This document provides information to help GCDP EPs prepare for their experience in India. It discusses accommodations, knowing the project details in advance, and arrival logistics. EPs are advised to clarify accommodation details, project start/end dates, and meeting arrangements with their TN manager to ensure a smooth transition. Having background on the organization and measurable goals will also help EPs understand expectations. Communication is key for a successful start in India.

2. "India
Welcome to India!
is,
the
cradle
of
the
human
race,
the
birthplace
of
human
speech,
the
mother
of
history,
the
grandmother
of
legend,
and
the
great
grand
mother
of
tradi7on.
Our
most
valuable
and
most
instruc7ve
materials
in
the
history
of
man
are
treasured
up
in
India
only.“
MARK
TWAIN

3. CONTENTS
• Global
Community
Development
Programme
• Discovering
India
• Breaking
Barriers
• Customer
Experience
Management
• Culture
Shock
• Contacts

4. Register with us
• If
you
are
a
GCDP
EP
who
has
been
matched
to
India,
fill
out
this
form:
• hEp://discover.aiesec.in/register/igcdp-­‐
register/

6. What is GCDP?
• We aim at providing social impact opportunities that
build young leaders who have the right set of skills,
knowledge and attitude to make a difference to the
society.
• Development of entrepreneurial and responsible
leadership by creating direct positive impact through
international volunteer experience.

8. What have the EPs got to say?

9. What have the EPs got to say?

10. What have the EPs got to say?

12. Visit the Taj Mahal - The Epitome of Love
• When
lisJng
the
things
one
must
do
in
India,
you
can’t
leave
Taj
Mahal
out.
Built
in
the
17th
century,
this
white
marble
monument
aEracts
thousands
of
tourists
from
all
over
the
world.
It
is
the
epitome
of
love
as
the
world
knows
it.
While
a
visit
to
Taj
Mahal
at
any
Jme
of
the
day
is
exciJng,
consider
visiJng
it
during
night,
preferably
on
a
full
moon
night.
The
charges
are
a
liEle
higher
for
night
visits,
but
it
is
worth
the
experience.

13. Corbett National Park – A rendezvous with the wild
side
A
rendezvous
with
the
wild
side
of
nature
is
always
an
exciJng
experience.
CorbeE
NaJonal
Park
can
definitely
give
a
thrilling
rendezvous
with
the
wilderness
of
India.
It
is
one
of
the
oldest
naJonal
parks
of
the
country,
and
certainly
one
of
the
most
popular.
Embark
on
a
wildlife
safari
here,
either
in
a
jeep
or
on
an
elephant.
Wildlife
safari
packages
range
from
short
3
day
tours
to
extensive
11
day
tours.
You
can
spot
several
wild
animals
here
including
Jgers,
leopards,
and
so
much
more.

14. Feel the Pulse of the Nation with a ride on the Mumbai Local
Train
For
a
feel
of
the
pulse
of
the
naJon,
take
a
ride
in
the
Mumbai
local
train.
And
if
you
are
brave-­‐hearted
enough,
consider
taking
a
ride
in
the
Mumbai
local
train
during
the
peak
rush
hours.
You
get
to
hear
all
kinds
of
discussions
while
in
the
Mumbai
locals-­‐
from
poliJcs
to
economy
and
sports-­‐
people
share
their
opinion
about
everything.
But
the
biggest
wonder
of
the
journey
is
how
the
people
survive
the
journey,
clinging
on
to
the
barest
of
metal
pieces
they
can
get
their
hands
on.
Don’t
worry
about
geVng
in
or
geVng
out-­‐
the
crowd
will
help
you
with
that
;)

15. Go Goa!
Goa
is
one
of
the
most
visited
tourist
desJnaJons
in
the
world.
Known
for
its
sprawling
beaches,
the
state
is
blessed
with
many
beaches
that
serve
as
a
holiday
picnic
spot
for
adventures,
honeymooners
and
general
tourists
alike.
Bright
lights
and
people
masqueraded
as
Santa
signify
the
coming
of
the
Christmas
party
and
New
Year.
Take
a
tour
of
the
old
churches
in
Goa,
which
give
a
peek
into
the
rich
cultural
past
of
the
land,
The
churches
date
back
to
the
Jme
when
Portuguese
ruled
the
land.
Some
of
them
have
an
interesJng
story
behind
them,
while
others
have
beauJful
architecture
to
be
marveled
at.
Some
of
the
must
visits
one
when
in
Goa
are
Basilica
of
Bom
Jesus,
Mary
Immaculate
ConcepJon
and
Se
Cathedral.

16. Relax in a House Boat in Kerala - You will Love It
Houseboats
in
Dal
Lake,
Srinagar
are
a
mesmerizing
experience.
The
ones
in
Kerala
are
not
too
far
behind
either.
While
a
house
boat
in
Kerala
may
lack
in
luxurious
decor,
it
more
than
makes
up
for
it
with
the
serenity
that
surrounds
it.
Staying
amidst
dense
foliage,
with
the
most
personalized
service
is
exactly
the
kind
of
break
you
need
from
the
stressed
rouJnes
of
today.

17. Play Cricket on the Street - Make your own rules
Cricket
is
to
India
like
what
football
is
to
Brazil.
People
do
not
need
parks
or
stadiums
to
play
a
game
of
cricket.
All
they
need
is
an
empty
street
corner
and
it
is
game
on.
Play
a
game
of
street
cricket
in
India,
with
its
peculiar
rules
and
dollops
of
excitement.
Watch
out-­‐
one-­‐Jp(bounce)-­‐one-­‐hand
is
out!

18. There’s so much more to do!
.
• Check
out:
101
Things
to
Do
in
India!
hEp://discover.aiesec.in/about-­‐india/things-­‐to-­‐do-­‐in-­‐india/

19. Important information
• Calculate
and
compare
the
difference
of
the
cost
of
living
from
your
home
LC
to
your
host
LC
check
out
www.numbeo.com
• A
list
of
general
emergency
helpline
numbers
across
the
country:
Click
here
• To
know
the
weather
and
Jme
in
any
city
hEp://www.Jmeanddate.com/

21. Changing Perspectives
• This is an excerpt from a Pre Arrival
Survival Guide written by an EP from
AIESEC UK with contributions from EPs
around India
• Pessimistic view – designed to give a
worst case scenario, all possible worse
eventualities, this doesn’t mean it will be
like this!

22. Accommodation
To
give
you
a
picture
of
the
different
types
across
the
country
or
even
city!
Trying
to
write
this
document
we
found
ourselves
struggling
to
provide
a
comprehensive
representaJon
of
accommodaJon
as
it
varies
tremendously
from
region
to
region,
LC
(local
commiEee)
to
LC,
project
to
project!
There
is
no
“one
size
fits
all”
guide
for
accommodaJon
in
India
and
therefore
the
responsibility
of
clearly
knowing
what
you
are
to
be
expecJng
upon
arrival
should
be
of
your
utmost
priority.
Even
if
it
is
outlined
on
your
TN
form,
it
is
strongly
advisable
that
you
contact
your
respecJve
TN
manager,
EP
buddy
or
training
partner
and
get
a
complete
set
of
informaJon
given
to
you
prior
to
your
arrival.
We
personally
feel
that
the
more
clarity
you
have
about
your
housing
situaJon,
then
the
beEer
prepared
you
will
be
to
deal
with
all
of
the
other
factors
involved
with
living
and
working
in
a
new
country!

23. Accommodation Checklist
Make
sure
you
are
checking
the
following
with
your
TN
Manager
regarding
accommodaJon:
ü EPs
per
room
ü Kitchen
FaciliJes
ü Internet
facility
ü Washing
FaciliJes
ü Sleeping
space
ü Distance
of
accommodaJon
from
area
of
work

24. KNOW Your Project
Having
a
few
key
things
in
place
before
you
leave
is
essenJal,
the
main
one
being
research
into
the
project
or
field
of
study!
Although
many
of
you
may
feel
that
because
you
study
the
subject
you
may
be
working
in,
do
you
know
the
local
realiJes
that
may
face
the
organisaJon,
or
even
what
the
culture
of
the
business
may
be?
As
menJoned
before,
another
key
point
you
should
try
to
ascertain
from
your
TN
manager
is
the
distance
to
work
from
your
accommodaEon.
You
should
try
and
prepare
yourself
so
you
have
a
beEer
idea
of
what
you
will
have
to
travel
every
day.
In
addiJon
you
may
need
to
budget
for
this.
The
start
and
end
date
of
your
project
are
also
very
important
topics.
According
to
the
AIESEC
GCDP
Delivery
Model,
the
first
week
of
your
project
with
mostly
include
seGling
into
the
local
and
naEonal
culture,
geIng
accustomed
to
the
food
and
find
your
bearings
in
the
new
environment.

25. KNOW Your Project
Bear
the
following
points
in
mind,
and
be
sure
to
clear
them
with
your
TN
Manager:
ü InformaJon
and
background
about
the
organizaJon
you
are
going
to
work
with.
This
will
enable
you
to
research
about
the
issue
you
are
going
to
be
working
on.
ü Distance
of
work
from
accommodaJon
ü Start
and
end
date
of
the
project,
including
the
incubaJon
period.
ü About
other
EPs
you
are
going
to
work
with
(Be
excited!)
ü Measurable
results
and
expected
outcome
from
your
working
in
the
project
ü When
during,
before
or
ader
the
project
can
you
take
Jme
off
to
explore
the
country
ü Is
any
addiJonal
preparaJon
required,
such
as
carrying
a
laptop
etc.

26. Arrival into India
ü Clear
who
will
be
meeJng
you
,where,
at
what
Jme,
have
their
numbers,
EB
contact
list.
AccommodaJon
details
–address,
direcJons,
just
in
case
there
is
an
emergency
and
you
need
to
get
to
the
hotel,
EP
flat.
ü Keep
your
Dollars
handy,
you
can
convert
a
porJon
of
them
upon
arrival.
Ask
AIESECers
about
currency
exchange
centers
in
the
city
that
might
give
you
beEer
value
for
your
money,
ader
you
have
seEled
in.
ü Confirm
the
idenEty
of
the
TN
manager
upon
pick
up,
and
if
this
has
been
outsourced
to
a
taxi
firm,
make
sure
you
have
their
number
and
name,
and
then
ring
the
TN
manager
and
confirm
your
pick
up

27. Arrival into India
Make
sure
you
are
clear
with
the
following
details
before
you
arrive
into
India,
if
not
contact
your
TN
manager
for
the
same:
ü Contact
details
of
the
person
who
is
going
to
pick
you
up
ü If
you
are
travelling
between
ciJes
(Example:
Your
flight
lands
at
Mumbai
and
you
have
to
go
to
Surat)
please
make
sure
that
there
is
a
reservaJon
for
you
in
the
next
flight,
or
train,
or
cab
for
the
journey
onward.
ü Tatkal
Tickets
(Emergency
ReservaJon)
for
trains
are
available
for
booking
only
1
day
before
the
train
journey
and
get
sold
out
preEy
quickly.
If
your
host
LC
is
doing
the
booking
for
you,
make
sure
you
receive
the
Jcket
in
your
email
AND
the
SMS
on
your
mobile
phone.
ü Confirming
with
the
TN
manager
about
a
back
up
plan
to
reach
the
accommodaJon,
in
case
your
pick-­‐up
does
not
turn
up
(It’s
beEer
to
be
safe
than
sorry!)

28. Food
“Regional
differences
can
lead
to
extremely
different
food
being
served
across
India,
with
most
ci7es
being
lucky
enough
to
contain
a
lot
of
the
different
types!
Whether it be rice based, chapati accompanied, or naan complemented, most meals
will cost very little but pack a lot of carbohydrates! But what about the stories that say
all Indian food is spicy and that Westerners just can’t manage it! To that I say
rubbish! I would say that I have a moderately strong stomach but I can manage
curries which the locals would call relatively hot, with the help of some sweet Lassi to
cool the burn of course!
It is true that most of their food is “spicy” but how that term is used in most locations
in the world is different to India! Here everything is spiced, whether it be simple
breakfast porridge or a little cup of chai (tea as we would call it). I feel it should be
said that it would be wise for every person to carry some immodium or equivalent,
despite how “strong” your stomach may be! Our bodies are often just not used to
breaking down such spices and flavourings and even though you may feel that your
mouth can handle the heat, it doesn’t mean that your stomach can!”
-­‐An
EP
from
United
Kingdom

29. Clothing
ü
Discern
–
dress
appropriately
depending
on
the
situaJon
–
Indian
culture.
Check
with
local
realiJes
as
it
can
vary
dramaJcally
across
India
–
very
important
for
females
more
than
males
–
temples,
in
the
evening
in
ciJes
or
just
day-­‐to-­‐day
in
rural
areas.
ü Clothes
tend
to
be
very
cheap,
and
good
quality.
Arrive
light
and
depart
packed.
ü How
to
wash
clothing
-­‐
bring
“travel
wash”
ü Carry
winter
wear
to
ward
off
the
cold.
It
tends
to
get
very
cold
in
the
north,
becoming
warmer
as
you
go
south.
ü India
tends
to
be
conservaJve
about
clothing,
dress
appropriately
but
comfortably
J
ü Check
the
local
weather
online:
here

30. Health
ü Be
sure
to
take
appropriate
vaccinaJons
before
arrival,
you
probably
don’t
want
to
spend
your
internship
lying
in
bed.
ü Malaria
pills
are
available
cheaply
locally
and
can
be
purchased
with
ease.
ü Clear
out
stagnant
water
in
your
trainee
flat
to
avoid
building
up
of
mosquitoes
ü Purchase
local
mosquito
repellants,
which
tend
to
be
effecJve.
ü Avoid
eaJng
regularly
from
roadside
stalls,
ask
AIESECers
about
recommendaJons.
ü Keep
the
details
of
a
physician,
hospital
and
other
ameniJes
handy.
It’s
beEer
to
be
safe
than
sorry.
ü Keep
immodium
with
you
J

32. Helping you through your own feedback
• AIESEC as an organization wants to be better every
day and provide the best services possible to the
customers.
• For that sake AIESEC International has partnered with
Customer Gauge, a customer feedback firm that
gives data on Net Promoter Score. NPS is a
customer loyalty metric that is based on direct
questions. It measures the loyalty that exists between a
Provider (AIESEC in this case) and a consumer
(the exchange participant in this case) based on
the quality of the services given by the provider.

33. What you need to do?
You will receive an email with a survey 3 times
during your entire cycle of engagement with
AIESEC. You will receive the first survey as soon as
you are matched, the second survey when you are
in the other country on exchange and the third
survey when you come back from the internship.
The email will look something like this: <next
page>

35. You can give the ratings as per your experience. Broadly:
0-6 means Poor
7-8 is Average
9 is Good
10 is Excellent

36. How is this survey useful for both the parties?
• The Exchange participant can keep on giving constant feedback
through the survey forms and we can improve our services/ ask the
host local committees in other countries to do the same.
• You can open a case through this survey and keep the hosting local
committees accountable in case they are not fulfilling any of the
promises they made.
• Give us more insights in the quality of services of the AIESEC local
chapters all around the world.

38. Culture Shock
It
is
the
feeling
of
disorientaEon
experienced
by
someone
when
they
are
suddenly
subjected
to
an
unfamiliar
culture,
way
of
life,
or
set
of
aItudes.
During
your
internship
you
may
experience
culture
shock.
This
feeling
can
come
due
to
different
reasons
related
unfamiliar
environment.
However,
you
need
to
take
the
iniJaJve
to
adjust
in
the
environment
and
find
soluJons
to
your
challenges.
By
doing
this
you
undergo,
the
phase
of
experienEal
entrepreneurial
development.
Through
is
phase
you
will
learn
and
develop
skills
that
make
your
mindset
entrepreneurial
.Hence,
you
will
become
capable
to
work
effecJvely
in
any
situaJon
and
take
newer
iniJaJves.

39. Culture
Shock
“When
going
through
a
culture
shock
–
keep
going.”

40. Culture Shock
You
can
go
to
our
online
plaiorm
to
know
about
stories
of
culture
shock
and
share
your
story.It’s
really
simple
to
join,
share
stories
and
search
for
trip
inspiraJon.
You
can
explore
the
world
by
country
or
by
experience:
whether
you’re
wondering
what
you
can
do
in
China
or
curious
about
what
life
is
like
in
Cambodia.
If
you
are
a
traveler,
make
your
trip
last
long
and
share
your
stories.
If
you’re
looking
for
inspiraJon,
discover
the
world
at
your
fingerJps.
Visit
culture-­‐shock.me
today!
culture-­‐shock.me

41. AIESEC India Contacts
Anup Mohan
Director
Incoming Global Community Development Program
AIESEC India
anup.mohan@aiesec.net
Mariana Mihai
National Support Team
Exchange Participant Communication
Email - mihaimarianapetria@gmail.com

42. GOOD LUCK FOR THE INDIAN
TIMES AHEAD J