Cross-Cultural Solutions - Volunteer Programs in India

I could not be more disappointed with my experience, and I cannot believe the positive reviews. At least in Delhi, the organization is corrupted by nepotism and apathy toward volunteering. I came to India to volunteer, but often the three NGOs CCS chose from (yes, there were only three-- two now, since they cut ties with one that refused to be controlled by CCS' tyranny) left volunteers sometimes under two hours a day to work. A volunteer while I was there was not allowed to volunteer one day when the NGO was doing a project at a different location than usual. There are also arbitrary rules, like a curfew and enforced meals. You must eat with the rest of the group, despite being provided a kitchen in which to cook. I was treated rudely by the staff: the head of India continually made inappropriate comments about my appearance and weight. The staff again and again referred the volunteers to relatives and friends, which wouldn't be so bad except the businesses were the worst we encountered in India. I think that most volunteers don't see the corruption because they don't stay the full three months that I did. Many volunteers with me had problems with CCS as well. An adult woman was kicked out for breaking the fake curfew (they lied and said the gates closed at 10 on weekdays and 1 on weekends-- we lived in a very safe affluent area and staying out beyond then put no one in danger.)
The Hindi lessons promised are just basic phrasing unless you are doing the internship program. However, the 'teacher' is just one of the regular staff, a guy who, while well-meaning, is impatient and is just a regular Hindi speaker who doesn't have grasp of the grammar. The people learning mostly learned from books on their own. The placements were made without regard for personal preference whatsoever. A woman who was a nurse and wrote specifically that she did not want to do medical work was expected to do so. No one I talked to was placed in an NGO with a focus they had requested, probably because CCS did not take advantage of the many NGOs in Delhi. It only had relationships with organizations that it could bully-- for example, agreeing to refuse to let kicked out volunteers stay at the NGO, even if they were kicked out for reasons completely unrelated to their volunteering work (a 23 year old having a glass of wine at dinner, a 34 year old returning to the flat at midnight, etc.)
CCS, instead of integrating you into the community, cloistered you. You cannot interact with the staff and volunteers at the NGO as much because you are forced to have limited hours and meals at the office (the "chef" is actually just a regular guy who makes cheap, repetitive meals over and over.) You live in a sheltered gated community without just that- a sense of community. I lived in Delhi after leaving CCS and the community I lived in was welcoming and wonderful to me, so much more so than CCS was. If you want a real Indian experience, and want to travel to really make a difference and volunteer, avoid CCS at all costs. The organization, at least in Delhi, is an overpriced scam whose main focus is liability and cost effectiveness.

I have volunteered with Cross Cultural Solutions twice-both times in India! There's a reason why I chose CCS over other programs. Their commitment to quality and an authentic experience are unparalled. If you've never volunteered before they will help you every step of the way-if you're a seasoned traveller the country staff encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and experience new things. The country staff are what makes the program! They have their own lives and families, yet I always felt like their first priority. Everyone on staff was friendly and really listened to me. The placements are thoughtful and the staff went out of their way to make sure they fit our needs. The flats were clean and well stocked and of course the food provided every day was absolutely delicious! CCS is worth every penny-you won't regret it, it'll be the experience of a lifetime.

When I participated in the CCS India program, I had never traveled outside of North America before. Since then, I've been back to India twice, and I am hoping to work in a field that will allow me to spend more time there in the future. I am incredibly thankful to CCS for making my first trip to India such a rewarding experience. CCS was an excellent, supportive program and a great introduction to India. My volunteer placement enabled me to learn a lot more about my field of interest (public health), and the staff were receptive to the projects I proposed. There were also a number of local trips/cultural activities in the afternoons, and I learned the Hindi alphabet (as well as a number of useful Hindi phrases) from the staff members. India can be a difficult country for Westerners to adjust to, but the CCS India staff are all wonderful people who are there to help you every step of the way.

I had three places on my bucket list, in order: India, China, Africa. I had traveled a lot in my life, lived abroad in Europe for school, and been to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan for business. Yet India seemed another planet, and I did not feel I could go alone. I had just a few weeks to give, but I wanted to quickly delve deep and understand the country. A volunteer vacation seemed the perfect choice.

After much research, I settled on Cross Cultural Solutions. I'm so glad I did. CCS provides as much or as little support as you need. The key difference is the "cultural" part. CCS places major emphasis on having face-to-face interaction with locals, so all the volunteer jobs are putting you in those situations, rather than working side by side with other volunteers only. I loved it. Also, CCS is highly sensitive to the local community, so healthy rules prevent us from upsetting the local economic ecosystems - for example, we're not allowed to give gifts or money to those we help, for many good reasons. Other organizations aren't always so farsighted and responsible.

They pick you up at the airport and provide local housing, commensurate with how the locals live. They have a cook that provides all meals that are good, safe, and also localized. And the staff goes out of its way to be helpful. They provide cultural training, like language lessons, teaching cricket, cooking classes, and there are field trips, all to give you a deep understanding of the local culture. And we're encouraged and supported to go out exploring on our own.

In Dharamsala, my job was teaching English to elementary school kids in a remote hilltop school - the school had no electricity or plumbing, just cement floors, wall and ceiling. No desks, kids sat on the floor. And they didn't speak ANY English. I was thrown in with them, and I had no experience teaching. But, it was a fabulous experience! Talk about getting to know the country quickly, as a local, not a tourist. In the evenings, there was time to roam up to Mcloud Gange, where the Tibetan community has its center in exile.

What's one thing I wish I'd known before going? Luckily, I heard this from other volunteers before going on my first CCS volunteer trip to India - you are somewhat left to your own devices in your volunteer gig. So you have to do your own preparation. CCS works hard to secure volunteer spots, but they may change at the last minute. The staff can't be up to speed on all the jobs and train you much, so as the other volunteers attest, you do your best based on your own skills and wits that you bring. It's fine. In India, my job was teaching kids, and I had never done that before. I don't think I was very good, but the kids and teacher seemed to love my efforts and I learned so much. In China, where I went a year later, teaching the teachers was simple - they just wanted conversation, so the prep materials I'd brought weren't needed. Talk to previous volunteers before you go. CCS will connect you with them.

I plan to go to Tanzania or South Africa with CCS soon. This is really an outstanding program. I can't say enough about it.

After a full-on cultural immersion experience in Vietnam (complete with riding on the backs of motorcycles with locals and trying to sleep to the sound of horking neighbours), I was ready to experience India with just a few more of the comforts of home.

Waiting for me at the airport (late on a Saturday night) to collect me from my 6 hour flight from Hong Kong, was a staff member and a driver from Cross-Cultural Solutions. From the moment, I stepped into the back of the SUV and got handed my welcome package, the staff at CCS took care of all of the little challenges and irritations of travel. They whisked myself and two of my fellow arriving volunteers to our humble flat (3 bedrooms - 8 people) near the Hauz Khas area of the city and got us settled into our orientation, sight seeing, and language lessons the next day.

In many ways, doing another CCS program felt an awful lot like coming home. After my 6 week program in Cape Town last year, I knew how the model of volunteer work, cultural exchange, and free time worked and it felt like I had simply arrived in a grittier, dustier, more polluted Cape Town (with even more amazing food and a completely different culture). Outside of a little bug I think I picked up on the plane, I got to skip the worst of the Delhi Belly and ate like a queen for 3 weeks.

My placement at Mother Teresa's Home for the Dying and the Destitute was more challenging that I expected. I had never worked with physically or mentally challenged people before and I think the culture shock of the placement was more intense than the culture shock of arriving in Delhi (keep in mind that I had spent the previous month in the wonderful chaos of Vietnam). I felt grateful to have had another CCS volunteer at the placement to show me around as well as the support of the staff in the Program Office to help me ease into my work. By my third week, I had settled into the routine of nail cutting, feeding, and spending time with a group of 70-80 women and left feeling so grateful for the opportunity I had to spend time with such an inspiring group of patients.

So far, Delhi has been one of my favourite places to volunteer because there is a great need for support, but there is also so much to learn from the culture and the people. With CCS, you will learn to speak basic Hindi, volunteer at an established NGO, see beautiful mosques and temples, learn about the history of the country in terms of politics and women's empowerment, and get a crash course in India's diverse religions and customs. You will also have enough free time to make a weekend trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, which is now one of the best memories of my life. I would return to New Delhi in a heartbeat and I think CCS does such a fantastic job of making India accessible to even the most novice of international volunteers.

My only two pieces of advice:
1. Keep your nails short because outbreaks of lice are rampant and even if you wash your hands, you can easily carry the little buggers around under you nails. You don't want to end up spending your last afternoon in New Delhi with de-lousing chemicals on your head (one of the few moments I didn't enjoy so much).
2. Buy extra pairs of the drawstring Indian pants because you will probably bring home a few extra pounds with you. The food coming out of the CCS kitchen is fantastic and hard to eat it with any kind kind of moderation (or maybe that is just me and my lack of will power when it comes to Indian food)...