India

Indian Fun

Submitted by AshB on 13 August 2011 - 5:06pm

Fun timesWell I have two weeks left and I feel like Ive literally just settled in!! Haha I haven't taken to the food here but I have fallen in love with the people! I am living in a nice area in Dehra Dun where the people are so welcoming and so inviting. I need a diary to plan the amount of dinners and eventsI have been invited to!! Its amazing. Indians have a fantastic sense of hospitality. It's a very inviting and friendly culture.

India is like a snake! One point is so far into the future and the other is so far behind!

Submitted by AshB on 27 July 2011 - 4:11pm

Aisling, children and Teachers in Dehra dunToday I got great news! By the end of this weekend I’ll be moving in with an English girl! I am currently living with Mr & Ms Kumar, they are an amazing elderly couple. Although I have been missing the company of my own age!! I literally am so excited ha as I think it will be brilliant or I suppose we could kill each other! The room is tiny; it’s so small so we are definitely going to be living on top of each other!!!

Indian Reality- Here we go!

Submitted by AshB on 14 July 2011 - 1:18pm

Wow I have learnt so much already! It has been an incredible opportunity! The Hindu religion is fascinating and inspiring, it is a peaceful religion. I find the emphasis they place on family is something us westerns should learn from. Being in India has made me realise the importance of family, taking care of each other and helping each other. I don’t think Western society value family enough. I don’t think we are told enough to continue to work at our relationships, to do everything in your power to try make a family work.

Sara McMurry returns to Rajasthan in India for another 8 weeks - +30 programme

My experience of volunteering in Rajasthan in 2010 made me want to return, and so towards the wnd of January this year I found myself once again in Jaipur, where the host organisation have their headquaters.

Volunteering on an individual programme in New Delhi, Aedin Clynes

 Living and volunteering in India was the best experience of my life so far. It was exciting, rewarding, eye-opening, vibrant, fun and challenging....

"I love India", Aedin Clynes writes after two weeks in India - Individual Programme

Although the work in the school is physically tiring and emotionally draining, I'm really enjoying every minute of it. It can be difficult to discipline the children, as they see foreign volunteers more as their friends than teachers. But I'm working on it! And I can see they're making progress already.

May 1st - Food Glorious Food - Bread, Potatoes and RICE

Continuing away at work with the special needs children at their school in camp. it is great to be working regularly with the same kids and building up a good relationship with them. They are really beautiful kids and each have their own distinctive and strong personalities and it is a pleasure working with them every day. Unfortunately in Indian society there is a big stigma attached to these kids as they are not viewed a 'Normal'(Anyone can tell me what defines Normality I'd love to know). so it is very important that we give them a loving environment and build up their self esteem and develop their life skills.

April 21 – Himachal Volunteer Camp: Same Same, but different

I am now based in a volunteer camp in the village of sungal a few miles outside the town of Palampur in Himachal Pradesh in northern India. it couldn't be more different than the previous area i was based in. it is like a different country. Like I have said on many occasions this is a country full of many contradictions and the differences between these two areas is a big one. The landscape, infrastructure, housing, people etc are all so different it is amazing. But yet in many aspects the underlying problems in India exist just as much here too. SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT

March 25 – Rajasthan Volunteer Camp: The Maradonna of India

its important that we pay particular attention to the girls and make them feel as important as the boys as this is not often regarded as the case and many are pulled out of school at a very young age. some of the stories you hear about the treatment of women in some sections of society here would frighten you.