Volunteerism is the heart of FSL-India’s development effort to promote field services and inter-cultural learning. As usual every month new volunteers across the world joined FSL-India in September 2012. FSL-India received 29 volunteers from six countries for volunteering service. FSL-India organised a week-long orientation for the new volunteers at Hotel Julie-Yo International, Kundapur from 3^rd to 8^th September 2012. The LTV Program Team Members of FSL-India such as Vaz, Aravind, Deepak, Immanuel, Daya, Nagoor, Godfrey, Anupama, Rubini, Stephen and Nagarathna facilitated the orientation under the leadership of Assistant Director and the Deputy Director.

 

The orientation sessions included theoretical input, group activities, field visits and excursion. On the first day all the volunteers visited the town and later in the evening, volunteers participated in henna session. They appreciated the beautiful design made by the local henna artists. The second day began with welcoming ceremony.  Volunteers were welcomed with application of Kumkum and Turmeric paste on forehead. They were received with garlands and Aarathi as a symbolic gesture of enlightenment. The significance of “Athithi Devo Bhava” was explained to volunteers during the welcome ceremony.

 

During the orientation evening activities were organised to facilitate inter-cultural learning. On Wednesday all volunteers had their country presentation at St Joseph’s Hostel for destitute children. Volunteers also participated in Cultural Event organised by JCI of Kundapur. Through variety of events volunteers exhibited their talents and performed on the stage. Volunteers sang songs with Guitar and Flute, showed different types of juggling, performed dance and played a small skit about the importance of saving environment. The rousing local spectators appreciated volunteers for their performance and participation in various events.

 

As part of the learning and sharing exercise, tea-party was hosted at three Host Families. Volunteers visited in three groups to observe a bit the living conditions of local people. They discussed with host families about some basic family norms of living.