Volunteer experiences

Marina, volunteering until August 2016, published a movie on YouTube about her experience.
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Packing

Here is some basic information to prepare your arrival in Auroville. Find also some tips to prepare your luggage.

1

Culture of Auroville

Auroville is surrounded by Indian-Tamil Communities. Respect local religion, culture and way of living. Please keep dressing decently, restrain affection demonstration i public places. Alcoholic beverages are discouraged and all forms of drugs strictly forbidden. Women should be aware of some insecurity at night. Keep your personal belongings safe. Traffic doesn’t look like western traffic at all (very noisy and chaotic), Auroville mud roads are dangerous, you need to drive very carefully. Be aware that we are living in a rural area, among many different types of insects, reptiles and others animals.

2

Climate

The climate in Auroville is semitropical:

  • October to December: Monsoon 
  • December to March 24°C to 30°C during the day
  • May/June the peak 38°C
  • Nights: generally about 5° C cooler than the days.

3

Red Tapes

You need to have an insurance covering your health, safety, civil liability and repatriation.

Identity Papers: Make copies of them, and if possible make them certified by your Consulate/Embassy. Prepare also many copies and identity photos to give for different services/administration which will need them.

4

Arriving in Auroville

You can first see with your Guesthouse if they can pick you up in Chennai or Pondicherry. You can also take the Taxi from Chennai (from 2500 Rs) or from Pondicherry (from 400Rs). Hereunder different booking websites: Auroville Transport Service Tel: (0413) 2622183 or (0413) 2622400. [email protected] or Unity Transport Service Tel: (0413) 2623587 [email protected]

 Or you can take a bus from Chennai to Pondicherry (they are frequent and cheap) and ask to stop in the entrance of Auroville on ECR (East Coast Road), and take a rickshaw (200Rs max) or call a taxi (150Rs) to go to Auroville.

5

Savi

Our office is located in Unity Pavilion near the Visitors Center (Mon-Fri 9:30 am-12pm). Visit us if you have any queries on Volunteering in Auroville.

6

FRRO (Regional Registration Office)

For those who got an Entry visa endorsed by the Auroville Foundation: you must register within 14 days of arrival in India at the FRRO of Pondicherry. Our Savi team will assist you to get prepared for it.