Indian expertise for Americans

Here are two students from the USA who have landed up in Manipal to have a look at the quantum of education in India and to get acquainted with the Indian culture, tradition, food, ethnicity and many more. They came to Manipal in January and will stay in this land till mid-May.

Daneil Gerew who is pursuing Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Cassandra Baiano who is studying Ayurveda in Public Health, unfurled their experience and perspectives of India before the readers of City Herald.

What made you to come to India to pursue one semester of your course?

Daniel: Study Abroad Programme (SAP) is very much popular in US universities. My university, American University in Washington DC had an understanding with Alliance Global Education and hence I had an opportunity to come to India.

I was keen to study here as some of my relatives were involved in Indian culture.
Cassandra: My parents brought me up and aided me with natural medicines. It was the reason behind me choosing Ayurveda as study course. I am exposed to Sanskrit for the first time. In US, we have a different idea about diet.

How do you find India and the culture over here?

Daneil: Very different, a sort of conservative. Unlike the US, there is a huge gap between girls and boys and also restriction over the timings in hostels.
Cassandra: Indian culture is very rich. Everything is rich here. Pretty confusion too, as social behavior is closely tied with religion and politics.

Describe India in three words…

Daniel: Young, vibrant, chaotic that is growing rapidly.
Cassandra: Colorful, rich fabric, jewelry and sweets.

Women in India…

Cassandra: Being a woman, I think I have been exposed to a very different environment here. Women are not treated equally and they are not privileged to the rights that are enjoyed by women in other part of the world.

Politics in India…

Daneil: Highly fragmented with strong central government.
Cassandra: It is confusing and difficult to understand.

Your experience in India...

Daneil: Nothing special.
Cassandra: It is a great fun here. However, I had some bad experiences with some uncultured men or else it is fine.

Would you recommend India to your friends and neighborhoods to pursue education?

Daneil: I would definitely recommend as studying here is a good experience.
Cassandra: Of course, I will recommend.

The notion of privacy in India…

Daneil: Absolutely there is no privacy and safeguard for privacy in India.
Cassandra: I can speak out easily in US. I can speak out anything unlike India. There the culture is self-imposed and emphasis is on individuality. Here it is vice versa.

Your view about the Indian family system?

Daneil: In US most of the parents are split which is not common in India. Indian parents intrude in their children’s life.
Cassandra: I can’t remember the last time when my parents had taken decision about my life. I can never accept that my parents can pick someone for me for knowing me better than myself.

Something about Indian films…

Daneil: I liked 3 Idiots. Most of Indian films are based on love stories. I like Priyanka Chopra.
Cassandra: I attend film classes. I have watched Dor, Rang De Basanti, Lakshya and Dhobhi Ghat to name a few.

I like Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor. Besides, I am interested in taking the videos of Indian women as they dress up attractively and there is a striking balance between real Indian women and the women showed in television and videos.

How has been your experience of visiting various places in India?

Daneil: I have visited some of the places in North India and the North East. People in North India are more aggressive in contrast to the people in the South.  The Indian culture is diversified.

Cassandra: I have visited Infosys campus in Mysore, besides I had been to Bangalore, Kerala, Goa and Mumbai. I am highly impressed and it is wonderful.