GAP Placement in Bangalore April - Aug 05

SazB

Not sure if i'll get much response on here, but here goes anyway! I'm currently on my gap year and have just returned from three amazing months in Fiji with GAP Activity Projects. GAP have offered me a second placement this year in Bangalore, Southern India. I'll be working with underprivileged children in a learning cente. The problem is, GAP requires two people to take up the placement, so I was just wondering if there are any females out there who fancy it? You have to be between 17 & 19, and on a gap year. Obviously there are costs involved, but as I've been with GAP before, I know they're a worthwhile charity. I know it's short notice....we'd be leaving in mid April, but it's such an amazing opportunity and I really want to work with these children.

Please let me know if you're interested,
Sarah :-)

Kanbe

out of curiousity, is the organization you are going to volunteer at in Bangalore called Parikrma.

If not, may I ask which organization you are helping out with?

Thanks

Karma Queen

it's GAP projects she's going with

SazB

Yep, it's GAP (GAP Activity Projects) who I'm going with

Karma Queen

thats rather exciting saz! i volunteered (teaching) in bangalore in my gap year last year - you'll have a wicked time!

SazB

Hey Karma Queen!! Were you teaching in Bangalore with a charity, or did you organise it yourself? I'm really excited about going, just hope GAP are able to find a partner for me! It's not that I wouldn't mind going alone, but I guess as it's such a large city, they want you to be partnered. So have you got any tips about living in Bangalore? I'm being such a kid at the moment, I can't wait! Thanks, Sarah

Kanbe

Oh, you are going to have an exciting time! I was there in Bangalore doing similar work with children and teaching English for the last two months on so.
Bangalore is an easy place to navigate and adapt to. In fact, it rates as quite cosmopolitan compared to other cities. You can easily find all your western luxuries in the MG road/Brigade area or in Koromongala Forum, a modern shopping center.

Have fun!

Kanbe

plus, Bangalore is conveniently located so that you can go on short trips over the weekends. I went to places like Mysore, Pondicherry, Mamallapuram (not sure how it is after the tsunami though), Hampi, Chennai. All these places are around 8 hours away, ideal to take an overnight bus on Friday night and spend the weekend there. I hear Coorg is worthy of going too. So if you have the will to travel, there is plenty out there for you to see around Bangalore.

Karma Queen

yeah as kanbe says, make sure you do some weekend trips!

i went out there with the gap year company i-to-i, and worked for a community centre, teaching english mainly, in a slum. met some amazing people, and had the time of my life.

do GAP set you up with a house with other volunteers? that's what i-to-i does. i was living with 6 other english people in an indian ladies home. there were 2 other aussie volunteers at the place where i was working, but they were living somewhere else and left a few days after i arrived. i found working on my own absolutely fine, when i got used to it (doesn't take long - after a few days in india i felt like i'd always been there)

bangalore is a really nice place to live - the work you'll be doing will probably give you a taster of 'real india', but bangalore is very cosmopolitan, especially around the mg road area, and so if it all gets a bit too much (which it can sometimes), you can always go for a coffee or a pizza or something.

have fun!