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Gardenia: Internationale Confluence 2007!
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John
Patrick Ojwando
Lecturer, Dept.of Journalism |
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Namma Bengalooru, India's
Silicon Valley has been progressing at fast pace,
creating an explosive number of career and educational
opportunities. With these developments, we are
witnessing a steady influx of professionals and
students whose lifestyles combine to make a presence
that is quite noticeable. And as boundaries cease
to exist, and many more make their way across
different cities, Garden City College has been
at the forefront of building and nurturing bridges
of friendship through education and cultural exchanges.
Tales from its growing list of international students
speak as much.
A couple of years back,
it wouldn't have occurred to Elizabeth Kebirungi,
a B.Com student from Uganda that she would one
day pack her bags and head for the south Asian
subcontinent leaving behind her parents and siblings
in pursuit of an academic grounding. But that
was then. Having made the long journey, she is
one of the students living and studying in the
city. Looking back, Elizabeth believes it was
a move destined to happen. “India's much
touted educational standing is what appealed to
me.”
For Ibrahim Ghulamhussen,
a BCA student from Mozambique, the prospects of
'immersing' himself in the city's 'fantastic'
IT infrastructure was too real to ignore. Indeed,
it turned out to be a wise move but not without
its share of challenges, relocating to a new environment
away from the cozy environs that marked his early
childhood. That was then. Today, Ibrahim is much
at home in GCC campus and proud to have made new
friends. His experiences in Bangalore have helped
him ease into his adopted home. Yet Elizabeth
and Ibrahim are not alone. Their tales mirror
that of many other international students in the
city. By joining GCC, Kyoshabire E. Jennifer was
just following in the footsteps of her illustrious
brother who graduated from India. But instead
of looking out for a short stint in her pursuit
of a Bachelor's degree in Computer Applications,
Kyoshabire has set herself a larger goal. A masters
degree is the least she expects to take back home
to Uganda. “As a child, I was always fascinated
with video and computer games, I am now living
my dreams at GCC,” explains Kyobashire. Recalling
the initial days in a foreign country, she insists
those were not the best of times as a result of
the resentment she encountered. Later, with the
passage of time, she eased into the system. Having
found her bearing, she has never looked back.
Similarly is the case of Fatima, a Genetics student
from the UAE. Her quest for opportunities beyond
her borders brought her knocking at the gates
of Indian colleges. “Somehow a relative convinced
her parents it will be for her own good in the
long run,” she recalls. The fact that there
were already students from my home country made
it easy. Having made the change and the necessary
adjustments to 'fit in', the stay so far has been
a comfortable one.
With
the passage of time, she eased into the system.
Having found her bearing, she has never looked
back. Similarly is the case of Fatima, a Genetics
student from the UAE. Her quest for opportunities
beyond her borders brought her knocking at the
gates of Indian colleges. “Somehow a relative
convinced her parents it will be for her own good
in the long run,” she recalls. The fact that
there were already students from my home country
made it easy. Having made the change and the necessary
adjustments to 'fit in', the stay so far has been
a comfortable one.
So what are the benefits
of they derive from these experiences?
An offshoot of this development
is the increased interaction between students
from different countries, cities, towns, of diverse
cultures and backgrounds, and much more. According
to Aka Brice, a commerce student from Ivory Coast,
studying in India has its advantages. “It
works in different ways. Since the degrees from
India are universally accepted, I have also got
the opportunity to hone my skills in English coming
from a francophone country. I have made so many
friends in college,” he adds. Vinesh Caumul,
a BCA student from Mauritius shares the same view.
“I guess studying away from home helps one
becomes independent” he says. “Initially,
it was a trifle difficult but now I have got used
to the place.”
Whether these developments are for the good or
not, it is important to nurture relationships,”
says Sofies, a final year student of Art from
Namibia. “Young people must persist and not
despair even in tough times.”
Temso from Nepal and studying in the city feels
the trend, where students are moving across the
country and beyond augurs well for the sake of
unity. “The knowledge one gains studying
in a different environment cannot be overstated,”
she continues. “Young people should use the
opportunity to develop life skills and learn to
appreciate cultural differences. This will help
solve the conflicts inherent in our societies,”
she advices. Agrees Yousouf Ahamed from Tanzania.
Studying in multi cultural society helps in understanding
and appreciating cultural differences. The fact
that we are from different settings helps inculcate
a sense of universal brotherhood. “I had
my apprehensions when I moved from my home country
seeking greener pastures abroad but after the
shift, I feel we are all the same regardless of
our descent. I don't see why issues like colour,
race, nationality, creed or religion should blind
us not to
see the good in the others. It's idleness amongst
young people that has been the cause of disagreements.
I would discourage them from getting entangled
in never –ending conflicts. Although some
of the students initially struggle to find their
footing feeling disoriented and left out, in a
city like Bangalore, there are many things that
go their way. The people may take time to warm
up to them but they are hospitable and welcoming.
Adapting
to the local customs and working closely with
her colleagues is what has kept Shabana from Saudi
Arabia constantly engaged. “It is no secret
that the society here has its own prejudices.
However, there is the added satisfaction of being
in the midst various cultures,” she continues.
“This helps one adapt and manage things in
a better way. We learn from our mistakes and develop
a broader outlook to life,” she adds. Speaking
of the merits of studying away from home, Angelica
from Rwanda and studying for her Biochemistry
degree insists it helps one enjoy doing things
instead of being so dependent on others at home
to get
things done. “Here you are on your own. You
have to fend for yourself-food and laundry - are
domestic chores one has to contend with. The good
thing is that you are always into something or
the other. Since you are on your own, when you
come face to face with difficulties, you only
have friends. This leads to stronger bonds between
young people. That is a big plus point,”
she observes.
As rightly pointed out by Shona, a final year
student of Biotechnology, multi cultural learning
helps remind students of the society they live.
“Staying and studying in a distant land can
help youngsters come face to face with the real
issues, understand them and find ways to go over
around them,” she says. “In addition,
it helps them imbibe a concern for others. I can
vouch for that after my stint in Russia.
Come to think of it, there is the exposure to
different worlds they might otherwise have ignored.
The one they live in and the other that seems
far removed from their own. |
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