Now it’s already three and a half months since I arrived here in Auroville, a multicultural bubble in the southern tropical region of India. For those who don’t know me, my name is Viviana, I’m 20 years old and I am from Germany. I have the opportunity to be part of Thamarai for one year. By now, everything has settled a bit for me as well. Things that amazed me in the first week have become somewhat normal, like the cows and goats everywhere and the vibrant colors of life here. Even though these moments occasionally remind me of where we actually are, I believe the whole year won’t be entirely ordinary.
In Thamarai (Tamil for Lotus Flower), I have gradually found my place. In the beginning, everything was quite new and overwhelming, so I often felt a bit lost, not knowing exactly where and how I could help and, consequently, not being able to contribute as I wanted to. Thamarai’s philosophy is that everyone should have the opportunity to unfold their full potential and blossom like a flower.
Thamarai consists of several programs. Firstly, there’s the After-School Program, which is a significant part of my daily routine. In the after school, students, mostly from government schools, come to Thamarai between 4:30 and 5:00. After half an hour of free play, there are English classes, followed by homework sessions. Many parents of the children haven’t had a good education themselves, making it challenging for them to assist with homework. Therefore, I appreciate what Thamarai achieves with its patient, understanding work.
Secondly, Thamarai includes a Well-being Program, inviting various villages for health checks once or twice a month. Measurements such as blood sugar, weight, and height are taken, and pulses are checked, especially for older villagers who may not often have the opportunity to see a doctor. Additionally, various therapies and methods are offered to address the issues people often bring, for example, yoga, acupuncture, or cranial sacral therapy. The emphasis is on ensuring that people who come also gain some knowledge to apply at home.
The third aspect of Thamarai is the RTL Leadership Program where participants get in-touch with their inner capacity, project design and builds healthy self-esteem, this program takes the form of workshops held one weekend a month over a three month period.
I’m a bit involved in everything in my work, although I haven’t participated in one of the Leadership workshops yet, which will likely happen soon. My routine now involves working in the office every morning, except Wednesday mornings, from 9:15 am to 12:30 pm. This can involve various tasks, sometimes cleaning when necessary, but mostly uploading pictures to the drive or writing reports about activities with Thamarai. I’m also recently responsible for Thamarai’s Instagram page.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I work in the After-School program from 5 pm to 8 pm, occasionally starting at 4:30 pm. I help with homework, and sometimes I’ve given English classes, which was initially challenging as I had to get used to speaking in English. Teaching younger children, who often understand very little English, can be a bit of a challenge. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I return to the office at 2:00 pm after the lunch break and stay until 4:00 pm, sometimes extending the lunch break and working until 2:30 pm. On Saturdays, I usually participate in the Weekend Program from about 9:15 am to 12:00 pm, which may also happen on Sundays with other facilitators.
During Well-being days/mornings, I often help in various areas, such as preparing snacks or entering/noting down data. I’ve also had the opportunity to try some of the therapies myself, for which I am truly grateful.
As you may have gathered, Thamarai works in the villages around Auroville. I like this aspect as it allows me to immerse myself in the village life. In my free time, alongside volunteering, my life revolves around Auroville. It’s nice to experience both worlds, as the privileges of the Western world can be felt in Auroville. Auroville is different from India in many ways, but I can say it is a significant enrichment for my life – and that’s after just three months.
I am very grateful to be here, to have the experiences I’ve had and will continue to have, and for all the wonderful people I’ve already met. I look forward to whatever the future holds. Let’s see what happens.
Viviana Tsotsos
