“First time I heard of these study abroad opportunities I did not really believe them to be true. And that kind of cost me a year. Anyhow when I finally got that congratulatory email, I was ecstatic!!It was not something common in my area, we only considered it to be something for the elite and mighty. And here I was, joining the rare few. My mom was the first person I called. I could not wait to leave, if it were according to me I would have hopped on the first available flight. I opted for the university in Hyderbad because my friend was already there and that gave me some comfort, knowing that I will have someone to help me. Unfortunately, my country does not have the MBA program for my course, hence I choose to pursue my higher education abroad. One of the interesting things I found out in India was that girls were bold and would be the ones to propose marriage as oppose to boys. And the girls were usually always in their traditional attire, I found that to be refreshing. Change can be exciting, but equally frightening too. Sometimes I wasn’t sure whether I made the right decision, I had doubts about being in such a vastly different environment. The university still has some years to go in terms of creating a wholesome environment for foreign students. However, challenges are always going to be there for foreign students, after all if they weren’t, what would be the point of a study abroad program. One thing is language barrier, but that was never an issue for me, people in Hyderbad communicate in English mostly, especially if they encounter a foreigner. There is a healthy community of African students and other countries neighboring India, i.e your Nepal, Bhutan, etc. The one thing I would say the university needs to invest in is the hostel facilities. India is a beautiful country, the culture and beliefs are very strong, which cannot be said for some places, and as you may have heard, it is a highly diverse country. India has a wide number of different cultures and religions, and it is not by coincidence. What I am trying to say is, having been colonized by three countries, you expect nothing less than a rich culture and history.
I really like the simplicity of life here. However, the huge difference in the foods we eat and those in India can make life a little difficult. Most of Indian cuisine is fried and relatively too spicy (mostly from the Southern region) for my Southern African palates. Nonetheless, I grew to appreciate the different ways they prepare their meals. It has been quiet a journey and there is a lot I already miss about India. The relatively affordable lifestyle, the many different festivals, I miss it.”
-Sefako Qacha
I liked conversing with Sefako, my God! He had a lot of intel that I feel would be very useful for future students and more. A single blog post is just not enough, maybe we should have #AfricanInIndia 2.0. I think he was present in his Indian community in ways that I have been trying to achieve. I don’t even know if that makes sense, but you can tell from the way he talks about his experience that he was truly immersed in the culture and the general surroundings of his community. And that is refreshing and makes me want to share a little bit more than just the surface. So feel free to comment with suggestions on what you would like to hear from this blog series. Until then, quit over-thinking and just book that flight and come embrace the life that awaits on this side of the planet 🙂
matshidisolp 