Annelie, a long-term volunteer (LTV) from Germany has been teaching at our Model Village Project since August 2013. With three more months to go, she writes to us about her experiences so far.

    “First of all living with a Indian family is the most exciting way to get to know to the Indian culture. Of course it depends on the family, their background and their surrounding but it will be your once in a lifetime chance to experience another country like that.

      You will get to know each other and you will share your knowledge. The headline is: intercultural learning and intercultural exchange. It will be totally different than discovering a country as a tourist.

       In my host family is a pleasant and amicable atmosphere. I felt comfortable from the very first moment. I understood immediately that my family is highly interested in me, my country, my culture and my language. My host father is motivated to learn some expressions in my language and he is already able to say good night in my mother tongue. Furthermore we spend time together in the kitchen. Like we are interested in the Indian food once we come to India, my family wants to taste the German dishes as well. I already cooked a few times for them and they were very happy about it. But the biggest smile appears on their faces when my mother sends some German sweets to us!

      Although we just have limited time together (because at work and outgoing on the weekends) we enjoy it and always try to make the best out of it. We play chess together, watch Indian daily soaps and English movies and we talk about our work and the activities on the weekends.

My host mother is very caring. Everyday she is treating me like a second child, cooks for me, accompanies me to the doctor, goes shopping with me and introduces me to her friends. It is nice to feel accepted and included into their everyday life.

     Now since my room mate left I started to go to a dance school two times a week which is a good opportunity to meet some new people and just have fun. In the beginning everybody was shy to speak with me and even for me it was not easy to go there alone but now we make fun with each other and can freely talk. Besides my host family and my project, the danceschool is another big and important part for me in India. I enjoy having a hobby especially since I am not able to continue the hobbies here which I normally have in Germany.”