by Christina Sandajan
Volunteer position: Conversation Class Assistant

Before arriving in McLeod Ganj, for the first time, I travelled from Delhi, taking the overnight bus with no plans in mind on what I would do in this town. I’ve always felt called to be in the mountains and I spontaneously decided to join a group of travellers from my hostel to travel to Dharamshala.
After reaching McLeod Ganj, I met another traveller who spoke to me about Lha Charitable Trust and what they do for the community. It sparked my interest to volunteer with them. My initial plan to stay for 3 days turned into 1.5 weeks and then a second trip spanning 3 weeks.
Volunteering at Lha has been one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in India. The mountain town of Dharamshala became my home away from home.
With excitement I walked into the Lha office and I was in the conversation class soon after! I was greeted by all the students, and some mistakenly thought I was also Tibetan. It felt at home to be around people who looked like me.

I’ve always had a deep passion for connecting with people. Teaching English during conversation class was the bonus because I was able to learn from them as well. We had conversations about the given topic, but we always had time to connect and learn about each other’s lives as well. The students were learning English from me, but I was learning so much about their cultures and life stories. Conversation class became the highlight of my day.
Despite the language barrier with some students, we found ways to communicate, using gestures, translation from other students, and lots of laughter. The connections I made turned into friendships. I would walk around town, see familiar faces and be greeted with warm smiles. We would meet outside class for tea or watch the documentaries at Hope Cafe.
Their eagerness to learn motivated me to be the best teacher I could be. I made sure to utilise every minute of class to be filled with English conversation, but also learn some words in their language too.

Outside the classroom, I immersed myself in the community, embracing Tibetan culture, traditions, and way of life. Doing Kora (circumambulation) after some classes too was another highlight of my time in McLeod Ganj. The community welcomed me with open hearts and I will be forever grateful for this opportunity to teach English.
As my time as a volunteer drew to a close, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions. I was so happy to have been a part of the students’ English language journey, but also sad to say goodbye. In my mind, I hoped that the “goodbyes” actually meant “see you again someday.”
As I continue my travels around the world, I’ll continue to advocate and encourage others to travel to McLeod Ganj and volunteer at Lha, sharing stories of my time there and inspiring others to make a difference.

Looking back, my volunteering experience taught me that the power of teaching goes beyond words—it is an exchange of cultures, a testament to human connection. And while I had set out to teach others, it was the students and the community that taught me the most about life in general.
Volunteering to teach English at Lha opened my eyes to the world of possibilities, the impact we can create when we offer our time and skills to those in need. Wherever my journey takes me next, I carry the hope of making a difference, one classroom at a time.