Home away from home

By Pulkit Singh

It is difficult to live in a foreign country especially as a foreign student. Not only does one have to cope with everyday life but at times, they even have to deal with hostile natives.

Away from home with so many things to remind you of the distance. The whiff of your mother’s perfume, fragrance of home cooked food, the poem recited to you by your father, your brother’s favourite team winning the English Premier League are just some of the things that drive home the point that- you are in a foreign land. It is difficult to live in a foreign country especially as a foreign student. Not only does one have to cope with everyday life but at times, they even have to deal with hostile natives.

Ibrahim, a student from Mozambique, says “I came here to do my degree here because of quality education. I am doing BCA. Says Suttichai, a student from Thailand, “In the beginning it was challenging to stay here, as there is absolutely no common language in which I can converse with the people. Specially when it comes to conversing with the rickshaw drivers and the bus conductors. But I have picked up a bit of Hindi and Kannada.”

Accommodation
When it comes to accommodation, they unanimously prefer a room of their own when compared to hostels provided by the colleges or otherwise. Kyoshabire, an undergraduate student from Uganda states that “I felt it would be better to stay in a hostel due to security reasons, but I hold an altered view now. The hostels tend to provide food suited to the natives. This is a huge short-coming for people like us, who are used to completely different styles of food.”

Her friend Kato adds, “If you live alone or with people from your country, then you can always cook the food that you like. In hostels you are forced to eat what you are given. Apart from that, if you are sharing your residence, you begin to enjoy an obvious camaraderie, stemming from the fact that you are all strangers to this land.”

What about feelings of homesickness? Ariunna, who is from Mongolia says, “I miss home at times, but a full time-table in college takes care of that. Also I try and meet people from different countries. It feels nice to talk to them and exchange stories about our respective countries.” Suttichai, like most other boys, beats his wistfulness by playing a lot of outdoor games. He feels it is the best way to beat feelings of nostalgia which can some times be depressing.

When asked about the saree, many expressed their wonder about the many ways in which it can be draped. They expressed their amazement and admiration for it. This got them talking about their respective national costumes.

Najwa Waheed, a student from Maldives describes his country’s national costume for women which is “a long dress with a big collar. Most often it is made of silk. The dress has long sleeves and is accompanied with a veil. They also prefer to wear alot of jewellery.” It is interesting to note that in some parts of the Maldives, people speak Bhojpuri and also perform Bhojpuri dance.

Indian cuisine
Ask about Indian cuisine, and the question was met with eager responses. For most, butter chicken, kulcha, chicken manchurian, biryani and paper dosa were a hit. The most surprising response was that of Kyoshabire, for whom, a popular Indian biscuit brand ruled the roost.
These overseas students go about their daily lives with the same pragmatism and matter of factness that helps them survive in the unfamiliar land of ours. To say that they are doing a good job would be undermining their labour.

Cheers to you all, who have travelled to our country and placed faith in us. We hope your stay is memorable!

Source: Deccan Herald