Thank you for your deposit, which is representative of your commitment to the project. Please re-read through the website to make sure you understand the outline of the course.

Airplane tickets are to be arranged for Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, India (short code for that is HYD). Taxi to the Aranya office will cost approximately Rs.1000 (about USD 16.00). Interns are welcome to arrive a few days prior to the start of the course.

Aranya Office
Flat no 203, Sony Sai Kuteer,
Thyagarayanagar, Kothapet,
Hyderabad 500035,
Telangana,India

Raya Cole: (to be added )
Padma Koppula: 9949062295

List to bring:
-Clothing: light clothing, long sleeve shirt for December to February. Very light clothing for March and April. Women are to avoid tank tops as culture in the rural areas requires covering up shoulder areas (for women there will be time to get some styled Indian clothing once in India.
-Undergarments- good quality under garments (underwear and bras) are hard to find, so bring more than you might think you need.
-Toiletries are all available here but are Indian brands.
–Combination lock (medium quality) will make it easier when dealing with shared rooms (as no one has to handle keys).
-Notebooks and writing utensils for notes
-Rulers and other design materials for making landscape/permaculture designs. (Large paper for designs is provided)
-Order beforehand and bring: Permacutlure Design Book , and  Jungle Trees of Central India .

Optional to bring:
-sunscreen
-mosquito repellent
-mosquito net- there are nets here but not the same quality as we get in western countries.
-water bottle- purified water is provided. I often use a plastic litre juice bottle so its not a big deal if I lose it, but you might want to get one that is easier to carry.
-a phone where you can add an Indian SIM card (though cheap phones are available here as well). For those coming from the US (which has a different phone system)- there are many AT&T phones that have SIM cards that can be used in India. To use an android or iphone from the US in India, it will need to be unlocked beforehand (which can void your warranty), and an Indian SIM card placed inside it. In India, phones range from cheap ones at $20 to the standard $700 iphone. An Indian SIM card is the cheapest way to make calls within and outside of India, as well as to get your e-mail on phones that have that capability.

To get when you arrive:
-mosquito net if you didn’t bring one
-surge protector for your electronics
-SIM card to have a phone number in India
-neem tablets
-some Indian clothing

Food Rules for staying healthy
Freedomji has a few simples rules we give interns that have made it so there is minimal upset stomachs. Last year the only intern that had stomach problems was one that travelled India before arriving with us- so these rules have a successful record. We will repeat this once you are here as well.

1. Always dry your plate and silverware before eating as the water on it is not purified. You might even want to bring your own silverware so that you are only drying your plate before eating.
2. Always eat some spicy food, and if its not spicy, take one hot chilly with your food. I don’t like spicy food, but the chilly helps kill any bacteria that may have been in your food. So you might want to have a few spicy Indian or Mexican food meals before coming just to ‘warm’ up your taste buds. Notice that it is people that live along the hotter climates where bacteria grows faster that eat more spicy food.
3. Never drink the water in the restaurants or on the average house visit. We will provide filtered water, and you can carry your own bottle of good water.
4. Do not eat unsafe street food. Hot cooked food is ok: corn that has come directly out of boiling water is safe. Food that was cooked at an unknown time and is sitting in a market both or cart is dangerous.
5. You can pick yourself up some neem tablets once you are in India. Taking a 2 tablets of neem daily will keep the stomach safe and will prevent you from getting infections or skin fungus/irritation.

We will be discussing various cultural differences when you arrive. There are different concepts of personal space, boundaries and family. Beforehand, you can read about the concept of sociocentric cultures: http://homes.chass.utoronto.ca