Volunteer and Intern in India

Leave Ur Mark is an extemely unprofessional organisation that's trying to get as much money as possible. The service I received before I left for India was meek. No help with the Visa whatsoever, basic information you can google in a second and no further advice on what flights to book, what medication to bring etc. As soon as I transferred the first payment to them I had to wait days for them to answer. Basically they lose interest in you after they've won you for one of their programs. After I arrived in India I found out that my internship is not at the place they promised it would be but rather a one hour bus journey from my location away. Moreover they promised that there would be a lovely community of interns but when I arrived was literally not a single other intern. Due to this dishonesty I decided to quit the internship. Their reaction to that was highly unprofessional and confirmed the bad impression I had gotten over the past weeks. They'll lie to you about the circumstances and think it's okay to do so. I wasted money on a bad (non-existent) service. Keep your money and volunteer for an organisation that doesn't ask you to pay them money so YOU can do FREE work for them

I discovered the LeaveUrMark organization while searching for volunteer programs that would give me adventure, culture, and a meaningful experience. In 2015, I was working for a small business 40+ hours a week doing email marketing. At that point in my life, I was pretty unhappy and I really wanted a vacation that would change my perspective. While scrolling the internet one day, I luckily stumbled upon the opportunity to explore India with several volunteer options through LeaveUrMark. The internship at the Sheila Kothavala Institute For The Deaf (SKID) in Bangalore, India called to me the most. Even though I had only taken one semester of American Sign Language in college, I decided to volunteer there in a pre-K class. I think about those children every day. They opened my eyes to a whole new culture and taught me so much. I still remember the sign for the color "black" and how they would point to their hair. Volunteering at the school is ideal for anyone searching to make a difference.

I had been to Bangalore as a volunteer back in 2003 and wanted to visit again and wanted to get some backup in terms of accommodation and logistics when I was back in Bangalore in terms of organising placement and travel, as well as the opportunity to meet other volunteers/interns. It was so easy to organise my trip with leaveurmark and the staff were very helpful and accommodating and I didn't have to worry about anything when I was out in Bangalore. The apartment was nice and there was a housekeeper who sorted meals which was great.

Looking back the past month, a bewilderment of fear and joy, of excitement and melancholia makes me start to think about my experience in India. In terms of work, it was meaningful, in the end it taught me practical knowledge, broadened my interpersonal circle,and helped me understand more about Indian economy while being a part of it. In terms of travel and life in India, I'm sure everyone who's looking for adventure and colorful recreational life will be thrilled to enjoy their time here. India has so much to offer that there will always be surprises everyday.

It was a really wonderful experience when I was in India for one month.I made a lot of Indian friends, ate a lot of delicious Indian food, and traveled to a lot of wonderful places.
The apartment I lived in India was very nice. A caretaker cleaned my room every day. I could always get some Indian breakfast and lunch. But actually, I haven’t spent a lot of time in the apartment because I spent a lot of time with my Indian friends. They were my students when I taught English in YWCA. I was not confident about my English, but the girls’ innocent eyes and bright smiles touched my heart. We talked, connected, and exchanged thoughts and ideas. I found that they were ambitious and had a lot of thoughts and ideas about their lives. So I encouraged them to insist on their dreams and never give up. They are nice girls, just like most Indians. They invited me to their houses to have dinners. Their parents and other family members were also very hospitable. I not only tried a lot of local snacks, but also traveled to a lot of beautiful spots because they recommended me many beautiful places.
I really enjoyed the time I spent with girls, and the time I worked with kids made me understand the meaning of life. I spent about three weeks with kids. I disputed milk and food, played with them, and helped them clean every day. Sometimes they were very naughty, but sometimes they gave me unexpected surprises: they put a leaf or a feather in my hand as a gift; they gave me their toys; and they kissed my head tenderly……I was so happy and excited with kids every day; they made my heart soft and warm. They don’t know what’s good and bad; they are pure and natural. I hope they grow up happily and healthily.
I didn’t meet a lot of cultural shock in India, instead of some interesting cultural habits. My Indian friends taught me how to use hand to have dinner; I saw cows walk in the street freely and even the crowded traffic cannot disturb them. Every family has their own beliefs, and they believe in their Gods very firmly. There are hundreds of Gods in India, and my friends have told me some of their legends, like cobra God or the God with an elephant face…… The stories are so mysterious, and I think it’s really interesting to know about them. Everything is fine in India except traffic, and I was afraid to cross the road, because all cars, autos, motorcycles are very fast. I learned one skill in India: bargain with auto men. I not only had to tell the auto man go by meter, but also tell him please go fast or he would choose a longer distance for charging more money.
Anyway, it was an unforgettable experience for me. I like Indian people, Indian culture, and Indian food. I will definitely recommend to my friend because it will give you a beautiful and unforgettable memory.

Leave UR Mark allowed me to live with my friend from Bangalore. My friend's family provided me with shelter, food and transportation. Leave UR Mark was very particular about the safety of the family/the location of their house in proximity to the MidDay office before I went abroad.

Leave UR Mark provided 2 in-city organizers. Usually, they would meet the intern at the airport, but my friend's family picked me up. The organizers met with me the day after arriving and filled me in on what to see and do in Bangalore. They also met with me periodically with the other interns in the program so that we all felt like we had someone to talk to/hang out with.

Interning at MidDay was an okay experience. The office did not give me a useful orientation before I started working on news stories. There was a disconnect there.

The positive points of my internship included walking around the city alone (you really get a sense of a foreign city) and certain events that happened while I was there (a death of a journalist).