Ana Paula Berlin

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Ana Paula Berlin’s Questionnaire

 

  1. How do you feel about yourself and your work at Tushita Foundation?

Tushita Foundation is without a doubt the best life decision I ever made. Teaching Art History, Art and English to the wonderful teachers and children at the Foundation was life changing and seeing them evolve and develop their creative skills was a privilege. The 5 months I spent in India were invaluable and the children’s disposition and eagerness to learn was amazing. I feel like I came out a better human being because of all the lessons learned but most importantly because of the friendships that I made during my time there.

 

  1. How do you feel about the Foundation as an institution?

Tushita Foundation provides the children with a safe space where the children can learn and feel loved and respected. The teachers and everyone involved truly cares for the well-being and development of every single child under their care.

 

  1. How do you feel about the students and the teachers there?

I miss them every day. The teachers became my dear friends and I had the pleasure of spending time with them outside the walls of the Foundation in their homes with their families and learn from their culture. The students are bright and full of happiness and it was amazing to see them grow and evolve.

 

  1. What has been the most challenging aspect of your experience?

The days leading up to my departure were full of mixed emotions, I would have loved to see more material available for the children to work but as everything, it is a work in progress and we always managed to give the children everything they required for the classes. I do not have a single negative experience with either the city, the housing, the people who took (such good) care of us.

 

  1. What has been the most rewarding aspect of your experience?

It has been a great privilege to learn from these kids, to enjoy their pride and to discourage their self-doubt, and to see them enjoy making art was the most rewarding aspect of all.

 

  1. What do you wish you would have done, but you couldn’t?

I wish I would have stayed more time to work more on the syllabus of all the classes as well as to be able to teach all the classes with a little more depth.

 

  1. Do you think that this experience has in any way changed you?

Without a doubt.

 

  1. If yes, how?

Receiving all the love from these children daily has made me a better person, befriending the teachers gave me the understanding of a new culture and made me realize even more how similar we all are and how important it is for everyone to understand the differences because it is the key to a peaceful future.

 

  1. What do you hope to have left behind?

In my life, I always try to be a positive person. I am sure I was rewarded a lot more than I could have given any of them but I hope I awakened the children’s love for creativity and self-expression. I hope that they learned the idea of resourcefulness and creative thinking to solve problems.

 

  1. If you knew this would have been your experience, would you have done it anyway?

I would go back tomorrow.