When I first heard about Outbound through FSL-India, it was the most exciting feeling I had in a while. It is hard to believe that it has been a year since we first started the process of coming here to Germany. 

From the time we set foot into this country up until this point, it has so far been an amazing journey of self-discovery, learning and also enjoying what Germany has to offer. I currently work in a kindergarten for children with special needs. Every day is a new experience ranging from taking care of children, going for small outings, kitchen work and a lot more. The kindergarten has four groups each with two educators and also volunteers. It has an in-house gym for physiotherapy, speech therapy and also an in-house psychologist who works with the group educators to help the children develop certain skills before they enter the school system. Swimming and horse riding are also a part of the physiotherapy that the children can take part in. 

Since our organization is based on working with people with disabilities, there has been a lot of learning to pick up along the way. Using German sign language as a form of communication is something that has been introduced to me during this time. It is safe to say that there is a stark difference between working with adults and children. Working with children has made me develop more patience and more understanding and comprehension of a child’s needs when working with them. 

We are usually a total of 5 volunteers within the kindergarten. Our responsibilities range from preparation of the classes and the food to taking care of the children. We spend most of our days playing with the children, most of the games involve helping them with activities needed for motor and cognitive development. 

Apart from all the work, there is a sense of something new every month. Living with others from different countries has really helped me expand my outlook, learn about more cultures and see the little differences that people from different places have. Sometimes it is not always rainbows and sunshine and there are times when it is absolutely frustrating. Language can be a big barrier and I am lucky to be in a place where no dialect is used. As a non-native speaker, there are times when something you learned in class is not something used in everyday life. My friends are very open to helping and I ask them questions about the language any chance that I get. 

For the past few months, traveling has been really fun. With the Deutschland ticket it is possible to use all forms of regional and local transport without paying extra. This has helped us a lot in exploring new places. All in all, there has been lots of changes that I have welcomed with open arms, some a bit more difficult than others but if I’m being honest, every single moment is a moment I cherish. 

It has been fun building a web of support from co-workers and other volunteers who have welcomed me and have helped me understand a new culture and also helped me develop a better understanding of the German language. In the four months that we have been here, I have become much more confident in using German as we speak only in German at work. 

If there is one part of my life here that I could talk about for the years to come, it would be the friends that turned to family. The ones who have seen my lowest and helped me and seen my best and hyped me up. Truly blessed to have met a group of likeminded but totally different people through AFS and FSL-India who have been the most supportive people in my life. I have so much gratitude for this opportunity and will forever be grateful for the chance of being here at this moment. 

Lalrinpuii Silvera