MODEL

 

On the occasion of 10th Session of virtual meet #berhampurparkbench let me share with everyone my take on the initiative.

Arjun was the last person I physically met among our friends before lockdown. On 15th March evening, we both spent a few hours driving through Christian Hospital, Railway Station and Aska Road. By that time I was well aware about the pandemic and explained him about a possible grim future.

All you know that soon after retirement in 2015, I am maintaining physical and social distance as a part of my personally designed aging process. I never forecasted a pandemic, but the new norms did not affect me much as I was living isolated and engaged with my creative pursuit on virtual platforms .

Arjun telephoned me on 10th June morning, about 3 months after we met on physical situation. By that time I read that virtual meets are trending-in and WhatsApp introduced group call for 8 participants. I told Arjun that I will make a video call for a lengthy talk. We fixed the noon time once we complete our daily routine.

I neither have a smart phone nor habituated with video calls. I took my wife’s mobile, had a YouTube tutorial and called Arjun, Promod and Udaya. That was the first session which lasted about half an-hour. Everybody was happy.

Promod called me on 11th June morning and told that Udaya had a call the previous evening and proposed for another video call by 12.30 in the noon. I called again and the second session included Tripati and Babun for short time each as fourth participant.

Though the facility for a group call for 8 participants was introduced in WhatsApp by then, I could not manage for a few sessions and limited to 4 as my app was not updated. Once it was updated I could connect to 8 persons and Sarat, Budha, SP were included.

I selected a nomenclature for the group and SP provided a photograph of Gandhi Park of Berhampur as the icon. Each meet is announced at least one day in advance seeking confirmation for participation among the empanelled members of the group.

The first call was organized on Wednesday by 12.30 PM and the meet continues as mid-week mid-day affair. We could learn a few etiquettes during the run. First, connect to those who confirm to meet, and do not disturb others in the group who are otherwise busy or not interested. Second, better to take the call on the scheduled time from beginning. Third, do not make or entertain secondary calls during the primary call from the same instrument. These few learnings help to make a meet enjoyable for everyone.     

Since the pandemic has entered Sixth month in India and Eight in international level and expected to last for an uncertain future, physicians are emphasizing to take care of the mental health seriously and recommend virtual meets with friends.

Our model of operating a group video conference in WhatsApp evolved through practice of several sessions. It stands apart from other forms of group communication among old friends living in different cities who once regularly used to spend evenings at park benches in their younger days.  

Pradeep Mahapatra, (5th August 2020)

Comments

  1. Pradeep MahapatraAugust 24, 2020 at 10:17 PM

    RELEVANCE OF PRIOR NOTIFICATION & CONFORMATION

    The model evolved for #berhampurparkbench includes prior notification for every session of virtual meet by the WhatsApp group administrator and confirmation for participation by each group member. Though it appear a little bureaucratic, the practice is important for smooth conduct of the ‘group call’.

    First, notification about a session and scheduled timing makes all the group members alert about the forthcoming event. Some may be otherwise busy during the notified time and some other may not be interested for engagement due to personal reasons, such as feeling low, consider burdensome to bear the idea for spending a hour just gossiping amidst a crowed etc., One can ignore the notification and keep away from group call rings.

    Second, confirmation is needed because when the administrator knows that somebody has confirmed for participation, he will try to connect and reconnect him. India ranks low in internet connectivity. Half of the times a video call may not get connected in one go. To repeat the effort for calling again and again the administrator should be at least sure that the receiver is not rejecting the call. Thus he may not mind taking repeated endiviours to connect.

    Pradeep Mahapatra (25th August 2020)

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