On the 2^nd of September 2018, I moved from India to Germany for the
 Weltwärts volunteer program, facilitated by FSL-India. I was excited like everybody else, as this was a huge transition in every way.

The last 3 ½  months in the city of Berlin has given me many fresh experiences I will never forget.

My host organisation IJGD has been such a great support over the last few months. From the first day at the airport till we got to our projects and our host families and every day in the project, or just out in the city has been quite an experience.

The city of Berlin very international as it has people from all over the world, and meeting new people from many different backgrounds has been the most exciting thing over the last few months. The best part of living in an international city is that it has a little bit of all cultures. Even when it comes to food, there are Indian stores in so many places. This really makes me happy ‘cause I don’t miss Indian food as much as I thought I would.

The one thing that I have learnt over the last few months in my project is to be available whenever there is a need. There were times when the project got hectic, or when I was pushed out of my comfort zone to do things that I didn’t want to do. However, these experiences have made me understand it is important to be available where there is need and to do things that are difficult. However, if things are getting bad, I have been told to be strong and voice out my opinion.

Now talking about my host family, I think I have been blessed with a really caring and loving family. I live in a place called Schlactensee, which is by the lake. Moving from a crowded city to a very relaxing corner of the Berlin city is one of the best things that has happened to me. My family always makes sure I feel at home. I enjoy having conversations with them about India and also about life in Berlin, the social situation and a lot of other things.

I have also noticed that there are so many social issues that are crippling the city here. Although the problems that I witness here are very different from what I see back home, I have realized that there are issues such as racism, poverty, abuse and much more. Some of these issues have been quite personal, while some are issues that I have observed around me.

As a volunteer, I am glad that I am able to contribute to a place where there is a real need for help. The one thing I have learnt is to be more open-minded to people from different cultures, and to be confident and speak up when I have to. Thank you, FSL-India for giving me this wonderful opportunity.