We – Maxim, Fabio and I – were taken by Praveen, his wife Veena and their six years old son Om. Praveen picked us up at our hostel where we stayed a night after our travel from Kundapur to Bangalore.

Already on the way to our “new home” Praveen broke the ice by giving us information about Bangalore and our district. Of course we couldn’t memorize everything, but some parts were really useful. All in all the first contact was funny and nice!!

Our new home is in a calm and green area in Shakar Nagar near Kodegehalli with good connection to the city centre and the rest of Bangalore. But some streets cross you see that the district is as bigger as you thought. Plenty of parks and shops. Juice bars, ATMs and many restaurants!!

Our flat has two rooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a nice living room with a TV and on the opposite of it is a comfortable couch. Here we sit often for lunch and dinner, for watching TV or just talking and relaxing.

We decided that we have one single room, downstairs in the flat and a double room upstairs on the roof. There is our third room with bathroom where two of us stay. We change the rooms every month, so everyone has the chance of privacy this year.

All in all it looks down to earth, neither luxury nor poverty. My first impression was so normal… somehow disappointing that’s SO normal.

But so normal wasn’t the start. The whole family was very solemnly dressed and as if they would go out. They went out. Praveen told us to stay in our room und take a rest and that they go outside now.

We weren’t worried and relaxing, watching movies and playing cards. We had some snacks, fruits and water… But after 8 hours sitting in the living room we were really hungry and were wondering when they come back. But finally they returned… WITH FOOD! Our first dinner with our family was quite good. The Indian food was so delicious and our first conversations with our whole family were kind and funny. We ate different types of rice, with Samba and Chapatti/Dosa.
So we could go to bed for our first night satisfied!

When I sum up our first contact I must say it was so normal, that it was abnormal again. Because who would expect that a family entrust three strange volunteers their home for 8/9 hours??!! From the beginning we could trust each other. And from the beginning I feel good, and it is still the case!

“You want to be part of this family? OK! Come, sit and enjoy!” So you can describe it.

Just some explications and declarations about the chores we have and here we are!

Part of an Indian family!