From understanding the language to dealing with the public transport,foreign students in the city are ready for the challenge It was just the beginning of the MBA session in June last year. But,23-year-old Asal Maleki was already thinking of going back to Kuwait. An MBA student at the Symbiosis International University,Maleki took some time adjusting to the hostel rules. "It was a cultural shock. A lot of things were quite new for me. But I absolutely love it here now," she says as she sips coffee at a nearby coffee shop. The city plays host to a lot of foreign students every year and their experiences are defined by the country's diversity the culture and the colourful festivals are new for most,while the bureaucratic inefficiency is upsetting and the public transport bugging. But for most of the students,it's a bitter-sweet experience that they won't trade for anything else. Atefah Kordian,24,from Iran has been studying in Pune for the last five years. She completed her Bachelor in Psychology from Fergusson College and is now pursuing a Masters in Clinical Psychology. Ask her about her experience in Pune and she smiles. Knowing English helped me and I have picked up Hindi,thoda thoda," she says. But her biggest grouse is the public transport. "Initially autowallahs would try to cheat me,but when they figured out that I was well-acquainted with the city,I didn't have too much of a problem," she says. The Pune University has been reaching out to students abroad through collaborative programmes and student exchanges for quite some time now. It has also collaborated with universities all over the world,including University of Pennsylvania,University of North Carolina,University of Sorbonne (Paris),University of Bremen (Germany). At the university's International Student Centre (ISC),students are assisted with any problems they may face while studying in the city. The ISC also acts as a liaison between the students and the various departmental heads of colleges. It is also in touch with institutions affiliated under the University of Pune as well as all the heads of the chancery,embassies,consulates. Mo Hye Moon,who is from South Korea,loves the weather here. "Especially this time of the year," Moon says,adding,"I had thought that the temperature in India would be way too high." Moon has travelled to a other Indian cities too and is here to learn yoga. Miyuki Nakayama from Japan,who is in Pune to learn Hindi,says the colour and life on the streets makes her heart leap. "When I travel from the Japanese Association to my friend's place in Erandwane,I observe the streets and am amazed by how lively they are. Right from the vegetable vendors to the paintings at local cafes,the city is so colourful," she says.
