Indian Volunteer working in Developing countries of Asia and Africa
Gautam Mazumdar's Page
Profile
- Where were/are you volunteering - Country, Year
- I am working with VSO- Indonesia since last October, 2007. I am in Indonesia to work as a "Business Advisor" for one of VSO- Indonesia Partner Organization "Kubca Samakta" , a NGO based in Lembang, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. The NGO is mainly working with Deaf Young People and mainly focused on the Social and Economic Empowerment of these Differently Abled People.
- About Me:
- 2. My skills as a Management Graduate, with specialization in International Business and being attached with the corporate sector for over more than 5 years, dealt mainly in International Marketing, focused on all activities related to Overseas Business Development. In a very comprehensive manner I can summarize my skills in areas like
1. Market Research – Collecting and analysis of Data’s, facts & figures from primary as well as secondary sources on all these prime areas like- Country wise, People / Citizens/ Customers, Competitors, Political, Geographical & Economical , Tariff & Non Tariff Trade Barriers, Business Cartel, Government Import Export policies, Foreign Direct Investment, Labor laws, Product Feasibility study, Product SWOT analysis, work on product and market mix, Consumer Behavior, Cost & profit analysis, Product Break Even Point.
2. Sales & Marketing – Having good experience in working with International clients in terms of business development, Communication & Negotiation part, analytical capabilities, strategy building process in terms of Business tie ups, pricing, promotion, packaging & distribution. Developing new product line, Strengthening of linkages like- Integrating Forward and Backward supply & distribution side, traveling, meeting new peoples and very much inclined in sharing knowledge & experience and keen towards learning attitude.
- What were you doing before volunteering
- I was working at Ludhiana, Punjab as an Asst. Export Manager in Steel Company. My job was confined with the management for planning Marketing Strategy for entering new overseas market, representation of the Organization and its Products new product research, worked on the quality and inspection part of the final product , analysis of engineering drawings, price negotiation, getting the final approval from the buyers etc.
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How are you. This is Anand Singh from New Delhi. Recently finished PFC. Earlier I was working with SOS Childrens Villages of India(International NGO) AND WAS POSTED in Chandigarh. Plz. tell me your experiences with VSO.
Anand
How life is going on ?
I know u can enjoy there much, Bali one of the most popular turist centre of indonasia. The people r so kind. u r lucky man..
If u meet Ravindra personally, give regards to him.
It is really good experience for me that an asst.export manager turned towards the development sector and working successfully.
Thanks a lot and best wishes for you.
Regards
nili
How is life in Indonesia.
its such a good journal... really liked it... u kno keeping the weight limit in my mind i was thinking about taking light cloth bag instead of boxes... but aftr readng ur story m gvng it a 2nd thout...
m going to Ghana... will share my experience after reaching there!!!
I boarded my flight – Thai Airways on 22nd of October, 2007 at 02.45 AM from Kolkata International Airport. It has 2 Hrs transit at Bangkok for Denpasar, Bali. It was a nice journey and landed at Denpasar Airport around 02.00 PM. I was desperately looking for any VSO staff outside and found Ms. Christine & Mr. Ujang holding VSO placard, came to receive meat the Airport and then I was briefed in the car while I was heading towards my Hotel. I was sharing the room with one of my fellow Volunteer friend from Kenya. Suddenly I noticed a cut mark on one of the side of my Trolley bag and I then make out somebody tried to get the things out of my bag and ended up damaging the bag badly. I was very disappointed then I checked all my things inside and I found everything is OK. I was thinking to claim for the damage with the Airline Company but it was too late for me to get it noticed. So that it was an alarming signal to me as I can confront with all those things which I never thought of encountering.
I was very cautious since then I locked all the belongings as and when I go outside for food etc.
Our hotel was very near Sanur beach, me and my friend Stephen were walking on the street to look around the place on the same evening, we meet people calling us and asking for Taxi and Call Girls. As they were very open in talking to us, anyhow we manage ourselves and fled that place, so it was nice experience for me dealing with those kinds of people.
When I was shifted to my host family house we were very eager and anticipating so many things but I got a very warm welcome from them and provided with a separate room with a bathroom attached along with the corridor without any roof so it again unexpected for me. I remember my past days while I was undergoing NCC training and we have to go to toilet at dawn in open field so it was no new to me, I enjoyed that moment. Another important all the people very anxious to know so many things from India as I am from Hindu Religion and Bali is dominated with Hindu people, I found the house I was staying have photograph of God Ram , Shiva, Ganesh and Goddess Saraswati. As Balinese people over were very kind, have immense believe in God, nice and co-operative, very eager to solve any of our problem.
As I went to a near by market for the first time and started facing all sorts of problems with the Language, for eg.-I was asking for a Loaf of Bread and the shopkeeper was offering me Beer Bottle, later on I came to know bread is known as Roti and Beer is known as Bir so may be because of similarity in pronunciation the lady was offering me every time slice of Beer.
I went to the Language school for learning basic Bahasa Indonesia.
Always challenging for me and gave Presentation in Bahasa , chatting with Local people, as we never afraid while Talking with local people because we know very well we will learn only from our mistakes. It was always exciting and challenging while giving presentation.
As we were on the mid stage of our Bahasa Language training we had our employer work shop for 2 days at Puri Dalam Hotel at Bali. We Volunteers and all our respective employers arrived and we discussed on many issues about disability, culture, placement prospective, team work approach, case studies, role plays etc.
On our first day of workshop there was cultural event night where people from different countries briefed their country profile and also performed their traditional music and dance. The opening ceremony started with Balinese dance performed by Local artist and we all Volunteer participated and enjoyed and displayed our Balinese dancing skills.
I stated a very brief Presentation regarding my India’s country profile and then played Bollywood Music and tried my best to perform my own style of Bollywood dance, which was really enjoyed by all and later on other Volunteers also joined me in the stage and all were extremely delighted.
And on the next day we checked out from the hotel and went to airport to leave to our placement town. I was going to Bandung, Lembang with my employer Ms. Diana, which is located on the West of Java, it is the 3rd largest city of Indonesia. As we reach the airport we came to know that flight has been delayed by 3 hrs and will leave at 17.30 hrs, we spent all the time inside the airport and then we have an announcement that the flight has been further delayed by 1 hr and it will leave by 18.30 hrs, now we were thinking on all the negative aspects what we shall do if the flight get cancelled. But we found ourselves lucky after hearing our boarding announcement and we reach Bandung at 21.15 hrs. We hired a taxi and reach Lembang around 22.00 hrs. I have gathered fair amount of briefing about the city from my employer .Lembang city is located in mountain, very green having farm lands of paddy, various vegetables and also tea garden.
I stayed in the Organization Guest House, as I was tired so after having my dinner I went to bed. I woke up early by 5.30 hrs because of huge band of light was piercing through my bed room window and I was able to see a very scenic view from my bed then I rushed to my balcony as I can see the entire mountain valley with terrace farming technique all around. It was very exciting for me and memorable too.
Then I had my breakfast and met with the organization people .The organization is mainly working for the deaf people and providing all kinds of vocational training programs for these people. It was very satisfying to see that they were very aspirant, determined, motivated and dedicated too. They are very well in learning new things and equally committed to their task.
All the Deaf staff members were very friendly and they can understand me very well as I was using all my Sign Language skills to demonstrate or to make them understand. Then I visited all the department with my employer and then she briefed me about production, marketing etc.
Then in the afternoon after lunch we all people gathered and then we introduced with other most of the time we were using sign language like in telling our name and our job profile. They were also very excited and then I took a group Photograph of all the people.
Then on the next day I started looking to hunt for my house as my employer was looking forward to look for a safe and small house near by office but we travel around the whole city and visited few houses but the annual cost was really too high and it was just beyond the budget limit of VSO housing cost. Then I realized being a tourist hub the cost is so high. Next day I went to participate in one of the exhibition where my organization displayed all the products and to increase our sales we announce one promotion scheme for every purchase of Rp10,000 get a free gift of amount Rp.3000.It really worked and the sale was really good.
Then I returned back to Denpasar, Bali to finish my Language course. It was again a routine job waking up early in morning and rushing to our classes and staying and learning new Language for 3-4 hour, sometime it seems to be very boring.
I finished my language class on 19 of Dec, 2007.It was time to say good bye to all my friends and VSO staffs as I was flying on 24th of Dec to Bandung as all my friend were not too happy with me as I was leaving them one day before Christmas, as I can meet all my friends only in our Volunteer Conference. On 24 Dec the day was very dark as I went outside the sky was full of dense cloud and it was raining heavily now I have several doubts about the status of my flight .I checked with my airline company and came to know as the flight is still leave for Denpasar airport as schedule. So I left home and went to airport as there was no such information on flight status. But lucky enough finally I heard announcement from the airline people for boarding then we sat inside plane for next 40 min may be the pilot was looking to fly only when the weather get little bit clear, finally we flew and reached Surabaya and waited for another 1 hour for transit then we had our flight for Bandung .While I was reaching near Bandung all of a sudden my flight started to get shuffle and seems to be loosing its balance, all passenger inside the plane were very scared about all the happenings and myself sat very calm and compose, we were experiencing sudden jerks after every now and then but it was finally over after a while and I can see the Bandung airport. It was a shy of relief to all fellow passengers. I then landed up there and hired a Taxi and reached Lembang. I was greeted by my employer and fellow staffs. I stayed in the guest house .Then next day it was Christmas I got greetings from my Volunteer friends and from home. And then I started searching for my house again and in afternoon we finally decided to go to Volcano spot. It was a nice journey going in between long pine trees around the mountains and suddenly I can realize I am feeling cold and we started to shiver in cold as we reach the Volcanic Mountain spot known as Tangkuban Perahu and it was still active and coming up with all the smoke and noxious gases like H2S,So2 etc.
We spent the whole afternoon watching the near by adjoining areas and had a good time there.