The beginning:My India adventure started with an orientation week in Bangalore and Mysore. There I got my first impression of Indian’s big cities. I found the first week as very stressful and exhausting.

Therefore it was even nicer to reach my host family in Kundapur after that week. I was warmly welcomed by my host mother and sister and also by my roommate.

My project: I worked 15 weeks in a kindergarten with 15- 30 children, who were between 3-6 years young. They were teached and looked after by 2 teachers and 2 volunteers. Even though I had such a nice time there, it wasn’t always easy. Although I had a lot of experience at taking care of children in a kindergarten, I often reached my limits. Mostly the problem was to find activities, in which all or most children could take part. Additionally the lack of space was a problem. Also how the teacher handled or teached the children isn’t easy to get used to. Despite all those sometimes smaller or bigger problems it was a very nice time there. The children and I always had a lot of fun with each other. We sang together, painted, “read” books, played and laughed. I had the chance to gainabilities like serenity and improvisation. The time I spend in my project proved to me that I chose the right job. I’m looking forward to get right into my work at home in Germany.

India: different culture, other mentalities and different ways of livings

India in 4 words: adventurous, chaotic, wonderful and diverse

Adventurous: “Why not?!” This is the sentence which went through my mind so many times in the last 4 months. Don’t think too long and get going. Whether to jump from a cliff into water or the first bus ride alone. Everything was new and exciting.

Wonderful: Who travels through India will soon realize that there is always an “extra layer of icing on the cake” than we are used to in Germany or Europe. There are for example fish swimming in the Christmas crib at the church or it feels like my teeth are melting because the one or other sweet was just too sweet for me

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Diversity:You can see this especially in the nature. On the one side there are mountains, tea plantations, deserts and fields and on the other side the ocean, the beach, waterfalls and jungle.

Chaotic: It does happen sometimes that you just don’t know what to think and you can just shake your head and say: “typical India!” Around one month we couldn’t get our money from our bank accounts, because all 500 and 1000 notes were made unworthy by the government and the bank suddenly did not have any money anymore left.

Not to forget the people who live here. Most of the time they treated me in such a friendly and open hearted way, which makes me want to pack them in my bag and take them home. There is for example this little book store at the street and the owner greets me so happily every time I pass him since I bought books there. Or my bus driver, who always grins at me, when I enter his bus or the lady who sits beside me and questions me about everything I do here. The people showed me that you don’t have to live in a stubborn way beside each other and that you should keep your eyes open for new, interesting and nice acquaintances. And all of this and even more makes India such a fascinating country to me. I would have never thought, that 4 months cam pass so fast and I am glad that I can spend another exciting an adventurous month in India, in which I can carry on exploring this wonderful, diverse and impressive country with two people, who I found really good friends in.

Thank you for that!

Ronja Minnieur— Germany