Last Weekend  Projects Abroad India conducted the most interesting social event – The Dirty Weekend..Many of our staff members and volunteers made an exquisite expedition to one of our new placement – Love & Care orphanage on Saturday..

We planned to clean the area in-front of the school building. Also we accepted to the fact that we should train the kids over there as well.. So we parted the children into 6 teams with our volunteers as Team leaders.Every team was taken care by these leaders and they taught the children about cleanliness with games and instructions.

While in the afternoon,all the volunteers and staff had our Lunch together…Before winding up,we played some group games with the children. With heavy heart, we left the place in the evening by distributing some sweets to the children.

And am pretty sure that our work will be remembered always and our mission continues…

Contributed by Nadia Chellam – Social Manager from Projects Abroad India

When I wasn’t gallivanting around India, taking in the wonders that are in plentiful abundance, I was working in the Journalism department in Madurai, as I was a part of the Madurai Messenger.It is essentially a monthly publication, focusing on issues and people in and around Madurai, and in most circumstances, each issue orientated around a different theme.

I have truly loved working here, mainly due to the freedom one is given, in terms of being involved in every stage of the magazine, from the interviews, the writing, and the design and layout. I even got to grips with photography when I had the time. The opportunities provided have been highly rewarding, and I am very grateful for the knowledge that I have gained.

It was a case of sink or swim, as in my first week I was at a press conference, and did my first interviews, questions and the like spewing forth from one’s imagination. It all turned out well, and I will never forget that nerving half an hour. That is journalism, and I reveled in the unpredictability of it all, as thinking on one’s feet is a must, but even if you falter, there was always someone there wit you to give you a hand, wether it is a question unspoken, or a joke to ease my nerves.

The other main benefit has been the people that I have met during my interviews.I feel incredibly privileged to have met had the chance to these people renowned for their minds, or for their hearts, and these occasions have shown me how much Madurai, and its people, have to offer.

Contributed by Allen Worwood - Volunteer Journalist

Taking a break from travel, the Projects Abroad team stayed in Madurai this weekend and held a Sports Weekend for both staff and volunteers.

Morning games of cricket pitted volunteers versus staff against one another in a tough, entertaining game that ended with a win for Pandi’s team.

Our social coordinator wrapped up the match with a congratulatory speech for both teams before all headed to lunch at a nearby hotel.Volunteers cooled off in the afternoon at the pool, and even taught some of our local staff how to swim!

Contributed by John Qua - Staff member

This past weekend, several volunteers hopped on a van to escape the Madurai heat and headed into the cool and breezy Western Ghats, the mountainous region between the southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. We stayed in Kodaikanal, the most popular of the “hill stations”, where we spent 2 nights trekking and touring the natural scenery.

Saturday, volunteers trekked for either 3 or 5 hours across the hills, learning about the local fauna and witnessing the spectacular views over the mountain range from the Pillar Rocks. In the afternoon, a van was hired to bring everyone around to local sightseeing areas and lakes.

Sunday morning, volunteers walked Coaker’s Walk, a small trail with beautiful views of the mountain villages and mountains set up by British colonists. We spent the afternoon at the site’s biggest tourist attraction, the town’s lake and its adjacent gardens at Bryant’s Park. While some of us rode horses around the lake, others enjoyed the gardens or rented a paddleboat to explore the lake. Local traders and craftsmen provided great shopping; from the small stands and vendors surrounding the lake, one could buy chocolate, dried fruit, tea, or woodcrafts.

Overall, the weekend was a perfect respite from hustle, bustle, and heat of the city of Madurai – volunteers took in gorgeous views of the mountains, made tracks across one of the most picturesque areas of southern India, and learned about the nature of the area in the process.

Contributed by John Qua

This past Sunday, several volunteers based around Madurai came to the Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary to help repaint part of its complex as part of the program’s “Dirty Weekend”.

The six volunteers, along with the help of three staff members, were able to spiff up two of the rooms with blue and red paint, and have an awesome time in the process! We gave the walls a new cover of paint, touched up the room’s furniture, and even covered some of the outside shutters and doors.

TTS thanked the volunteers for a job well done at the end of the morning, after which the volunteers celebrated their success over a wholesome Indian lunch of sambar, chapati, and other dishes provided by Projects Abroad India.

Contributed by John Qua - Staff from Projects Abroad UK