From the first day arriving in Jaipur I was made to feel very welcome by the staff of VWI and the Host Family. On the first day at the school I was initially nervous but the children were all so lovely and keen to learn. My 2 weeks were filled with puppet making as I had organized puppet show with the children on the last day of my volunteering. I organized 3 program for children. All these programs made me feel very proud and also sad that my time was at end. I loved my time in Jaipur, met some great people, had some amazing food, saw the incredible sights in & around the city and even managed to watching a Bollywood movie in at Raj Mandir.
The reason to choose VWI that I wanted to do something involving theatre which is how I find VWI site in internet. There were great reviews and as you were based in Jaipur I felt you were better involved with the projects over a Company based in the UK.
Project Staff Members were great from the first of my email query sent in VWI office. Excellent communication skills in team members. Project Coordinator was very helpful both in the school and for any other info I needed. Transport was great always on time and always more than to stop and pick up anything needed on the way. Accommodation was fabulous. Made me to feel very welcome and they were amazing in helping with everything. Food was also excellent and always more if wanted it.
I would defiantly recommend the project for anyone with a passion for theatre as it has been so rewarding sharing mine with the children here. 10 out of 10 for my overall experience and satisfaction.

I did not know what to expect and was a little nervous to begin with. But everyone made it very easy. The Children were an inspiration and it was a pleasure to attend and teach them all. I bonded very quickly and it was hard to say goodbye and my tears almost came when one Boy was upset that I was leaving. I would thank everyone to grab this opportunity with both hands. It is Amazing I would like to give 10 out of 10 marks to VWI. I have learned so much and had the best experience. I hope to come again soon. The project staff members were very helpful and Govind was a Big Help to assist me with theater teaching for children. Transportation services Brilliant! The Taxi was always on time and the driver very friendly with always smile on his face. The accommodation was very nice and the family was very friendly. The Food was very good and enjoyable. I definitely recommend Theater Project for future volunteers.

My time in Jaipur, India was fantastic! On my very first day of arriving in Jaipur (from England) I had the Theatre Volunteering programme explained to me and details about when I would be picked up the next day to begin. Sure enough, I was picked up the following day by my designated tuk tuk driver, who was an absolute hero from day 1-so lovely and helpful, he would stop off anywhere on the way for food etc and he even introduced myself and some of the other volunteers to his family.

Upon arriving at the school where I would be volunteering I was a little surprised how poor the area was. The days in Jaipur were filled with acquiring various materials from the local markets to make costumes, accessories and props. I also brought paper for scripts and paint to make scenery. After I had made these, I felt more ready to teach the children as they were subsequently very excited when I turned up with bright colours and silly plastic props they could play around with. I had decided before traveling to India that alongside suitable interactive games I knew and had researched, I would teach them two scripts for them to learn, act out and perform. One was a script from a popular children’s story ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ and one was the script of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ which I adapted for the children’s age group (2-15 yrs old.) Both stories were fun to act out, were very interactive with multiple parts and had lines that were easy to pronounce and learn. The great aspect of this programme is that you are free to arrange whatever theatre programme you like and can teach the children whatever it is you may specialise in or have an interest in. Additionally, the children were a delight to teach, so friendly and enthusiastic! Just make sure you come fully prepared!

At the end of my programme, the children were able to perform what they had learnt to an invited audience (this consisted of the project coordinators, the teaching assistants, other volunteers whom I lived with and myself.) I also filmed the performances, which overall made it a brilliant experience for the children who had all developed in confidence and awareness of English and British Art.

During the rest of my month in Jaipur I had the opportunity to experience Indian culture right in the heart of the Pink City. I experienced the way a traditional Indian family operates (from living with an authentic family who’s values, class system and importance of religion contrast starkly to the European way of life), to experiencing various Indian festivals and visiting Indian monuments, architecture and places of interest. These included the famous Amer fort, the monkey temple the Hawa Mahal, the City Palace, and the Jal Mahal (the floating Palace)-all very beautiful with interesting historical stories attached. Additionally to this, I was lucky enough to book myself on to the company’s Golden Triangle tour package which I completed after my time in Jaipur. This included travelling to the City of Agra where on the way we stopped off at Fatehpur Sikri and then the next day I got to see the incredible Taj Mahal, a sight I will always cherish and never forget. I then visited the Red Fort of Agra, a truly fascinating building. The next day, I traveled on to New Delhi where we visited the Indian Gate and the Buddhist Temple-again wonderful experiences.

I would thoroughly recommend the Theatre Volunteering programme in Jaipur as it is a life changing adventure and an experience which really opened my eyes to a way of life so different to my own.