We have another great new project……Hospitality Work Experience in India!

A Hospitality Work Experience internship is an excellent way to observe experts in your field and learn how they work in India. The experience you gain will be an excellent entry on your CV or Résumé as well as being invaluable to you in the future.  No qualifications are required.

This internship is based in the delightful bustling city of Madurai in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. We work with a 3 Star hotel that caters for business people and tourists alike. You’ll have the opportunity to work in a variety of departments, including front office, housekeeping, food and beverage service and production.

For more information, click on the picture below:

If you’d like to find out more about our projects in India, click HERE

Lydia Tyrrell taught in Madurai, India. She loved her placement so much, when it came to an end she couldn’t leave- so she then volunteered in an Orphanage! Here is what she had to say about her experiences:

I suppose the story that sums up my experience is the fact that I didn’t want to leave. I had done 3 months teaching and as Annual exams were approaching I got very worried because I really didn’t want to finish, but teaching wasn’t really an option as the children would be busy with exams. It was the whole experience that I didn’t want to end though- life with my host family, meeting other volunteers in Madurai, going away at weekends…….. So Karen (our Volunteer Organiser in Madurai) suggested that I change projects. That is how I came to be working in the orphanage. I got a completely different experience that I never expected to have and I had an amazing time. Although in the end I had to leave, I braced myself for it and I am still so thankful that I got to stay on longer. I am still going to do some travelling, but I felt my time was better spent in Madurai then travelling for two whole months.

If you’d like to learn more about our projects in India, click HERE

Kirsty McIver took part in a teaching placement in India with Travellers. Upon her return she decided to tell us all about her experiences:

I woke up the morning after Boxing Day and knew two things: that I wanted to go to India very soon, and that I wanted to teach English. Travellers Worldwide made that happen for me and in the space of 6 weeks from making the initial phone call, I was being met at Madurai airport by Karen and Pradeep. From that moment I had an Indian family, and from the moment I was welcomed into SEV school I had an Indian life.

 I woke up in an Indian home to the sound of early morning street sellers and the calling to prayer at the local mosque, I travelled the morning streets with the rest of Madurai in an auto (driven daily by Ramu, the wonderful Travellers auto driver), I spent all day surrounded by children beside themselves with excitement to learn from me, learning more from them than they could ever know. I spent the afternoons and evenings strolling the bazaars or round the neighbourhood, seeing our friends in the tailor’s market or the juice stall or the internet cafe, then home for dinner and family time in the house with Anitha’s family and the other volunteers. Every other day Karen popped round to Anitha’s, I popped round to Karen’s (just down the road), we went to Coffee Day (when you go, you’ll know) with Karen or Karen met us in town for a leisurely dinner on one of the rooftop restaurants. At the weekends, I went away, to the coast (Varkala, Mamallapuram) or the mountains (Kodai), to escape the intense heat and crowds of the city.

 With Travellers, I really lived in India. With the lifestyle and routine described above, I never felt like a tourist trying to scratch under the surface, because I was already there
 I lived and taught in Madurai for a month. I did it because I wanted to really get to know India through the eyes of an Indian, and because I wanted to help the children speak the best English possible. What I got out of it was so much more than that, because the Indian people and the children gave so much back. I can’t recommend it enough.

 If you’d like to learn more about our placements in India, click HERE

Lydia Tyrell sends us her first impressions of teaching in India…

Well, I think the first thing I noticed when I arrived in India is that so many people spoke English. I had been worried about arriving in Bangalore Airport and not being able to communicate to anyone. Luckily, none of my fears were realised- Everyone was so helpful and I had no trouble finding gates or checking in.

My first few days in Madurai I felt a bit overwhelmed, mainly by the noise and the traffic, but I was surprised at how quickly it became like second nature. It’s quite noisy, even at night time, but now I barely notice.

It was quite hot for the first week and a half and I didn’t think I would adjust to it to such a degree as I have, although it is still winter, so I can’t really admit to being able to cope with the heat until it gets hot by Indian standards.

I think the fact that I have settled in so easily is down to the support system that is in place when you arrive. The family I am staying with are lovely and really made me feel welcome. I was invited to celebrate Pongal with them and to the children’s annual day at school. This made me feel so at home, as though I am part of their family while I am here. I think this has dispelled any feelings of loneliness or feeling homesick before it even arises.

I think the thing that took me the longest to adjust to was my placement. Being a teacher at home I thought I would have some idea as to what to expect, but I found that the school systems are worlds apart. There was a bit of a language barrier at the beginning so it was difficult to ask any questions about the running of the school. In the end I decided that I would just go with the flow and gradually I learned the routine of the week. I have always felt very welcome at the school and included in everything that happens. I found pitching my lessons difficult at times as the standard of English varies throughout each class. Some children will be able to hold a somewhat complete conversation on any given topic and others in the same class wont understand anything you say. With differentiated objectives and varied expectations for each child, I am able to feel confident in my lessons now.

Overall I have felt very taken care of and comfortable since I have been here and, even with a tiny query, there is always someone to turn to for advice. I am very happy with my choice of placement.

If you’d like to find out more about our projects in India, Click HERE

 Hannah Louise Fullerton shares her experiences of her work experience placement at a Dental Surgery in India….

My volunteering project in India couldn’t have gone any better. It was a complete learning and life experience for me every day I was there. I have made friends and contacts for life, people I intend on visiting again, including my project placement. I spent one month in Madurai with a host family and attended my project 6 days a weeks. As this was my first view at dentistry in another country I spent most of my time observing the dentist and his team at work. This was extremely beneficial to my studies and since coming back to England and working in a dental surgery I am able to see the similarities and differences in the way everybody works. The fast pace of Indian life was shown through the speed of dental work and I was amazed with the final results. To say I was speechless on many occasions would be quite correct- I often couldn’t quite believe my eyes! I’ll keep the memories of the location, people, life and culture in my many photographs and memories forever! I can’t wait to go back again!

If you would like to find out more about our projects in India, click HERE

So you want to volunteer but are not sure what to do with your children – why not take them along with you?

That’s exactly what Meena Sidpra did – She travelled with her two children on what turned out to be a very successful volunteer placement – Whilst she taught her children attended the classes. This is what she had to say:

I wanted my children to experience what it was like going to school in India. Boarding school was not an option so family VSO was the solution. The experience of going to school, living in the volunteers house, being the youngest volunteers ever, playing at the YMCA, the tailors market and all the sights and sounds of India was for the two boys, who are “Manx” with an Indian hereditary, amazing! After the volunteering, I took the boys on a luxury holiday staying in posh hotels, air conditioned car and so on.

At the end of the holiday I asked them, “Would you come back again and what was the best bit of their time in India?” Unusually they both said, “We will come back again of course and we want to come back to Madurai and Jaya and the tailors market and the YMCA where we played football, and Tim and see Karen…”. I do not need to say anymore!

If you’d like to find out more about our projects in India, click HERE

Callum Bueckhardt shared with us why he loved his football coaching placement in India:

I’ve had a great time in India, been to lots of places. My highlights:

► My 40+ hour train journey from Chennai to Delhi
► Walking into a classroom and people screaming at me like I’m a star 
► See very enthusiastic kids at the schools and the friendliness they’ve shown to me
► Going to Rameswaram and seeing everyone slowly get more and more red then Jack’s skin falling off
► Having a real bond with the PE teachers at the School
► I love Indian food

Conclusion – enjoy your time here and just go with the flow.  I love India

If you’d like to find out more about our projects on offer in India, click HERE

Maragaret Hatchard has just got back from 2 months teaching in India and wanted to tell us about her experience:

How lovely it was to be welcomed into the Daniels family.  I soon felt that I was part of their family and know that I now have good friends in another part of the world.  The experience was really positive, everyone was very friendly and it was an interesting feeling to almost feel like a celebrity – why do the children want my autograph!!!  Smiling faces, shaking hands and lots of questions – what’s your name, where do you come from, how old are you were just some of the many questions asked each day by the children and complete strangers!

Teaching was interesting -very different to England yet children are the same the world over, noisy, chatty, frustrating, happy, inquisitive.  the school building itself was a trial in some ways as it was filthy and very noisy being right next to a flyover.  No windows to look out of and dark dirty walls and floors, not an enticing place to learn in or teach in!

The opportunity to travel and see areas that could be reached easily on weekends was wonderful.

Living day to day in Madurai was always fascinating, more and more detail was noticed once I got used to the busyness of the place.  Even being on friendly terms with the auto drivers and the shopkeepers, made my stay much more real.  I really felt part of the city, something that no one would experience if just coming for a holiday.  It will certainly be something I will treasure for the rest of my life.

If you’d like to find out more about our projects on offer in India, click HERE