A VOLUNTEERS EXPERIENCE OF NEELBAGH

Published in December 2002


The best way to get an appreciation for a foreign culture is to immerse yourself in it by living there for a while. If you're interested in Indian culture and want to observe the traditional village lifestyle and experience life at a rural school then volunteering at Neelbagh is an ideal place from which to do so. Neelbagh is a peaceful place away from the busyness and noise of Indian towns and cities. The area is agricultural and extremely pretty with lush rice paddies, sugar cane and coconut trees surrounding the school.

Neelbagh currently has around 200 students, from kindergarten up to 8th standard. The children start learning English at kindergarten so by the time they reach the higher classes they have a reasonable knowledge of it. I took the English classes for the elder kids - those in standards 5 to 8. Each class has an English text book so even if you have no teaching background it is no problem. The class sizes are small with a maximum of 20 children and the kids are eager to learn and interested in their studies. As well as English, I also helped out with maths in the higher standards and games. If you are interested in art, crafts, drama and sports there is also the opportunity to help out with those subjects.

School runs for 5 and a half days each week - Saturday afternoon and Sunday are holidays so you are free to do your own thing. I would often visit the nearby villages where children from the school would invite me into their homes to meet their families. The local people are extremely welcoming, friendly and hospitable and are very interested in meeting and interacting with a foreigner. During festivals and other village events the locals will want you to come and share them - something that is great to be a part of.

If you need a fix of city life then Bangalore is 3 hours away by bus so on weekends you can go there to catch up on email, shopping etc.

The food at Neelbagh is simple but very tasty vegetarian. Rice and sambah (a liquidy lentil and vegetable dish) are the staples but other Indian dishes such as chappatis, poori, idly and ragi balls are weekly specialties. All of the food is reasonably spicy but can be toned down by adding curd which is given at every meal.

Neelbagh is a wonderful place - highly recommended to anyone wanting to gain a true insight into India. The people you meet there - the gorgeous children and lovely locals - will make your stay unforgettable.

Natalie Leske
Australia.