Vandita Crezée
15 January 2017 t0 15 April 2017
My name is Vandita Crezée. I am 27 years old. Since my adoption I have been living in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, Netherlands. I live on my own in a nice renovated apartment which I like very much.
In 2004 and 2013 I spent a holiday with my relatives in India. Since my second trip to India (in 2013) I have been thinking about being a volunteer in India. My employment contract terminated in January 2017. I therefore considered this moment a suitable one for going to India.
I have been trained as an occupational therapist and nurse and I would love to apply my knowledge abroad. I have counseled various therapies and I have been able to give advice about lifting activities. I have drawn up an emergency list for all the residents and advice about the use of aids.
At Umang I mainly observed the residents during the first few days. As I’m not used to working with the target group living at Umang the staff gave me some indications how to approach things best.
I can look back on my journey to India with a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction. I am very glad that I have chosen to do voluntary work during three months in India. The most important reason why I wanted to do voluntary work is that I stayed myself at Holy Spirit Hospital and I would like to do something for the children of Bal Anand and Umang. I hope to have given these children a lot of love and attention.
During my time in India, the following made the deepest impression on me:
• People are very poor and have few possessions but they are nevertheless happy.
• In spite of poverty, people are always very hospitable and willing to share the few things they have with others.
• It struck me that people were less poor than in 2004 when I visited India with my relatives for the first time.
In conclusion I would like to say that money and possessions do not make you happier. I am glad that I have been in the position to make this journey.