When our volunteers reach home after their rich experience, they are changed persons. They see life with a fresh eye. A part of the process of volunteering is writing about it and sharing the stories with many others. For many volunteers the time that they spend here in India has been transforming, for some educational and for some inspirational.

What follow these lines are true stories from people who have been here and made that connection with life which will carry on for a long time to come.

Come on Click below to read stories from the volunteers/interns:

Catrina Sofo, F, 21, Australia

I arrived in Delhi at the beginning of May 2007. On first impression India is a shock to the senses. All the colours, smells, noise and heat hit you at once and you can't help but feel a little overwhelmed. But after a few days you get used to it, and it becomes the charm that makes you fall in love with the country.

I only spent one night in Delhi and I caught a bus to Jaipur the very next day. I was met by Vinod Meena at a hotel he organised for me, and we had a chat about the volunteer placement. Over the next few days I explored the beautiful pink city, escorted by my own personal rickshaw driver. I saw some amazing temples, forts and palaces as well as some live traditional music, a dramatic Bollywood film and hours and hours of shopping up and down the gorgeous bazaar!

On about my fifth day, two other volunteers met up with Vinod and I, and together we drove through the crazy traffic to a beautiful little village called Virat Nagar where I would be spending the next few weeks. We arrived at Bal Ashram and were greeted with big, welcoming smiles from all the boys staying there. Bal Ashram is a rehabilitation centre for young boys who have been rescued from child labour. They spend about 6 months living at the Ashram on an education program to prepare them either for work or for further studies. They are amazing kids! Although they've had such traumatising experiences, they have a great attitude to life. They're always smiling, keen to learn and have a real passion for fighting for the freedom and protection of other child labourers.

The boys are on a pretty organised daily routine. They rise early for morning prayers, a bit of exercise and yoga before breakfast. The volunteers are free to get up whenever we like, but I found myself joining the boys most mornings, even if I was hopeless at yoga. After brekkie I would usually head to the library to prepare some things for class, and at around 10am the boys would come for their daily English class. All of us would teach together, using games, songs, worksheets and whatever else we could think of to keep them entertained and teach them as much as we could. They have such great energy and even though it can be a little bit of a challenge to keep them interested for 3 hours, it's an amazing feeling when they repeat something that you taught them.

Even though there is a great library with many teaching utensils, I think it would be useful to prepare and print off a few worksheets or at least have some basic ideas before coming to India. The children's level of English is beginner level. Most know only the colours, animals, emotions and some basic conversation but not much more. So the worksheets don't need to be too difficult, just a fun way to teach some basic words.

After the lunch the rest of the day is yours to do as you please. Most days I would join the boys in various activities, whether it was watching them jam in music class, joining in meditation or getting flour all over me rolling chapattis. There is always something going on, you just have to join in wherever you want and not be afraid to get your hands dirty.

Many afternoons we spent exploring the village. The locals were always excited to see us, especially the children. Many of them would follow us around, trying to speak to us in Hindi, laughing at our accents and marvelling at our clothes. We'd sit and drink freshly squeezed papaya juice, try out the local homemade sweets and shop around before returning to the Ashram. We were also lucky enough to see some local temples, one of which was thousands of years old atop a mountain with an amazing view of the village below.

After my first week there the other two volunteers and I decided to travel to Rishikesh for a week. We had a beautiful time chilling out by the Ganges. It was an amazing place, one that I definitely recommend going if you get the chance. It was great to be able to leave and explore whenever we wanted, but it was always so good returning to the boys' loud voices and big smiles.

I absolutely loved my time at Bal Ashram. It's a beautiful feeling to teach the kids whatever you can, and you find that when you leave, they've taught you many things as well. It's something you will never forget, seeing how people live in such a small, rural community. Making volunteering a part of my travels meant that I was fortunate enough to see such a big part of India that tourists rarely see. It makes you understand the country a bit more, to understand the people a bit better and to really appreciate the beautiful experience that India will give you!

Maria Loftus, F, 22 Y, Australia

My Experience at Bal Ashram

I arrived at Bal Ashram after three days of ‘prepping’ and orientation in Jaipur. During this time I’d been given a guided tour of the city, had Hindi lessons, seen traditional music and dancing shows, and been taught a bit about the economy and culture in India.

Set in the countryside and surrounded by mountains Bal Ashram (BA) is a haven in the hectic continent of India. It’s hidden somewhere between Delhi and Jaipur off a long and bumpy bus route near a tiny village called Virat Nagar. The location of this beautiful area definitely added to its charm and serenity.

The rehabilitation centre I lived and volunteered at is only for boys. These boys came from all walks of life around India and Nepal. The aim of BA is to provide a transitional place for them where they can live and learn together. There is a real sense of community in this place. Everyone works together, whether it’s for chores, preparing meals, or just to play cricket! There’s a lot of love and inclusion, and as volunteers we were also privileged enough to become part of this extended family.

I spent the Australian summer, but Indian winter in Bal Ashram. With a team of dedicated volunteers from a plethora of countries around the world we taught English to some of the boys at Bal Ashram, and also at a local school. We became a tight knit team pooling our ideas and strategies trying to help these children. In school I taught years 1, 2 and 3. My classroom was an area in the playground, a blackboard, and a chair. With 60-100 kids in this ‘class’ I found teaching quite a challenge. My Hindi was enormously stretched; and I spent a lot of time waring out my voice and constantly moving everyone around to avoid getting sun in their eyes. Each day was a challenge, and I had to constantly think on my toes, but I wouldn’t have changed the experience one little bit. I loved every minute of it! I was immensely challenged and as a result found that I learnt and grew so much as a person. Given quite liberal teaching restrictions I was able to use a lot of songs, simple rhymes, and fun activities. Teaching such a big group was quite a new experience as well. There’s nothing quite like having fifty pairs of big dark eyes looking up at you and giggling at your Hindi pronunciation!

Back at Bal Ashram cricket was without a doubt the most popular activity. The boys can just play and play and play, which for someone as un-coordinated as me meant I spent quite a lot of time fielding! We also helped around BA preparing chapatti bread for dinner in the kitchen, and joining in with yoga, morning sun prayers, and wobbling hilariously trying to imitate Indian Bollywood dancing! My favourite memories are of hanging out with the boys on warm winter days in the sun making things like find-a-words and windmills.

One of my highlights was when we managed to celebrate Christmas. With help from some Indian friends we found a Santa Clause costume. We stocked up on sweets, colouring books, and bracelets and Santa came to visit giving everyone a present. The party that followed was a hyperactive blur of games, dancing, and too much sugar!

Days off were spent exploring with the other volunteers, visiting sites such as Agra and Delhi; walking into the village for supplies of delicious homemade sweets, and exploring the nearby temples and mountains.

Bal Ashram is an absolutely amazing place. The people that work there genuinely care about, and are concerned for the boys. The boys themselves are selfless, giving young people who have come from sometimes impossible background situations. With help from the carers they are re-building their lives. This is being achieved through caring for their physical and emotional needs, and through education. I feel privileged that I was able to become part of their lives while I was in India. They have left a mark on me that will never be forgotten. It was a truly moving experience and I gained so much from it. I only hope that I was able to give as much back to them as they gave to me.

Maria Loftus
 

Tom Hambour,M,30Y, Australia

My name is Tom Hambour from Adelaide, Australia.I have been at Bal Ashram for 1 and a half months and will be very sad to leave. I have really enjoyed my time here and have made some friends for life. One of the boys (Suman) told me the other night that the children consider me more like one of them than a volunteer which made me happy. I did not realise how hard it would be to leave until today when it came time for me to say goodbye. One of the children started crying and it was quite emotional. The BBA movement are doing great things at Bal Ashram and even though I am leaving will still continue to help in any way I can.
I am not a vegetarian but have liked all the food, especially the experience of eating with my hands on the floor with the children. One of my highlights was spending the day with Shiv Kumar visiting the child friendly villages and meeting the village people. The children would follow us as we walked around the village meeting people and taking photo's.
I have also become close friends with the people who run the Jain Temple next door to Bal Ashram. The friendship began from my love of the Mountain Dew they sell from the fridge they recently purchased.
I will miss drinking chai with Dada Ji in the mornings, meditation with the children and most of all Ajun! I am definately looking forward to returning again someday.
As for Vinod, he has been a good friend to me and I always enjoy his company. I will always remember a quote Vinod told me one night. "Between yesterday's mistakes and tomorrow's hope, there is a fantastic oppourtunity called TODAY!"

I will miss you all very much.

Love always, Tom.
 

Kendra Williams,F,23Y,Canada

I came to India in February 2008 to complete a volunteer practicum requirement for my degree in International Development Studies. Prior to my arrival I contacted Vinod Meena through Volunteering India and he helped my friend and I set up a practicum with the Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultants Society (Cecoedecon), an impressive Indian NGO working in the areas of health, natural resource management, gender and child development. Vinod went out of his way to set everything up for us, and was wonderful about keeping us informed and up to date during the process.

We arrived in Jaipur and went straight to the guesthouse that Vinod booked for us; a relief to us both as we were tired from the journey and a little bit overwhelmed by everything around us. After allowing us some time to rest, Vinod came to meet us at the guesthouse and we talked for some time about Jaipur and our volunteer placement. Over the following days we were introduced to the city, had Hindi lessons with Vinod and went sightseeing with our very entertaining tour guide Ravi. During this time we also had an orientation which introduced us to the culture of India and some of the issues in the country.

On our third day in Jaipur we were taken to the head office of Cecoedecon, which was to be our home for the next three months. We met with our site supervisor and received some information to read about the activities of the organization. We were assigned to work within the Child Development Program and over the course of our internship we conducted two studies related to child work and child rights. The experience of planning and conducting research studies was entirely new for me and I learned so much through the process. The best part of the work, however, was simply being in the communities and interacting with the children and their parents. I was exposed to a way of life completely different from my own and became much more informed about the issues and realities that people in rural India are facing. Speaking with the people there and hearing their stories was something that has had a profound effect on my worldview, continuing to influence how I perceive everything around me. I have been humbled as well as inspired by the people that I met through this experience and the incredible work that they do every day.

With the support and guidance of our supervisors at Cecoedecon, we used the information that was gathered in the communities to write two reports for the organization. While the office work was a bit less exciting than the field work, it was no less valuable as it gave me experience analyzing and compiling data. It was great to have a finished product at the end which reflected all of the work that we had done over the past 3 months.

On the weekends I spent time in Jaipur with the other interns, exploring the city, shopping and sightseeing. We were lucky enough to be there during Holi, a very exciting and colourful celebration in India! During the entire course of the internship, Vinod was great about keeping in touch with us and making sure that everything was going well. It really helped to know that he was there and that we could rely on him if we needed anything.

Overall, my practicum experience and involvement with Volunteering India was extremely positive. I know that I will be thinking about everything that I saw, learned and experienced in India for years to come and look forward to the day that I can return to this amazing country.

Kendra Williams
Canada

Josefina Cruz, F, 26Y, Chile

I´m Josefina Cruz from Chile, South America and I want to tell you about my experience at Bal Ashram.

In 2006, I decided to travel by India because I like to know about their culture and found a way to help the poverty. In my country I'm a teacher of primary school, so I decided to work in a volunteer with education of little kids in India. By a travel agency I contacted with volunteering India, where I started to talk with Vinod Meena, a man that gave me all the details about this project and also offered to pick me up at Jaipur, and help me with all the things I need.

I arrived at Jaipur on February 10 and Vinod Meena picked me up. We went to a library where I bought all the materials that I need for my work before planned. In Jaipur you can buy papers, pencils, glue, sticks, etc. If you want to carry some things of your country, can be some games, drawings, movies, or CDs.

After Jaipur, we travel 90 km. We arrived to a beautiful and small village. In this place I was received by very nice people that explain me about this project and how they work everyday. Also they gave me a folder with information about the lab our child in India and in other parts of the world, to understand the meaning off all this interesting project. Then they show me all the place that has a library, beautiful bedrooms for volunteers, teacher and children, kitchen, and sawing room. Every place is very nice, clean and safety.

I stay in Bal Ashram only one week, and I was the only volunteer during this period of time. I really felt very comfortable, and I had and incredible experience with the people that works in this place. With the kids I taught Basic English, by working with art crafts, singing and playing. In this kind of work I taught the smaller kids, they like a lot to make different creative activities. Also is good to work in small groups so they learn to share the materials and divide the works to do. I worked with the little kids, but you also can stay with the other children, being with them in the yoga classes, at breakfast, playing in the evening, cooking chapatti, or having lunch or dinner together.

I also was very lucky because I knew grand father (Dada Ji in Hindi), a man of seventy five years that works in this place that taught me everyday two hours of Hindi, so I can communicate with the kids when I was teaching. We also drank some masala tea in a Jain temple and talked a lot of life, religion and culture. If you want you can visit a school that is very near, or at Sunday (the day to rest) you can see the village, climb some hills or visit temples.

If you visit Bal Ashram I know that you are going to have a great experience that makes you a better person and teaches you about the real meaning of life. It's really nice to participate in a volunteer program that helps to avoid the child labour, and I'm sure that when you have this kind of experience you never stop helping in different parts of the world.

Thanks for all this opportunities, and best regards,

Josefina.

Chengzhi Zhao, M, 23Y, China

I am Chengzhi Zhao, a university student of China. As I will graduate a few months later, I wanted to find a place to do my internship. I searched a lot on the internet, where I found a number of websites for volunteering and the organization had various programs for the volunteers. However, most of them were quite expensive and their charges were a bit high than my expectations. Then I came across Volunteering India and opted for volunteering for the organization. I liked it as it was reasonable, had many
activities and programs too. I worried about a particular sentence, "you paid what you get". I was not sure about the quality of work, but when I reached India to start
with my internship, I was quite convinced with the work and had nothing to worry about.


In India, I stayed in Paharganj area in New Delhi for two days. This place is really good for packers. After that I went to Jaipur where Vinod found a guest house for me to stay. The place was really a neat and clean and also at an affordable price. It was always important for me to stay in a hygienic place and environment and it was definitely
taken care of by Vinod. He even came to meet me at the guest house where we had many interesting conversations and he also taught me basic Hindi. The next day Vinod and Mr. Ravi drove me to Sajjan Niwas to begin my first step to observe the heritage hotel for three days. During the three days, they came to my guest house and would ask me what things I was interested in learning each day and also told me to do things which I liked. They showed great interest and responsible for my internship in India. After that stay, they decided to bring me to Sheraton Rajputana Hotel which was the number one Five Star hotel in Rajasthan. There I received professional training of the Front Office department and the Housekeeping department for three weeks. We started with the basic
training about the general information of the Sheraton Rajputana. After that, I went to different sub-departments for training. Everyday, the office would send one of its staff to teach me and in the meantime they would even give me a chance to practice.

Initially I thought it wasn't easy for me to come to India, but this trip was really worth and I fell in love with this country; India. If given a chance, I would even love to come back here again. I appreciate the time taken by this wonderful man Vinod and his genuine help for the completion of my internship.

Alexandra Achenbach, F, 31Y, Germany

Before I left Germany I was really worried about my stay in India. I was worried about travelling to India all by myself, and travelling alone being a woman stressed me out even more. I didn’t really know what to expect and what the mentality of the people would be like. This uncertainty made me constantly afraid of everything in the beginning of my trip. India is like arriving in another world. Everything is very different to home beginning with the large crowds of people and all sorts of animals on the streets and ending with the different smells; good and bad ones. I was also unsure about the organisation “volunteering India”. Even though Mr. Meena tried his best to answer all my questions in advance, you never know about the trustworthiness of pages in the internet. As soon as I reached Jaipur, my worries finally started to disappear.

Mr. Meena had sent me the right address of the guesthouse, had booked a room for me there and he was already waiting for me at the lobby. I was so glad to see him and he did his best to make me feel comfortably and to ease all my concerns. He took me out to dinner, helped me to assure the communication with my family by buying an Indian sim-card for my mobile and he helped me to get some orientation in the vicinity of the guesthouse. The second day at Jaipur was meant for sightseeing. Mr. Meena had organised a personal tour guide for me, who showed me Amber fort, the water palace, Hawa Mahal and important Hindu temples of the city. It was a lovely day and I didn’t have to care about anything myself so I could concentrate on arriving in India with all my senses. Besides sightseeing, “Volunteering India” provided information on Indian culture, mentality and etiquette as well as basic Hindi. All of this and the personal care of Mr. Meena gave me a warm welcome during the first three days at Jaipur.

After this introduction, I was brought to Bal Ashram, a transitory rehabilitation centre for boys rescued from child labour. The main purpose of Bal Ashram is to rehabilitate boys between six and 16 from the devastating experiences that they had to live through and to introduce them to a normal life. They learn about their rights, learn to read and write Hindi and get the chance to be children again. Children over 14 also get the possibility to become skilled at a craft like carpentry or tailoring. Most of the boys stay for six months and return back home to their villages full of new experiences, knowledge and most importantly self-esteem.

Bal Ashram is located about 2 hours from Jaipur close to the village of Virat Nagar (former Beirath) in Rajasthan and it consists of several dormitories, a meeting hall, a dining hall and kitchen, a library and a large play ground for the children. At first sight, everything appears very open and welcoming with the aroma of all the colourful flowers and trees planted at the property, and the dormitories and bathrooms for the volunteers are spacious (at least for me since I was the only volunteer at the time) and clean.

In April 2008 I stayed for 5 weeks at Bal Ashram. During the time of my stay I was the only woman there, which made me feel slightly intimidated in the beginning even though the office members and teachers were friendly and very helpful with all my questions and queries. In India, the gender issue is far more present compared to my home country Germany and it took me a while to feel comfortable, to relax and to stop worrying about how to behave properly. The contact with the boys helped me a lot. They were so lovely! Sharing time with them, painting, taking part in group activities like morning exercise, playing cricket and meditation or sharing food with them made me feel like a part of their community. This was the most beautiful experience for me! Besides the daily routine, I volunteered as an English teacher from Monday to Saturday. With the help of Dada Ji in Hindi, one of the founding fathers of Bal Ashram, I prepared my lessons on different topics and taught the boys basic vocabulary and basic English sentences and grammar. It was so great for me to see how excited the children were about learning and during my stay, there were more and more children coming to my library class. Even though I never taught English before, teaching really was fun and day by day the boys trusted me more and got rid of their shyness.

During my stay I also had the chance to get an inside view at the head organisation of Bal Ashram, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), and to learn more about their rescue operations and projects. I visited several so-called “child friendly villages” and got the chance to experience the harsh reality of fighting child labour in India. The enormous contrast between the living conditions and education in Germany and in India was shocking on the one hand, but on the other hand it was also interesting and fascinating to see how patiently people accept their lives and seem happy with the little they possess.

At the end of the five weeks, it was so hard for me to say goodbye and at the end of my trip finally leaving India was even harder. Besides all the difficulties and the culture shock arriving in India, I felt at home at Bal Ashram in the end. I met so many lovely people and felt the unforgettable Indian hospitality and learnt a lot about myself, my abilities and limitations. India is a challenging experience in every possible way, but meeting Indian people is worth every challenge. You make a lot of friends in India and back in Jaipur, Mr. Meena's warm welcome and our evenings at Jaipur's cinema and excellent restaurants felt like sharing time with an old friend.

Alexandra

Katrina Forfar, F, 27, UK

I arrived in sweltering Delhi in June of last year and was met after a few days of site-seeing by Vinod Meena. After several hours of driving from Delhi we arrived in the Pink City - Jaipur. I had met another volunteer from Mexico in Delhi and was soon chatting to 2 more volunteers, one of whom had already spent 1 month in Jaipur. I was lucky enough to have had contact, through Vinod, before I arrived in India with one of the volunteers from the UK so I had some idea of what to expect.

For the first 3-4days of my stay in Jaipur we went shopping in the local markets and Vinod arranged a site-seeing tour for us. We had time to rest as well and adjust to the pace of life and the heat! As the days went by more volunteers arrived and by the time we were ready to start volunteering there were 5 of us - from Mexico, UK, Canada and USA. One of the highlights of our time in Jaipur was going to see a Bollywood film in the nearest cinema, something worth making the effort to do! Great music and dancing, even if we struggled to follow the Hindi!

Virat Nagar, the location of our volunteer project, is about 2-3 hours by car from Jaipur. On arrival at the Bal Ashram, we met the project manager and were given time to settle in. The centre is for boys rescued from child labour who are given a 6 month education programme to re-introduce them to school work. There is a very strong community atmosphere in the Ashram, with the boys looking out for one another and keen to fight child labour.

The boys all rose early for morning exercise and activities, but the volunteers tended to rise for breakfast about 9am. We then joined in with the daily routine of the boys and taught them twice a day for approximately half an hour each time. We taught English and played games. It is good to prepare Basic English lessons if possible before you come to India, if you are working in the Ashram. We bought paper and colours for the boys, but apart from that they have pencils and notebooks and not much else. The level of English varies, and it is challenging to teach a group with a variety of levels of English and a variety of ages. Often it was difficult to maintain the attention of the younger boys during class. They all loved the board games that one volunteer brought and games that teach Basic English grammar and vocab would have been useful. After afternoon lessons and work the boys played sports and games and in the evening there was drama and dancing!

We were lucky to have the opportunity to see something of village life when at the Ashram. We visited local temples, schools and hospitals. The town of Virat Nagar was a 30 minute walk away, so we often walked into the market in the afternoon to buy fruit and have a Pepsi.

I enjoyed my time at the Ashram. The boys were very polite and helpful and well-behaved. I have volunteered before in Peru and Africa and Volunteering In India was much better organised than the other projects I have done abroad. After my time in Virat Nagar myself and some other volunteers went travelling in Rajasthan and to Himichal Pradesh. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people from all over the world and the chance to give my time to the boys at the Ashram and also see some of India. I would definitely recommend India as a diverse and colourful country to explore, and I believe that if you have the time, volunteering is often the best way to see and experience parts of a country that other tourists don't see.

Matthew Dibben, M, 23 years, UK

In August I spent two weeks working for the Volunteering India program near Jaipur, and it was a truly great experience!

I had already traveled for some weeks in India and was already falling in love with the country; however, I was still struggling to understand the complexities of the nation and struggling with my lack of Hindi!

Living at Bal Ashram gave me both a great insight into Indian culture and the opportunity to get to grips with some basic Hindi. It also gave me a good opportunity to embrace one of India's biggest cultural components, cricket, which was played every day! Fantastic!

The location of the Ashram is superb! It's nestled alongside a small range of hills, next door to a historic palace and Jain temple, and down the road from a fairy tail hilltop Hindu Hanuman temple, where you can see and be blessed by the resident 99 years old monk.

Working at Bal Ashram was very challenging and rewarding. It was a challenge teaching children English while knowing little Hindi myself, however, myself and the other volunteers came to terms with these circumstances and I could see the children progressing.

The management was always helpful and kind, providing all that could be expected. My time in the Bal Ashram was not only fun and informative, it was also a calm and safe couple of weeks. I thoroughly recommend this program!

Matthew

Juliet Price, F, 19Y, UK

"I loved my trip to India and can't wait to go back. The Ashram where I stayed for a month is a really beautiful, relaxing place, the food is fantastic and best of all are the staff and children who live there. I've never met nicer, more welcoming and interesting people in my life. Anyone lucky enough to go to India would find themselves enriched by the experience.

There were so many experiences that compete for best moment. The kids living at the Ashram a really talented and I felt privileged to teach and play with them. The whole trip was so amazing I couldn't do justice to it in writing! Through Volunteering India I got the opportunity to become, for a short time, a part of a unique and beautiful culture in a unique and beautiful place, which I will always remember."

Thanks!
Juliet

 Eugene Hallock, M, 24, USA

Upon arriving in India, I was overwhelmed by this new land that I was about to be living in for the next six (6) weeks. Traveling with one of my closest friends made the trip a little easier however did not erase the shock value that would become India. Finding our way through Delhi among one of thousands of rickshaws gave me a first glimpse of this country. Although heat wasn't an issue at first, as it would become later, coming from New York to India would startle any foreign tourists. Quickly, however, I noticed how nice and helpful everyone was to us. The Guest house we stayed in during our first few nights in Jaipur was full of people willing to help. The transition was being made a lot easier by the help of everyone, especially Vinod. The other two volunteers from New Zealand and Australia also helped to calm my nerves about being in India so far away from my home. With the amount of questions I had when I finally got here, Vinod was able to answer and help out with whatever was needed. After the first few days I grew in anticipation to get to Bal Ashram.

Upon getting to Bal Ashram after being in India for about 3-4 days, I was able to settle in and get acquainted to my new residence for the next six (6) weeks. What was even more thrilling was finally being able to meet the boys with whom call Bal Ashram their home. The center itself helps to rescue boys from child labor in various areas of India and give them a jumpstart into education where they will then return to their families and villages and continue their education. They are taught that without education there can be no future. As in any county, education is a must to survive, not only in the world but with yourself. Through education, Bal Ashram also builds a sense of community which can be seen with everyone who works and is taught here. Teaching English here to the children gave me great pride in knowing that these children will grow and be helped within their own experiences here at Bal Ashram and their future lives. Each child was interested in learning as much as they could and were always willing to learn more.

Not only is education a priority here at Bal Ashram, but also trying to give each child proper social, moral and inner growth. They are always seen laughing and in good spirits. Afternoon sports and nightly social events, including dancing, were just one of the many highlights with myself and the children. Through interaction with them I was able to take away from the experience a lot that they have taught me.

Living in Bal Ashram also gave us the experience to get a first hand view of village life in India. Learning about the culture and religion that surrounds this country helps in the over-all experience. The many temples surrounding the area are beautiful and the markets full of locals running their daily businesses. Having a Pepsi in the market brought a little bit of home to India, not to mention a refreshing drink on a hot afternoon.

My time spent at Bal Ashram was one I will never forget. My experience here in India, my first and definitely not my last, helped to give me a new outlook on life. Through the simplicity and life of the people who live here and the children who are full of innocence and joy I have taken with me so much more then when I arrived.

Sarah Manning, F, 19 years, USA

When I first arrived in India, it felt like every little thing was so different from back home- the sights, the sounds, the smells, the people, the animals; every moment was a new adventure, and I was always excited to see what would happen next! I volunteered teaching English to rescued child laborers in a rural village near Jaipur. I received a warm welcome from the children and staff at the Bal Ashram, and they were very friendly and hospitable throughout my entire stay there. The children immediately called me "Didi" (sister), which made me feel like I was part of their family. Even though I was thousands of miles away from America, I felt right at home. I shared a dormitory with two other volunteers, and we taught the English classes together. We were responsible for making daily lesson plans and using creative approaches to teach the children. I got in the swing of teaching very quickly, and I found it easy to get to know each Childs personality, as well as their level of learning comprehension. The children were very eager to learn and even enjoyed practicing their English outside of class. They loved singing songs and playing games and they especially loved learning new ones.

The cultural immersion was an unforgettable part of my experience. I loved being able to see first hand how people work, eat, dance, speak, worship, and play in rural India. The food I ate was very basic, consisting mostly of rice, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, flat bread, lentils/ chic peas, cucumbers, etc., along with various oils and spices. I personally thought the food was great and I actually felt a lot healthier eating that stuff than the crap people eat in America. A small, delicious cup of hot chai was also a daily treat. Aside from helping prepare meals in the the kitchen, I liked doing manual work like hand-washing and hang-drying my laundry. This way of living made me realize just how lucky I am and I am now more satisfied with the simple things in life. I definitely plan on returning to India sometime in the near future and I know that there will always be plenty more insights, friends, and adventures to find there!

Bonnie Manning, Sarah Manning's Mother, USA

Hello,

 I am the mother of a 19 year old from the U.S. who decided to take a year off before starting college, to travel and volunteer. While searching online for interesting volunteer opportunities, my daughter, Sarah, came across an organization called "Volunteering India". The program appealed to her because it seemed flexible, affordable, and the goals of the program are very similar to the values that mean the most to her.

As the parent of a young female traveling so far away, my husband & I were very concerned about Sarah's safety. The project coordinator, Mr. Vinod Meena, was extremely helpful... before, during, and after Sarah's time in India. It was obvious that the volunteer's safety is a top priority, and Mr. Meena went over and above the call of duty to help Sarah during her stay. He kept us informed via email even when Sarah was traveling in places with no cell phone or email access.

Sarah volunteered with children in the village of Virat Nagar, near Jaipur. She loved the children and she was overwhelmed by the warmth of the people and beauty of India. Sarah was there for two months and when she wasn't volunteering, "Volunteering India" was very helpful in assisting the volunteers plan safe and fun excursions so that they could enjoy other parts of India and experience the vast diversity that the country has to offer.

My daughter came back with broader perspectives, greater appreciation, and a whole new sense of purpose in life. I highly recommend this program.

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERING INDIA!!
Sincerely,
Bonnie Manning,
OHIO, U.S.A.

Kris Alavattam, M, 24Y, USA

There are many things that come to mind when I reflect on my short time with Volunteering India, but I think I can express these thoughts by simply writing that I loved it. I primarily served as an English teacher at an ashram for former child laborers, but my experiences with the organization stretch far beyond teaching.

Some examples: I got to meet and befriend some interesting volunteers from other parts of the world; I had the chance to begin learning one of India's official languages, Hindi; I got to experience some of the sights and tastes of Jaipur; I was able to make wonderful friends i.e. Vinod Meena, Shiv Sharma, Dadaji et al.; I got to explore the beautiful countryside that envelops the ashram; and I was able to interact with a great group of kids on a near-daily basis.

I'll cut this list short and write that, judging from the experience I had and the experiences of other volunteers with whom I've communicated, I can't imagine any voluntourist being disappointed by the opportunities that Volunteering India provides.

Thanks,
Kris

Neal Patel,M,19Y, USA

In the winter of 2007, my family and I decided to travel to India to visit relatives. Instead of spending the entire five weeks in the city of Ahmedabad, I decided to join this volunteer program in order to experience India in new way. The Ashram which I was stationed at was aesthetically pleasing and also very relaxing. Not only was the ashram located in a beautiful place but everything about it was perfect. Although I was only able to spend two weeks volunteering, I feel that I gained great insight about both the Indian lifestyles and culture.

The children were the most enriching aspect of the program. The kids are well disciplined and eager to learn, which made teaching them very easy. Before arriving to the ashram, I spent a week traveling around India on my own. I found it very difficult to communicate with the citizens and was frustrated at times. During my stay at the Ashram, however, I began to pick up some of the basics of the language. I feel that the children taught me more about their language and culture then I was able to teach them.

Volunteering at Bal Ashram was the best part of my trip and if I am presented with the opportunity to visit again, I will most definitely take advantage of it.

Neal Patel

Ardeshir Pezeshk, M, 22 Years, Iranian American


When Vinod first asked me to write about my time at Bal Ashram I thought it would be quite easy, but it's not. It's just not. I wish I could paint the picture of the rock/tree lined walkways, honeycomb dorm rooms and the ever smiling faces that will be permanently implanted in my memory for you, but words simply cannot do it justice. Despite the impossible challenge, I'll do my best in hopes that my words might instill in you the desire to partake in one of the most fulfilling experiences of your lives (well, at least it has been that way for me).

To start, these children are amazing. They have hearts of gold and smiles to go along with it. I cannot recall a time when I have laughed as much and as consistently as I have here. Even the most mundane of tasks is turned into an exotic adventure or a chaotic battle between warring factions ... it is truly amazing to watch it all unfold in front of your eyes. The times that I will remember most were those hours in the library with my students (or simply "my boys" as I like to call them). Not only was I continuously shocked by the speed in which they picked up English despite their minute base, but I was taken back by their desire to learn. You could just feel it when they would come to class, and the looks on their faces when a new concept 'just clicked' in their heads is priceless. I will miss my boys along with all the others who came to class with the desire to learn and the sense of humor to make it fun.

The pleasure that I took in teaching was only matched by the pleasure I took in watching and participating in the daily activities. Whether it be making chapatti in the kitchen, watching an intense game of cricket or dancing in the meeting hall (you should come just to see these boys dance), all are equally rewarding and add to an overall unforgettable experience.

To make this short, you come as a volunteer and leave as family. There is no other way to look at it and my experience here serves as the basis to that statement, and I'll tell you, it feels like you're leaving family when it's time to go. They are my brothers and will be remembered accordingly.

Vinod has been of the greatest help. Soft-spoken and orderly, he will ensure that your arrival time at Bal Ashram will be anything but a problem.

And lastly, if I had the chance to do it all over again, I would have allotted more time for my stay at Bal Ashram. I hope, at the very least, that this place, this haven, will touch you the same way that it has touched me.