First impression, August 13, 2008
Ms. Helen Wagner


Personal introduction: My name is Helen Wagner. I am from Bad Orb in Germany. I have finished school this summer and took a break of one year. I will stay in the Sambhali project for eight months so that I can start studying when I come back to Germany. Last year I have participated in a four week work camp in Tamil Nadu, India but I have not yet participated in a project for such a long time.

My arrival at Mumbai was very chaotic (they lost my luggage) so that I felt so comfortable about my warm welcome from Govind, his family and the project participants at the guesthouse in Jodhpur.

The room I got was so beautiful and just a few minutes later a plate full of tasty Indian food was placed in front of me.

After a first orientation conversation with Govind I felt quite good. I won’t stay in Jodhpur but I will take responsibility of the Sambhali Setrawa project which is placed in Setrawa, a small village situated 110 kilometers from Jodhpur. Living in a village (Setrawa has around 3000 inhabitants) and participating in this project will be so different than the project in Jodhpur but also exciting. I will live next door to the school, in a small room. There will be a kitchen for me because I will have to cook on my own. Very funny for a person who has no talent in cooking.

In the Sambhali Setrawa Project there is a morning class where the girls learn Sewing, an afternoon class in English for non school children and an evening class in English for the school children. Together with two local teachers I will be responsible for the school.

Because of my lost luggage I needed new hygienic articles. At the first evening Govind organized me one of his friends to take me to the Department store which is near from the guesthouse. The store was full of Indians and in my impression so typical Indian.

The next day gave me so much new experiences. I survived my first heavy monsoon rain sitting on a motorbike on our way to the Vodafone shop. Cows were standing on the streets and poor children were playing in the rain water which was full of rubbish. I needed a new prepaid card for my mobile phone so that I can stay in contact with my family and my friends cheaply.

Because of the one year valid internship visa I have had to go to the registration office in Jodhpur to get registration. I knew that the Indian bureaucracy is different than the German one but I haven’t expected this…

Placed in a big building insanity was mixed with the patience of the people of India. That was so crazy. They have sent me from office to office. I had to write another application which had to be signed by a women working in one of the office and who was responsible for the registration stuff. I waited there for around one hour and 30 minutes to find out that she wouldn’t come that day.

Going to the office the next day again I had to wait another 30 minutes before she came. After signing my application I had to go to another office who wanted me to fill out four pages documents. This whole situation taught me (hopefully) not to go there again.

The girls and women of the Sambhali Jodhpur project are so lovely. Sitting with them in their class which is placed on the first floor of the guesthouse they all had to introduce themselves to me. During this thing I have recognized that all the girls are on a different level in English. Some of the girls are too shy to speak, others can’t wait to do it and the other ones speak so low that you can’t hear them.

Nevertheless every participant seems to be so happy about the Sambhali project and about the chance to learn Basic English and sewing. I was standing in front of a group of girls and wonem who where willing to learn. In this situation nobody would have expected that all those girls and women are Harijans. Every person who I have seen had a smile on the face.

I have always been interested in women’s rights. Especially in India women are still facing a lot of problems and that’s why I am so happy to see that the Sambhali participants get such a great and wonderful chance in life.