Conservation Volunteer Stories, India

Conservation in India - Corinne Hunter During the summer I travelled to India with Projects Abroad to take part in a conservation project and to do research for my dissertation. My first five weeks were spent in a small rural village called Ullar. In the village we lived in the upstairs of a family's house but went to Lakshmi and Durai's house at mealtimes (often accompanied by one of their dogs Monty). I wasn't sure what it would be like eating spicy food three times a day but it wasn't long before we each found ourselves having more and more helpings. Idly and lemon rice were definitely favourites amongst the volunteers.

Conservation in India - Victoria Ridley Even now, several months on, I still have vivid memories of the hustle and bustle that greeted me, as I emerged from Trivandrum airport at 4am. It was hot, humid, chaotic but exciting. The smiling face of a member of the Projects Abroad India team was a very welcome sight. This was India, and it was going to be home for the next month.

Conservation in India - Brock Phillips With the Western Ghat Mountains five kilometres away, a single intersection, and a kilometre from one end to the other, Ullar was easily my favourite place in India. Sure, we travelled on the weekends to places in Tamil Nadu and Kerala and I even saw the Taj Mahal when my placement ended, but nothing compared to Ullar and the Model Farm. There are usually two or three volunteers on the Model Farm; however I was lucky enough to spend my eight weeks with six other volunteers.