Volunteer, Intern and Explore India

  India

Term: Throughout the year 
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months, 7-12 months and 1-2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: year round

Description: Experience India is a German-Indian organization for inter-cultural exchange programs in India. Here is a short list of our various activities. You can obtain more information about each of the following field by contacting us.

I Volunteering, internships, sabbaticals, and gap years in South India (min. 1 month)

II Running of our own women and tribal empowerment project in Kerala. We also accept volunteers and interns for this project

III Courses and Excursions in North Kerala:

Cultural Adventures
* Kerala's Art of Cooking cooking class (1 week)
* Jungle Tour explore wildlife and hidden tribal communities in the Western Ghats (6 days)
* Tantra Course learn about and practice the different aspects and depth of multi-facetted Tantra
       (1 week)

Ayurveda Purification Program
* Cleanse and purify mind, body and soul in this traditionally rejuvenating course. Follow a special diet, practice yoga and meditation; indulge in Ayurvedic massages and Ayurvedic treatments. (1 week)

Sports
* Yoga (2 weeks/1 month)
* Classical Dances of South India Bharatnatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi (2 weeks/1 month)
* Kalari learn the ancient martial arts and culture of Kerala, min. 1 month, individual arrangement with a Gurukkal, a master and teacher of Kalari
   
IV Sightseeing and Cultural Modules in North Kerala

* Kannur Tour in Auto Rickshaw (full day)
* Backwater Boat Trip (half day)
* Local Plant Recognition Walk with a traditional medicine man (2 hours)
* Kalari Demonstration witness the ancient martial arts of Kerala in a breathtaking performance
       Seasonal event: June to September only (half day)
* Theyyam visit a ritualistic dance festival dedicated to the gods. Seasonal event: January-April only. (half day)
* Indian Astrology (full day) Meet an Indian astrologer and learn what the stars have to say.
* Malayalam Language Tuition learn the language spoken in Kerala (1 month)

Highlights: Volunteering and Internships in South India:
To work and live in an Indian environment and make a change for the better in the chosen project and community, is a valuable experience that will last for a lifetime. Participants get to choose between the following options:

* Volunteering and Internships: 1 month and up
* Sabbatical and Gap Year: 3 months to 1 year

Below you will find a list of our current project partners and organizations for volunteering and internships in South India. However, new projects are opening up all the time, and if you don't find your placement of choice here, please contact us for further project options in your desired field for volunteering or an internship. We will then try to find a suitable placement for you according to your wishes.

To place volunteers and interns, we set up their projects ourselves. Some places are remote, and we have to travel there to make all the arrangements. This can take a few weeks. We will get back to you with specific program details that go on at the particular time of your placement period.

Volunteering and Internships are possible in the following fields

Social Field:
Orphanages, Old Age Homes, Special Schools, Community Development Programs, Projects with Handicapped Children or Adults, Handicapped Empowerment.

Current placement options in the social field:
* Orphanage in Kannur, ca. 20 children
* Orphanage in Peravoor, Kannur District
* Orphanage in Bangalore, Karnataka
* Home for Destitute Women in Kannur, ca. 150 women
* Special School for Mentally Retarded Children and Rehabilitation Centre in Kannur, ca. 30 students
* Special School for Mentally Retarded Children in Karuvanchal, Kannur District
* Special School for Mentally Retarded Children in Calicut
* Special School for Deaf Mute Children in Chayothe, Kannur District, ca. 40 students, residential school      
* Special School for Deaf Mute Children in Calicut
* Mentally Handicapped Women and Girls Training Centre, Chungakunnu, Kannur District, 65 residential girls and women plus influx of out patients, female volunteers only      
* Old Age Home, Heggla, Coorg District
* Old Age Home, Kannur District

Educational Field:
Teaching English, Science, Maths, Physical Education, Computer Skills and Other Subjects at Indian Schools and Training Centres, pre-schools, primary schools, middle and secondary schools.

Current placement options in the educational field:
* English Medium School, Kannur, 1.-9. Standard, 800 students
* Malayalam Medium School, Kannur, 1.-7. Standard
* Tribal Pre-School, Kannur District

Health Related Field:
Hospitals, Rural Health Centres, Ayurvedic Clinics

Current placement options in the health related field:
* Charitable Hospital, Cherukunnu
* Homeopathic Clinic, Iritty
* HIV/AIDS Centre, Kannur, male volunteers only
* Ayurveda: Work and stay with a traditional Ayurvedic medicine man in Kannur. Learn about the secrets of India's ancient medicinal system and assist the medicine man with his day-to-day tasks.      
* Nursing Hospital for terminally ill cancer patients, 15 patients in hospital plus 10 patients in home care, Chungakunnu, Kannur District

Agriculture & Rural Development
Farms, Plantations, Estates, Organic & Conventional Farming, NGOs

Current placement options in agriculture and rural development:
* Coffee and Spices Estate, Coorg, 110 acres
* Coffee and Spices Estate, Wayanad
* Bee Keeping and Maintenance, Wayanad/Kannur District
* Rural Development with NGOs in Wayanad focusing on:
women empowerment   
marginalized farmers
tribal empowerment
micro-credit
self-help groups
income generating activities
organic farming, sustainable agriculture, cropping patterns
promotion of small farmers with up to 2 acres of land
education and trainings
micro-businesses and entrepreneurship development
awareness programs with schools

Environmental Field:
Botanical Sanctuaries, Environmental Organizations, Forestry, Ayurveda

Current placement options in the environmental field:
* Ayurvedic Plant Research, nationwide, depending on current project status
* Botanical Research Unit, Wayanad
* Botanical Sanctuary, Wayanad
* Sustainable Natural Resource Management and environmental protection with NGOs in Wayanad,example:
composting
rainwater harvesting
conservation of medicinal plants
watershed management
sanitation
drinking water supply
bio gas
eco-restoration
riverside protection
organic farming
paper and cloth bag production (no plastics campaign)
recycling

Business, Trade & Commerce
Current placement options in business, commerce, and trade:
* Handloom Textile Production, Kannur
* Unitex Fashions, Chennai
* Plastic Pipes Production Company, Kannur
* Western Plywoods, Kannur
* Call Center, Chennai

Law
Placement with lawyers or law firms (office work only, interns are not allowed in court).

Sabbatical and Gap Year
These are individually arranged longer programs (3-12 months) consisting of a combination of volunteering, internships, courses, excursions, sightseeing and cultural modules according to your wishes. This is an option for those who would like to take a longer period of time off from their daily routine to try something entirely different and to become fully emerged in South Indian culture.

Whether you have just graduated from school or university, or whether you are taking leave from your job, we tailor-make a program in India for you and make your dreams come true.

Example for a 3-months Sabbatical/Gap Year Program in South India:
* Volunteering in an Orphanage (1 month)
* Sightseeing: Kannur Tour in Auto Rickshaw (1 day)
* Jungle Tour go trekking, visit tribal communities and wildlife sanctuaries (6 days)
* Cooking Class: Kerala's Art of Cooking (1 week)
* Teaching at an under-funded school (1 month)
* Backwater Boat Trip in Kerala's famous backwaters (half day)
* Local Plant Recognition Walk with a Traditional Ayurvedic Medicine Man (2 hrs)
* Cultural Module: Visit to a Kalari Demonstration or Theyyam (half day)
* Course in Yoga or Classical Indian Dance (2 weeks)
* Malayalam Language Tuition: Learn the language spoken in Kerala (1 month)
* Volunteering with an NGO in Wayanad for Rural Development (1 month)
* Food (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and Accommodation for the entire duration of your Sabbatical/Gap Year program are included

All this for only Euro 3259 / US$ 5052. Please contact us for further details.

Qualifications: What we expect from you:
Coming to India, you are going to experience a culture that is entirely different from your own, not only in the apparent, visible aspects, but also in depth, in values, in the belief system and perception of the world around. Be open to this experience. It is an incredible opportunity to not only learn about an exotic culture but also about yourself. It is very precious. Always remain open-minded and be ready to expect the unexpected at all times.

We are trying to give you a beautiful memorable experience of a life time and ask of you to co-operate with Experience India at all times for your own benefit.

You could be the first person from another country that the Indian community encounters, so people don't only see you as an individual, but also as the "prototype" of a foreigner. Their perception of foreigners, created and influenced by the media, may not be correct, generalizing, judging, twisted and prejudiced, just as the other way round you might have an incorrect, generalized, judging, twisted and prejudiced concept of an Indian. You can learn from each other and correct stereotypes on both sides to increase understanding between your cultures. Be aware that in many cases you are an ambassador of your culture and your world. Live up to it.

Your behavior and dress code should be cultural sensitive, especially while in rural areas. Wear no revealing clothes but loose outfits and have shoulders and knees covered at all times.

Adjust to the way of life in the project and surroundings. Realize that the living conditions are many times different from those at home (no warm water/air-conditioning, climatic conditions, access to international phone or internet, easy transportation at all times, mosquitoes...etc).

Show initiative and be creative in your project. Ideas for the project, discussions, excursions, and free time are expected to come from you. Share your thoughts and ideas!

Being with Experience India means that you are part of a community of participants from all over the world. Only with their daily enthusiasm, initiative, and the will to improve the project, the lifestyle and the learning that comes with it can this be a worthwhile experience. We learn by doing, only by taking initiatives and therefore sometimes making mistakes. It is part of the process. We learn.

The social contact in the project is at least as important as the content itself. Respect for the local environment is expected at all times.

Take an active interest in your surroundings and fellow human beings, no matter whether they are from East or West. Bridge gaps and grab the chance to become a bigger person and contribute to making this world a better place to live. By coming to India you have made a good choice.

Understand that quite a bit of time will be spent with local people who do not speak English (very well). Make an effort in trying to communicate in the local language; this shows your interest. We will provide you with a list of basic vocabulary of the local language. Use it. It will open hearts.

Suitable to be a volunteer/intern:

* There is a minimum age of 18 to participate in Experience India programs. You are expected to have a certain degree of life experience meaning that you can look after yourself, work independently and are able to deal with issues or problems that you might encounter during your time in India.

* You should be open-minded towards the project and motivated for the work of the project (not only as a travel experience). Show responsibility towards your work.

* You should know what volunteering/an internship is about. You are going to face living conditions that are entirely different from those at home. Living conditions are most of the time basic and you should understand what to expect from a project's living and working conditions. Some work projects can require a lot of independence and self-initiative.

Cost in US$: US$ 806 for 1st month volunteering/internship

Discount for every month after the first month is US$ 75/month

Remarks on Food and Accommodation
Accommodation can be in the project itself, in an Indian Host Family, or in our volunteer house depending on your project location. You may have to share a room, sleep on a mattress on the floor, and use a common bathroom either Indian (bucket shower, squat toilet) or Western style; although often you will have your own private room and private bathroom with more comfort.

Food is local Indian cuisine with a mixed vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet and includes three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Please let us know in advance if you are vegetarian or have certain requirements regarding your diet, e.g. food allergies. We will then try to provide food according to your needs and wishes.

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Most of our volunteers come from Europe and are between 18 and 35, though we have also had retired senior volunteers, who are welcome to join our program.

Age Range: 18 to 75 years old

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to India Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

Experience India's Mission Statement: Experience India is a young, flexible, German-Indian organisation with offices in Berlin (Germany) and Kerala (India), and offers volunteer and internship placements, sabbaticals and gap years, courses, excursions as well as cultural modules and sightseeing in South India. We also run our own women and tribal empowerment project in Kerala. We are connected to numerous local social, educational, health, and rural development projects in South India. Due to our good contacts, internship and volunteer placements are possible in almost every field beyond the list quoted on our website. Through our programs, our aim is to support poorer local communities and to generate an extra income for those who need it most. We believe that giving people jobs and fair salaries is more beneficial for a community rather than charity. Experience India seeks to support those who are out of work, are desperate for an extra income to feed their families, or need a boost for their community.

Year Founded: 2007