Volunteering at Nemesia Academy in Bangalore, India This year, we decided to spend August doing something a little different, immersing ourselves in a reality that is distant not only geographically but also culturally: India, specifically the area of Harohalli, a village near Bangalore, at the Sisters of Charity institute. There we had the good fortune to work at Nemesia Academy, a school that welcomes many children and young people, with whom we established a genuine bond of humanity and mutual trust. Furthermore, the opportunity to share this meaningful experience together helped to make the trip even more memorable. In this new reality, we never felt out of place thanks to the extraordinary welcome we received from the entire community, characterised by a profound ability to express emotions, affection and sincere communication. This allowed us to experience very different moments, such as a day at the home of a village girl or the opportunity to wear a sari (the traditional Indian dress) during the country’s independence celebrations.

During our stay, we worked alongside the teachers at Nemesia Academy, creating spaces where children could feel free to express themselves and explore their curiosity about the world and themselves. We encouraged active participation by devising creative, educational and interactive activities. This approach gave us the opportunity to learn about profoundly different and fascinating customs and aspects of daily life, enriched by a mutual desire for knowledge. We take away from this unforgettable experience a wealth of memories, not only of new encounters, scents and flavours (some of which are literally in our suitcases!), but above all filled with awareness and a desire to open ourselves up to the world in all its diversity, welcoming new perspectives and different ways of life. Above all, we will always believe that slowness is a true superpower: it gives us time to pause, observe and appreciate, accompanied by the conviction that often, listening, empathy and simple shared laughter are enough to break down any linguistic or cultural barriers and feel at home, wherever we are. ERMINIA BASILE ROGNETTA, Laurea magistrale in Gestione dell’innovazione e della tecnologia GRAZIANA SOIMERO, Master in Gestione dell’impatto sociale e ESG