Namaste from the November UniBreak group in Palumpur

COUNTRY: India
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Community Health Work
WRITTEN BY: Rachael Brooks

The volunteer group arrived in Palampur after a long 12 hour drive through northern India and ending up winding through the base of the Himalayas. The driving in India is a new experience itself with the drivers consistently over taking, honking, and swerving at any chance they get. However, it was well worth it to get to the stunning location we are in now. The combination of colours we are surrounded in are of the clean snow on the mountains, the green from the pine trees, the clear blue sky, as well as the bright hues from the traditional dress are all breath taking.

Our volunteering group’s home for the next four weeks is a three story house with a big outdoor area on the top level that looks out onto the mountains, this being where we have had our yoga session.


Within this first week, the volunteers have been trying to train our tongues to the new language of rolling r’s and many new sounds outside of the English language. Catching the bus is a novelty itself, each morning we have all been catching the public bus to work and with the flowers and beads to decorate the interior and the pumping Indian tunes it makes quite the energizing trip to work.

All the participants have commented on the difference of volunteering in their discipline compared to home. Here we have busy and often hectic work places that, like the Rotary School , love the extra help. In general we have all noticed a different view on patient confidentiality, here as the number of people needing help often exceeds the staff and resources required. It is surprising that the equipment that is used here in the hospitals for example, would easily be considered dated yet some how do the trick here. We have all been interested in the more holistic view of health that many rely on here. With yoga, meditation, and cleansing diets you can see how these people always seem at peace.

We have all loved the tradition and culture that we have been completely immersed in. With all of us loving the local markets selling everything including beautiful and detailed dresses, jewellery, scarves, sequined shoes, and traditional hats and clothing also for the boys. With all of us trying our best to blend in, the volunteer group gives the locals a good laugh.

So far this has been the experience of a life time and we are only just getting started. With all of us volunteers getting along so well like we have know each other for years, and with our awesome hosts Bobby and Amit it makes us feel like we are right at home.

Talk to you next week