JOIN USA group of 17 students from Afghanistan, who were on a two-week study tour in the City recently, carried back a bagful of memories as they returned home.
The students, who had come to do a language course at the Goethe Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, had a great time exploring the City and getting a glimpse of its culture and cuisine.
Haroon, the most talkative of the group, had a lot to say about the City. “I like the malls and the streets here — they are lively and bustling with activities. I had a great time shopping here and ended up buying more than I could have afforded. However, what surprised me was the fact that people close shops in Bangalore by 10 pm. This is not what I had expected. Once we felt very hungry at night and went out to see if we could buy some food. We were astounded to see that not even one shop was open,” he said.
Like many visitors, the students also complained of the dull nightlife here. Haroon added that they wanted to know what it would be like to visit a disco and a pub in the night, but they were disappointed when they found out about the 11 pm deadline. “We did visit some places but had to leave by 10 pm. We also visited a school here and played football with the children, we became such good friends with them that they would not let us go,” he explained.
Ask the students what they liked best in the City and they were quick to answer. “It is a very cultural city, I liked the fact that people belonging to different religions live here harmoniously. We could see them doing business together, sharing food and interacting with each other,” added Naseer, a student.
Emal said that it was the energy in the City that attracted them. He went on to say that people in Bangalore were enterprising and very helpful. “Getting used to the food was one of the biggest challenges for us. The others complained that it was extremely spicy, but I liked it. Many of us are staying away from home for the first time and it was a learning experience. There were days when we had to cook and eat,” he noted.
Another student, Omed, was quite thrilled with the idea of living alone in a new country and the ambience in the City came like a breath of fresh air for him. “I really liked it here, though adjusting in a new city can be a little difficult but our teachers and Indian friends made us feel at home. I attended a rock concert and it was a lot of fun. In fact, we were the only ones who were dancing and many others joined us after that,” he summed up.