Diary report of being in India, 12th october

12^th October 2013: Welcome at the Vasant Valleyschool, Tomke S.
This day was our first real day of our Indian exchange and was planed for a welcome at the Indian Vasant Valley school. At 7 am we had to stand up for taking our first Indian breakfast. Our host family offered us a big choice of food like toast with different possibilities of spread but also hot food like rice and a special Indian bread. After that we drove to school by car which only took five minutes. The Indian students showed us their school and afterwards they welcome us with a theatre play of a traditional gods story and a song sung by a choir. We also saw some sports games by of the Indian students who are divided in five different teams with add-on awarding of medals. Between 12 and 13 o' clock we took lunch in the canteen of the school. Thereafter the Indian students planed to play some sports games with us like cricket and basketball, but because of the persistent rain we played a game called “Journey to Jerusalem” where the German students had to “fight” for  a chair. Moreover we just sat together and talked a little bit. At 4 pm we drove home again where we sat together with our Indian exchange student and have drunk something. In the evening we had the big luck to visit an Indian marriage to which our host family was invited. The marriage was European but in the traditional Indian style and there were over 1000 guests which is normal in India. We had a lot of fun there, we danced to Indian music and we tried the whole range of food which was very huge. It was very interesting and an awesome experience to see how Indians celebrate a marriage and which differences to Germany exist. We had also the chance to meet a famous Indian star named Jazzy B. who performed there. All in all one could say that the first complete day in India was very impressive because we already say so many new things and also the fact that we could take part in an Indian marriage right at the outset of our journey to Indian was unbelievable great and an unforgettable experience.

October, 12th 2013, Friederike

Everybody's day started with breakfast in the host families and at 8 o'clock the Indian and German student met each other again at school. There were many impressions of the family and the accommodations to share with each other. It was also the first time for the german students to see the Vasant Valley Public School from inside and that was why the Indian students showed us the whole building. After that the German guest were welcomed during a official speech. Mr. Mertins made also a speech in which he thanked the Indians for their friendly welcome and all the effort they made to let us have a nice visit in India. Furthermore some students presented the Germans with dances and traditional songs which were rehearsed. It was very nice and interesting to get to know the 'life' and the atmosphere in Vasant Valley Public School because it was so different to the school life in Jaderberg. That day was also selected for having a sport competition where students from Vasant Valley Public School competed in running races and relay races. The german students applauded and spured on especially their exchange students. After every race the best students were honoured during a presentation ceremony. What was really nice and funny was the relay race with German students in the end of the competitions. Unfortunately Falk made such an effort that he fell down while he was running and therefore he hurt his chin badly. But as a real fighter he didn't feel pain and continued the program. At lunch the students from both countries ate together in the cafeteria of the school. After that we started to play a game named 'The journey to Jerusalem'. It was very funny and in the end Jule won the game. After that a few Indian students taught their guests how to play cricket which is a well-known game in India. After an exciting first day in school  everybody went back to his or her host family at 4 pm. In the evening every family arranged the program for their guest on their own. Some students went to the cinema to watch a 4D movie, other ones were invited to an Indian wedding, which was very beautiful and impressive and other students were just hanging around together.