A volunteer whose family is from the Chennai area travels to Germany, learns first-hand about cultural differences with India, and is dedicated to empowering people.
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Published Feb, 2025
My family is from Annai Nagar, but we moved to Pondicherry in 2005 for better education. My grandparents still live in Annai Nagar. My dad is a clothes designer at the Auroville unit Colours of Nature. I completed a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering because my father wanted me to, but I was drawn to social work. My mother, who is a social worker with Auroville Village Action Group, was my biggest inspiration. She always told me that we should work for the people, not just for money.
I started volunteering at Thamarai, an Auroville unit that works for youth in the surrounding villages, when I learned they were building a centre in Annai Nagar for education and youth development. I spent seven years as a volunteer and eventually became a paid facilitator.
The opportunity to go to Germany came through Karin, a German woman introduced to me by Thamarai coordinator Bridget. Karin was looking for someone to participate in the Weltwärts social work exchange programme. [See our previous story “Welwarts – the gift of international exchange] I spent one and a half years in Stuttgart in Germany, working as a kindergarten teacher for two days a week and at a food NGO for three days a week.
[Germany] was a completely different world from India. I grew up in a nuclear family and had never really travelled beyond my region, so moving to Germany pushed me out of my comfort zone. Before I went, people told me that Germans were very strict and serious, partly because of historical stereotypes. But the people I met were incredibly kind and welcoming.
[Returning to India] was difficult at first. In Germany, people live for themselves, and I had the freedom to live independently and focus on my own personal growth. But in India, life revolves around the family. When I returned, I had to readjust to family expectations and responsibilities.
Personally, I believe everyone is equal, but caste discrimination still exists in many places. In some villages, people still ask about caste before considering someone for a job. When I encounter that, I don’t respond directly – I ask them why they think it’s important.
One of the biggest impacts of Thamarai is that it has helped break down some of these barriers. Before, people from other villages wouldn’t come to Annai Nagar, but now they come to study and learn. That’s a big step forward.
I want to become a full-time social worker. My goal is to do a master’s degree in social work in Germany. That’s why I’m preparing for my B1 German language exam in May. Once I finish my studies, I plan to work there for five to six years to gain experience.
After that, I want to return to India and start an NGO in Auroville, focusing on women’s empowerment. In our village, things have started to change – girls can now study outside the village and even play sports, which wasn’t allowed before. Nowadays we have a women’s football team in the local school! But there’s still a long way to go, and I want to contribute to that change.
By Abhishek
Originally published in Auroville Today issue, No 428 (Feb 2025)
https://auroville.today/articles/4284/leaving-the-comfort-zone-changing-perspectives-through-the-weltwarts-programme