the world with us so that the idea will be growing somewhere as a seed. These kind of things are going to
continue, to explode and they will be created again. The result may not be what everyone has in mind. It will be not what we want but what we need at the time.
2. M. (USA)
What were you looking for when you came here and what did you find?
I had no expectations when I came here. I was completely surprised from the first day and I asked myself: How can this be possible? It always had this surreal feeling for me.
Especially now where everything that is happening feels like a dream. I have learned a lot here. I’ve learned living with people that were honest to their emotions. It was a very strong community and this group dynamic has been really amazing. I’ve personally learned a lot about balancing my needs and the needs of others.

What has happened here in the last days?
This people are the creation that matters. It’s like a really good movie. Don’t know how it
will end, but it is a good movie.

What will happen in the future and what have you learned?
Going to the authorities first before they come to us. Because we were really not trying to do anything illegal. We were really just trying to stay warm and really just trying to cook dinner. Create more community outreach to make it not an ‘us versus them’ but an ‘us’ project.

3. J. (Poland)
What were you looking for when you came here and what did you find?
I found this place by accident. I was a student looking for work. Another way of living, a family. I found work, not for money but for the fun of doing it. That was what I believed in. We wanted to show the life that we were practicing here. Living in line with your ideals and not against them – as ecological as possible while sharing responsibilities. Besides, as I am a single child, this was the perfect opportunity for me personally to learn how to live in a group.

What has happened here in the last days?
From a happy living community within only three days we have been made homeless
refugees. We were finishing building our own infrastructure and starting to share it. We
have invited people over for dinner and other events without charging them. However,
this town rejected us in a way which is a loss for both sides.

What will happen in the future and what have you learned?
The way of life has not been destroyed by the bulldozers and we can take that with us.

4. P.2 (Holland)

What were you looking for when you came here and what did you find?
I was looking for stability. An active community. I wanted to find my own drive; to inspire people and to get inspired. I came here and saw that there was something blooming. I felt that people were actively intending to create a space for themselves. A place where you cannot just put un the stove to heat up water but where you have to consciously cut wood. This makes you appreciate every cup of tea in a different way.

What has happened here in the last days?
We try to find our own way of being ecological. We create new things. In this world you have to throw away things because standards are too high. This was a step towards creating an even bigger space. We didn’t calculate the risks properly. We will do that the next time.

What will happen in the future and what have you learned?
We want to create an eco-village that is totally independent. We won’t let each other go. That is simply impossible. The bulldozers won’t break our bonding.

5. R. (Holland)

What were you looking for when you came here and what did you find?

I came here with the wish to find people to create a space for freedom with. What I found were people that are ready for living this freedom and fighting for it. We are busy with what we find important and that is the essence of freedom. We have explored how it is possible to create this freedom by creating the physical and social space people need. There is also a positive focus on group process: People here are looking for what they have in common and give personal meaning to these goals. We share emotions and thoughts to create meaning between people. When you live in one space with others, there is a natural need in understanding each other. It is not visible for everyone how normal it is to be together with the idea of a interactive process. I see this process as a societal trend that is evolving in many different places. If you can see each other you can understand and deal with each other. What is here is not happening in most parts of the world.