Long Term Volunteers – New Arrivals in June 2012
In early June 2012, a group of 21 new volunteers from 10 countries arrived at FSL- India for long-term volunteering program. FSL-India organised a week-long orientation for volunteers in Bangalore and Kundapur. While sixteen volunteers participated in the orientation in Bangalore five of them were given orientation at Kundapur. The orientation was scheduled from 4th to 8th June 2012.
As the orientation commenced, volunteers were welcomed by FSL-India team with garlands of jasmine, vermilion tilak marks on the forehead and Aarathi. Sessions were facilitated to give input on various topics. Introduction about FSL-India and its work, Indian life style, roles and responsibilities of the volunteers, expectations and fears among the volunteers, setting up aims and objectives and conflict management were the major topics dealt with. Volunteers had the opportunity to learn Kannada Language and during evening hour sessions were organised to introduce them on Indian culture. They visited few projects and interacted with the local community as part of inter-cultural learning and experience sharing.
During the orientation volunteers were asked to write a self-addressed letter to make comparative analysis between how the situation was in the beginning and how it could be when they accomplish their assignments. Host Family Tea Party, Project introduction and project visit were organised during the orientation. Final Talk was also organised to share their thoughts with the staff. Following is the brief description of volunteers’ profile:
- Carole Marbach from Belgium
- Kamila Francova from Czech Republic
- Anna Johanidesova from Czech Republic
- Yliam Laguenani from France
- Clémence Dangé from France
- Erika Damour from France
- Malin from Sweden
- Paul Ruelle from France
- David Mesplede from France
- María Jose de la Pena from Mexico
- Thibault Huet from France
- Maxime Moulin from France
- Joris Roy from France
- Ayana Kato from Japan
- Kerstin Mayer from Germany
- Keng Ieong Cheng from Hong Kong
- Marine Wambergue from France
- Yvain Ramousse from France
- Guillaume Audard from France
- Nouschka Veerman from The Netherlands
- Anastasia Bekezina from Russia
To view the video footage on welcoming the volunteers in Bangalore click on the following web-link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM5U2oXAUb8