- Typical Day
- Why do people like doing this?
- Staple Diet
- Accommodation
- The Season
- Time Zone
- Plug
- Distance from town
- Transport to town
- Cost of a beer
- Cost of a coke
- Cost of internet
- Communication with home
- Things to do at weekend/free time
- Extra points for this destination
- Background Reading and Information
- Current Exchange Rate
Typical Day
Teaching
These projects are based in nursery, primary or secondary schools in Madurai, mainly 'Matriculation' schools where it is compulsory that all lessons are taught in English. You will get introduced to the Principal on your first day and they will discuss your teaching programme with you and try to incorporate your own interests and specialities into your teaching schedule.
Don't worry, you won't be thrown in completely at the deep end! You will assist a teacher for the first week and when you gain confidence and feel comfortable in the classroom, you'll be able to become involved in lesson planning and eventually take classes on your own. You will receive a Teaching Guide before departure which has suggestions on inexpensive resources to take with you.
Children are always fascinated with volunteers and want to learn as much as possible about you. They love to hear stories about you, your family and where you are from so it is a good idea to take pictures, maps, magazine articles and photos of your family and friends with you. These also make excellent resources for a lesson to promote discussion and interest.
Our schools in Madurai are desperate for your help and are overwhelmingly appreciative and grateful to all volunteers. Not only will you be giving invaluable teaching and education to the school, your involvement with the children will bring immense satisfaction and enjoyment!
Medical Work Experience
Our Medical placements give you a fantastic insight into the workings of a hospital in a different country. One of our hospitals is a non-profit charitable institution and is ideal if you hope to gain an all round exposure to medicine. Here you start the day with the superintendent in charge of the hospital and accompany him on his ward rounds to see the in-patients. You will then most likely be assigned to a doctor or nurse and they will explain the workings of their job and take you into one of these departments:
Burns unit, Orthopaedics and Traumatology, ENT, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Urology, Neurosurgery, Thoracic Surgery, Psychiatry, Dermatology, Upper GI Video Endoscopy, Laparoscopy, Arthroscopy, Bronchoscopy, Rhinoscopy, Physiotherapy and X-Ray.
Where you're placed will depend very much on what you'd like to get out of your placement and in your area of interest in medicine. Once we know what you want maximum exposure to, as well as the kind of experience you want to gain most, we'll arrange for you to be placed in the most suitable institution. We want to ensure that you gain the maximum benefit and experience from your placement.
Most of your work will be to accompany the doctor or nurse on ward rounds and sit in on doctor-patient consultations. The type of work you are allocated will depend to an extent on your experience and abilities so you may spend a lot of time shadowing the doctor. However you will gain valuable experience just by observing.
Your working hours are usually subject to a shift rota, Monday to Fridays only; one session in the morning and one in the evenings with the afternoon off to rest or explore the city! However, some of the hospitals arrange surgeries in the afternoons and you may have the option to attend these instead of going back for the evening session.
All of the staff are very friendly and helpful and they will make you feel extremely welcome.
Requirements: You do not need any qualifications to apply for a medical placement. We do ask however that you are enthusiastic, self motivated and confident in working both alone and as part of a team. Ideally you should have an interest in the area of medicine that you'd like to work in, or be studying towards.
Why do people like doing this?
These projects are ideal for people wanting to gain a real understanding of Indian life. Having the opportunity to live with a local family and experience real Indian life helps people to immerse themselves further into the culture.
The medical placements give people a unique opportunity to gain medical experience which will look great on their CV. Due to health and safety laws in the west, it is extremely difficult for people to gain medical experience in the UK. In India, the Doctors are very happy to have keen volunteers assisting them.
Staple Diet
Varieties of curry and rice is the staple diet so you will get to try a wide selection. There is also plenty of exotic fruit to indulge in. All of your meals are provided if you are living with a family, although you will have access to the kitchen to make up your own snacks.
Eating out is extremely cheap in Madurai. Many of the restaurants have roof top gardens, offering incredible views across the town with the dramatic Meenakshi Temple silhouetted on the skyline. Most restaurants are good quality and you can choose from a selection of local curries, western food and vegetarian food is in abundance! You could find yourself walking away with change out £2.50! Locally grown fruit is also a refreshing option and you can try mango, papaya, pineapple and coconut as well as sample jack fruit.
Accommodation
Most of our volunteers stay with host families in Madurai to get the 'real Indian experience'. All of our hosts are very welcoming and you will be made to feel part of the family. You may share a room with one other volunteer and you will have an en-suite western style bathroom.
We also use volunteer hostels that we rent for you. Again, expect to share a room.
The Season
Madurai is generally dry and hot with summer temperatures reaching 37.5oC. In the winter it is not much cooler, with temperatures between 21 and 29oC. May is the hottest month and the monsoon rains come between October and December.
Time Zone
Madurai is 5.30 hours ahead of GMT
Plug
India uses 3 round pin plugs (not the square type as in the UK). Most 2 round pin adapters will work in Indian sockets.
Distance from town
In whichever accommodation you stay in, all volunteers will live close together and just a minute walk away from internet cafes, banks and snack shops and just a short auto ride into the centre of town. Our staff in Madurai also live close-by.
Transport to town
You can easily catch a bus ride into the centre of town. The projects are between 10 - 30 minutes away by bus.
Cost of a beer
A 700ml bottle costs approximately 55 rupees.
Cost of a coke
Information still to come, watch this space!
Cost of internet
Information still to come, watch this space!
Communication with home
There are internet cafes very close by to your accommodation. This will be the easiest and cheapest way of staying in touch with family and friends at home.
Things to do at weekend/free time
It is easy to spend free time in Madurai. The area is famous for festivals and temples. The Meenakshi Temple, which has 1000 carved pillars, is especially famous.
Extra points for this destination
Background Reading and Information
India - Lonely Planet Country Guide
Current Exchange Rate
1 British Pound = 71.62 Indian Rupee
This information should be used as a guide only.
Currency data has been provided by a third party source.
