When you travel to India for volunteering under a project, you arrive with your luggage and a set of expectations. But it’s only when you leave the country after completing your tenure, you realize that this was probably the best of your travel experience ever.
Volunteering in India leaves you with a lot of amazing memories and things you will miss a lot, which may even encourage you to visit again. Those who have volunteered in India know it, and for the first timers here is a list of things you will miss about India after leaving;
1. The People
It will always be the charismatic public of India that a volunteer misses the most once they leave the country after completing their project; and with such deep involvement it is only justified. The warmth and hospitality of the people of India is something that you will miss certainly.
2. The Food
By the time you complete your project and are ready to leave the country, your metabolism will get accustomed to any and every kind of spice. The culinary in India is known for rich ingredients and use of several spices. Be it from a street side shop or a fancy restaurant, your taste palates will remember (and crave for) the tang of Indian cuisines for long.
3. The Culture
If you are joining a volunteer program in Delhi or Palampur, try and speak with a fellow volunteer working in the South India projects and you will realize the depth of cultural variance in the country. When back home, you will certainly miss the cultural nuances of India.
4. The Festivals
This is one of the most essential part of the cultural diversification in the country. The country is marked with a festival in almost every single month, which is celebrated in some or the other part with utmost jubilance. Be it the colorful Holi or the sparkling light Diwali, the festivals of India is something that will call out for your second visit.
5. The Local Streets
The local streets are something that you will miss for its interesting history and the reflection of a common man’s lifestyle. Being the second most populated country in the world, loneliness is a no – bother – factor. You can find interesting people at every corner of a street with some interesting set of stories of yester years to share.
6. The Markets
Just like the festivals make one of the most important aspects of India’s deep culture, it’s the colorful and bustling markets of the country that makes the local streets lively. The set of souvenir collection will remind of you of the times you explored these colorful markets.
7. The Excursions
During your stay with Volunteering India, you get to explore the city and its vicinity over the weekends to make a wonderful travel experience overall. Volunteering India has projects in the capital city of Delhi, beautiful valley of Palampur, and down south; each of them providing some of the best places to visit in India.
8. The Bollywood effect
One of the things that makes a significant influence on the lives of people in India is the Indian film industry. You can hear a series of tracks from famous Bollywood movies being played in most of the big occasions/festivals in India; especially in marriages. You, too, will get a hang of it while volunteering and will miss the dance performances, the dialogue deliveries, and all fun moments created around the Indian movies once back home
9. The Attires
Along with festivals, attires is another thing that reflects the cultural nuances in India. Despite having a strong western influence for clothing, it’s the ethnic wears that makes the people, and the country, stand apart. Elegant, aristocratic, and suave. You may need a helping hand to wrap that saree around back home, but might not find one, and that is when you will remember the tips you were given in India.
10. Speaking Hindi
Yes! This, too, is something you will miss dearly once you leave India after completing your project. Learning some commonly used interesting words of local dialect is always fun. You will definitely miss the times you used to converse with the children during the classes or the patients during medical check-up, or anyone you interacted during your projects that made you feel no different than a local.
A travel experience leaves you with a lot of memories and moments to relish, but there are few that you just can’t get out of your mind and wish to relive them all over again. Volunteering in India will surely give you a lot of of such moments that you will never forget for a long time. To experience these moments and to make your own memories, book your spot with Volunteering India TODAY. Speak to our program advisors at [email protected] for more information.
