Nishant, AID Delhi Volunteer

I firmly believe that life-changing decisions are made from the heart, at an instinctive level where reason cannot interfere. After almost nine years in the US, returning to India was one such decision for me.
Being an active volunteer in US broke my middle-class cocoon and exposed me to the real issues facing India. I have learned more from the interactions with our partners, saathis, and volunteers than all my years in education. I especially admire the commitment of returning volunteers to become Jeevan Saathis.

On my return, I decided to slowly increase my participation in the growth of AID Delhi, the Bhopal campaign and non-formal education (NFE) initiatives, till it felt right to make a full-time commitment. Unfortunately, these efforts were completely derailed as family and part-time freelance work expanded. I felt a little guilty for not remaining true to my purpose. However, thanks to all its volunteers, besides supporting several local organizations, AID Delhi is now a unique synergy of groups running non-formal education centers and an RTI cell. Close to 200 volunteers are charting their own course and using AID as a resource tool, which is different from the strong social character of a typical US chapter.

It has now been two years since I returned. The biggest learning has been that developing a focus is paramount. There are two sides to every choice: I gained positives of direct involvement and family but now have increased responsibilities, and find myself working harder for financial security. In all, I feel as long as you feel challenged and live through new experiences, you are following your bliss.

So what do I think of my decision to return? To me the question is academic, because I am home.