Hi! My name is Lara from Germany….. Since August 2016,I am in India to do a social service for nine months.

I am working at the Chethana Special School in Karkala. It is a very small school for children with special needs. There are around 40 students from the age of 5 to 25. All of them have different disabilities so we try to attend to them individually. In the morning we do yoga with all the children. After that I play games or do some crafts with them most of the time. During the lunch break I help to feed them. The children are very lovely!

I live with a Christian host family near my working place. We live in a very clean and nice house. I live there together with my host parents, my two elder host sisters, two cats, two baby dogs and lots of cows. My host mother does the best chai I ever had in India. Karkala is a small village so it is very silent.It is a really nice place and I enjoy my time here. I made lots of good experience with my host family. Especially Christmas was a new experience for me. All the family members came to our house. We prayed together and had delicious Indian food. Next to us a Christmas tree out of plastic. I will never forget this Christmas.

So far I have experienced India as a very colorful, traditional and safe country. I look forward to have three more wonderful months here.