|
The following review was written excusively for VolunteeringInfo by a previous Cross Cultural Solutions volunteer. For more information about CCS, please see their organisation entry.
I volunteered with Cross Cultural Solutions for a 7 week trip to Dharamsala in Northern India. It was a dream come true for me as I had wanted to do something like this all my life and then at the age of 64 I had been accepted, raised my program fee and was on my way. Also for me CCS accepted me although I had no medical or teaching skills. The information given before departure corresponded exactly with the placement and I feel it was better than I expected.
I felt, right from the date I registered with CCS, that I had continued support from them in emails and telephone calls and they were able to answer all my stupid little questions with patient understanding. From the moment I arrived in Delhi and was met at the airport at midnight by two CCS reps I felt safe and at home and knew it was going to be a good experience. The short stay in Delhi was informative, well organised and fun.
My arrival in Dharamsala was fantastic starting with the views of the mountains from the airport. The staff were friendly, helpful and great fun. We were transported to various different places to learn about their culture, scenery etc always accompanied by staff who were very informative.
The accommodation was good and the food local and excellent and plenty of it. I have coeliacs disease and they catered for my special needs very well and happily.
My placement was in a nursery for the under 5’s and it was a wonderful and rewarding experience. The children did not have a lot but were so happy and friendly and loving. They loved to play and sing nursery rhymes and were keen to learn. Their teacher especially wanted to speak English. After three weeks I was changed over to teaching conversational English to 2 young lads and a lady in her twenties and they were so keen to learn and such fun to teach. I sometimes think we spent more time laughing than learning.
We worked in the mornings and the afternoons were free after the first two weeks. During the first 2 weeks we had Hindi lessons and trips to places of interest and had the opportunity to discuss any problems or worries about our progress with the director of the programme. We had a day of dressing up in saris and a special meal which was great fun and also a concert of Indian music. After the first two weeks we were free to do what ever we wanted in the afternoons.
I loved the market in Dharamsala and during my time there I got to know the locals and they all chatted to me when I went down to shop. They were all very helpful and friendly and I felt perfectly safe walking around on my own. Some of the locals I got to know better than others and it was just like being at home.
The staff were always there for us day and night. Unfortunately, one of our group fell and broke her ankle and the treatment she got was first class and the staff were brilliant. I had my 65th birthday there and they made it a very special day for me. I was also there for Christmas and although they do not celebrate Christmas they got us a tree and we had chicken and ice cream for dinner and we all did a Secret Santa with all of us volunteers and the staff. I cannot praise the staff enough. They were amazing and such fun as well. They did everything we asked of them and bent over backwards for us. We were transported to and from work and
I have to say it was one of the happiest times of my life. Being a little bit older than a lot of the other volunteers was no problem. The youngsters included me and talked to me and I felt it was like I was a mother figure and we got on famously together.
I have no hesitation in recommending CCS and have complete faith and trust in what they are doing and the way they help a person like me to realise a dream. The opportunities they offer are excellent and varied and very well thought out and it was humbling to be there and feel I was able to help even if it was only in a small way. I would do it all again gladly.
If volunteering is something you have always wanted to do, go for it and CCS is a very good organisation to go with. I felt that everything was well organised and under control the whole time from arrival to departure.
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
|
