Trip to the crossroads of the world

By Ganesh Chelluboyina,
Mechanical Engineering, 3rd Year
Koc University (Autumn 2018-19)

Unlike many other students, my initial motivation to pursue a semester exchange was driven not as much by a desire to explore a university abroad as it was fuelled by a desire to escape IIT Bombay. By the end of my third semester, I had reached a low point and all I wanted most was to remove myself away from the routine, the cutthroat competition and the charged political atmosphere. In applying for a semester exchange, I was able to make my way out briefly, in much the same way as a sabbatical, and rejuvenate myself over a period of four months.

Before the exchange

In my fourth semester, I began vigorously pursuing all possible avenues for exchange semesters, including even the inter-IIT exchange. I eventually came upon the newly signed MoU with Koç University (pronounced coach) in Istanbul, which also had the generous Erasmus+ scholarship bundled with the nomination. I promptly filed all of the required papers well before deadline and was notified of my nomination in late May.

Along the way, there were the hassles — the course mappings and the department approvals, and then there were the nail-biting moments — such as my new passport arriving just at the nick of time, and my visa being approved barely a week before my departure. Suffice it to say that the pre-exchange phase was nothing short of a rollercoaster ride.

The beginning of the exchange

The big day finally came on September 8 last year, when my family bid me farewell at the Hyderabad airport as I embarked on my first solo journey to a destination outside India. There were indeed several uncertainties that I secretly feared, yet the thrill of travelling to an unknown location far away is simply indescribable and unmatched. The next afternoon a fresh, cool breeze whipped across my face as I stepped onto the tarmac at Istanbul Ataturk Airport – and with my first whiff of Turkey, I left all of my worries behind, in anticipation of the excitement to come.

From Day 1, I experienced first hand the much praised Turkish hospitality — a stranger paid for my bus fare on the way to the University, and when I ended up in a quaint little village after getting down at the wrong stop, an old villager gave me a ride back to the campus. At the campus, I was received by a “mentor”, who greeted me like a long lost friend and helped me settle down in my dormitory.

The orientation week

On the way to University

One of the best things about the International Office at Koç are their orientation weeks — a splendid package of meet-and-greet sessions, icebreaker games with fellow exchange students, an Istanbul tour, luncheons with the “mentee” group, exploring the campus, survival Turkish lessons and much more. I felt like a freshie all over again with all the pampering I experienced. If anything, one thing I realized was that Koç took its exchange student experience seriously. Other mundane things like course registration, receiving the mobile SIM card, Istanbulkart (transport pass), Muzekart (museum card) and the Turkish residency application also happened during the Orientation.

Orientation luncheon with mentee group!

1. Campus and academics
2. Food and culture
3. Tourism and recreation
4. Stuff about Turkey

1.‏‏‎ The campus and academics

Koç University was founded by the Koç Holding, Turkey’s largest industrial conglomerate, 25 years ago. Since then, it has become the top university in the region and one of the best young universities in the world. It sits on a forested hill abutting the historically significant Bosphorus Strait separating the European and Asian continents – meaning that it is virtually at the ‘Land’s End’ of Europe. From the top of the iconic clock tower, one can spot the beginning of the Asian landmass and the Black Sea, a sight to behold.

The academics presented a welcome change from that at IITB. Most of my teachers were Ivy-League educated professors who taught using unique methods. My favourite aspect of the academic system there was the high degree of approachability of the professors – for the first time in my college life, all of my professors knew me personally! This helped me gain a clear picture of all the courses I was taking along with additional insights. Finally, classes were only from Monday to Thursday, so that meant three-day weekends, leaving a great deal of time for leisure and chill.

As the university was privately owned, the infrastructure was top-notch, my favourite place of all being the library. There were also cozy pavilions to relax, work and study nearly everywhere! All of the buildings in the campus were connected by underground tunnels and overhead bridges, and together with a highly intricate architecture, the campus gave off a Hogwarts-style feel. An on-campus ice-skating rink open to students for free meant that my leisure activity for while I was at university was set.

University buildings with the Black Sea in the backdrop.

The University’s iconic clocktower after a shower.

2. Food and culture

For Indians, the inevitable question usually asked of a foreign country is, “Is the food suitabke for vegetarians?” and to answer this I quote Prof. Shivasubramanian Gopalakrishnan of the Mechanical department, who was at Koç during the summer for a faculty exchange, “I am a vegetarian and I absolutely loved it.” Turkish cuisine, and more generally, Mediterranean food, tends to involve unique condiments and ingredients specific to the region, resulting in food that is a delight to eat. There is something for everyone, whether vegetarian, non vegetarian or dessert lover. Admittedly, I rarely, if ever, missed Indian food during my stay in Turkey. Tasty meals were available cheap, so my cooking skills never had to be tested!

Culturally, Istanbul’s location at the crossroads of the world meant that I got to experience the best of West and East. The university regularly organized classical music concerts, folk music recitals, theatre plays, choirs, which were an absolute delight to attend! I was stunned by the high degree of importance attached to music and the arts: I got to know of the large number of music conservatories in the country, and my roommate would take time out every week to go attend music classes.

One of several concerts I was fortunate to have attended.

3. Tourism and recreation

Being the ninth most visited city in the world (2018) and Europe’s largest metropolis, Istanbul has much to offer in terms of sights. The Bosphorus Strait and the historical buildings hugging its shore all lend much charm to the city. Major sites such as the Hagia Sophia, the world’s largest cathedral when it was built in the sixth century, the magnificent Blue Mosque, Topkapi and Dolmabahçe Palaces, never failed to amaze during the multiple times I visited them. I also got to visit a historical location that I had read about in the novel Inferno some years ago- the Basilica Cistern! Outside of Istanbul, there were also other world-famous tourist destinations such as Cappadocia, known for a natural formation called “fairy chimneys”; Pamukkale, known for white travertine terraces and mineral rich thermal waters; and Ephesus, where the ruins of a 3000 year old ancient Greek city lie. There was always so much to see and explore that my four months in Turkey did not feel enough to satisfactorily cover the country.  Indeed, I even ended up not making the short hop over to Greece, as I had originally intended to do!

In terms of recreation, one needn’t look elsewhere: as I mentioned, Turkish people are very outgoing, friendly and hospitable, and as a consequence, there was never a shortage of parties, nightlife, dinner hangouts, traditional Turkish breakfasts and roaming around with newly met friends. It was always great fun exploring the food and heritage of Istanbul with other exchange students, who were mostly from Europe and Eastern Asia.

The Hagia Sophia. Both Christian mosaics and Islamic calligraphy adorn the walls.

The Bosphorus Strait and the Second Bridge connecting Europe and As

Ancient Greek ruins at Ephesus: The Library of Celsus and Odeon Amphitheatre

The spectacular natural landscape and balloons of Cappadocia

Halloween party

Enjoying the autumn colours with friends who are all of different nationalities

4. Stuff about Turkey
   

I was in Turkey during a unique time: the University was marking its 25th anniversary and in celebration, the university cut all classes one day and threw a huge party, complete with a carnival and an outdoor concert. Turkey celebrated its 95th Republic Day, another holiday during which I took part in a parade along one of Istanbul’s iconic avenues. The Prime Minister inaugurated operations at the New Istanbul Airport, a mega infrastructure project that is set to become the world’s largest airport when completed. The Indian Ambassador to Turkey visited my university for Diwali and I had a very lively interaction with him and the Indian diplomatic team. On a more sombre note, the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul during my stay there. There were also tensions with the United States early in my stay which caused a massive slide in the value of the Turkish Lira. However, this eventually was beneficial for me as my living costs were cut down.

“First snow is like first love”

Indians often tend to have a negative view of Turkey, which stem partly from ignorance and selective media reports. There was never a moment that I didn’t feel safe and secure, and the massive tourist volumes I saw stand testimony to the attractiveness of Istanbul globally. Turkey is also in general, a very prosperous country, While my initial motivation was only to seek some respite from insti life, I ended up gaining a wholly new and enriching experience that I never knew I signed up for that consequential day I submitted my nomination papers. The tagline of KU’s exchange program “Discover You, Discover World”, aptly summarizes in a phrase my exchange experience.

Should you go on an exchange? For me, it was an all-expenses paid study tour at a great university in an amazing country. I could not have asked for more. So the answer is: definitely yeah!

Every exchange has a story!

 

Tale’te Karjala

By Darshit Saruparia,
Electrical Engineering, 5th Year
Aalto University, Finland (Autumn 17-18)

The idea of semester exchange stuck me right in my freshie year when someone came for groundwork in the wing and talked about the existence of something like this. Fast forward two years, and there I was preparing applications for universities, meeting seniors and wandering around IR office. It was the period of summer internship when I received the confirmation mail from Aalto, and I was pretty excited about the adventure awaiting down the lane. There are a few funded exchange programs among which Aalto was one. I didn’t know about it and I was almost prepared that I have to spend it all from my pocket until one fine day I received a mail from Aalto about the (Erasmus + Global Mobility) Scholarship. After completing my internship, I went to home for a month, expertise my cooking skills (Vegetarian Issues :p), and geared up for the cold climate.

The Beginning

The journey above the greyish brewery of winking clouds was ‘blue’ as I flew from the chaotic, never sleeping Mumbai to the so heard and read, calm and cold, the land of whites and blues, the saunical Helsinki. As soon as I laid my foot upon the Scandinavian land, and felt the gust of freezing air I realized for sure that the coming four months are gonna be one tempolloaster ride.

The city tervetuloed (‘Finnish for welcome’ ) me with it’s appealing infrastructure as I was traveling in a left-hand drive to my apartment. As I was gazing outside the window, parallelly I kept my ears tight and leaned toward the slow accented Icelandic Mentor who was driving me and talking about the University’s culture, the common occurrence of Aurora Borealis, and how to make the best out of my stay in Finland.

The Orientation Week

The registration process was quite simple and hassle-free. The exchange coordinator completed the formalities and provided me with a SIM card, Local Transport, and Bank Account application form and other necessities. Soon after it began the orientation week. The university students are divided into Guilds which is basically different departments and each guild has quite a complicated Finnish title, mine was Sähköinsinöörikilta(SIK). To add further, each guild has its own overalls, on which you are supposed to stitch badges which are to be earned as you go along the course of your studies. The whole aura around in the first week was like a “High School Movie”, summer fields, football, and tug of war matches, 90’s rock playing in the backdrop, students sitting with Beer CAN-PACKS, enough to make you realize that you are on an exchange.

The Finnish Culture

‘Finns’ are stereotyped as the shyest and most reserved species on earth. They are all mad as a bag of frogs but very lovable. The only thing you need to do, to bring the Finn out of him\her is to get them few cans of Karhu. Also, the country has more number of saunas then its entire population and Finns are crazy about it. A very traditional Finnish thing to do is staying in a summer cottage on the lake, having a sauna and getting whipped with birch branches.

There cannot be sweeter greetings in any language but Finnish. The way they say ‘Moi Moi’ or ‘Moikka’ is exceptional.

The university hosts some crazy parties (Bordelli is one among them), traditional sitsits, and many other events for International Exchange students.

Academics

The academics in the University is quite different from IITB. First of all, there is no attendance policy in most of the courses (Pheww, thanks to that). A semester is divided into two periods, and courses exist that run for single periods or for both the periods. The course organization varies from prof to prof. Assignments and projects decide significant part of your grade and few courses have no exams at all. The academics overall is simple as compared to our institute

Travel

The most important purpose of the exchange was to travel and I tried my best to suck the marrow out of it. Four months and a total of 11 countries, from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean, from partying in the cruises to passing out after pub crawl in some random cobbled street of Budapest, from Sky Diving at 4 km above the surface to skydiving inside a coffee shop after eating some earthly brownies, Europa offered it all.

The old towns, the quaint churches, the lit up bridges, the ferries on the river, the mannequins in show windows and the women walking with those long stilettos. Who would not fall in love with such a magical place?

The autumn is a great time to visit Finland as one gets to see the ending of summers, the varied blossoming colors of the autumn and the start of the dark winters. The experience of getting out from a Sauna and diving right into the Baltic sea with your body in supine position in the icy cold water, under the sky full of stars is the one I will never ever forget. Finland, I forgive you for being so cold! Please let me return!

I could go on writing endlessly about the experiences, the places but let’s save them for later. I would say this was the best opportunity I got to travel, to experience different cultures, to try out new things in life and I would definitely recommend you to go for an exchange if you can. Try to adjust your courses, (Better if complete them beforehand), step a little out of your comfort zone and an experience of a lifetime will emerge out of it

A Swiss Dream

By Fatima Saleh,
Mechanical Engineering, 4th Year
ETH Zurich, Switzerland (Autumn 18-19)

It was a dream. A rather crazy one that actually came true. Looking back it feels like a jiffy with memories and lessons etched for forever.

Before Exchange:

At the mid of my third year, it was getting a little monotonous and frustrating. I was interested to go on an exchange from my first year, inspired by my ismp mentor. Europe, on the other hand, has always intrigued me for its culture, history and landscapes. I also wanted to experience studying at a foreign university to decide if I want to go for a master or PhD later.

Considering factors like courses, cost of living, location, rank, etc. ETH was the most preferable option. After a struggle of getting signatures from profs for approval of courses (who also approved some courses which do not run in insti) and a down period when I realised that ETH exchange is preferred for EP students, I was finally nominated. (Other department students are considered on a case-to-case basis and the department at ETH for which you’re applying has the final call)

After nomination from insti, I had to go through their application process, submitting SOP, resume, course mapping, etc. The administration at ETH is quite helpful and guided me smoothly solving all the queries. I received my acceptance letter in late April, after that the process became even smoother with ETH applying for a visa on my behalf. I also received a scholarship which covered all my expenses.

When I reached there:

ETH conducts ETH Week at the start of the autumn semester where students from diverse background come together to solve a problem. Participating in that introduced me to some of the most interesting people with different skill sets. I took the design thinking course to continue the same type of interaction with other students. It has been the main highlight of my exchange experience. We had fun learning and also visited some places like opera house as a part of course :P. I got to interview many strangers, learning their culture and thinking process.

Academics: ETH is flexible and student-friendly when it comes to selecting courses. You can choose any courses (for exchange you should have ⅔ of your credits from the department you are applying) from ETH as well as University of Zurich. Attendance is not compulsory in any course and you can take courses in the same slot as well. Teaching and course structure are similar to insti although ETH is more research-oriented and there are many projects available related to the course. It was common for the profs to mention that the method/technology which was being taught was invented at ETH. I also found that the courses were more relevant to the present scenario as they were constantly updated.

Study places were generally full over the whole semester, one of them is converted to a bar every Wednesday! Also, there are a number of cultural as well as sports events taking place. ETH conducts Europe’s largest ball in the main building every year which was an experience in itself.

Examination: Most courses have 100% weightage endsem. You can deregister from any course till the start of the examination session. As the exams are conducted in January and February, ETH allows us to take distance examination and we can write the exam from ir office.

Zurich: Zurich can be termed as a beautiful town. With a small population and every facility available, life in Zurich is pretty easy. Transport wise it is well connected to anywhere in Switzerland as well as other European cities.

Travel: Switzerland is heaven on earth. Charming towns, with medieval cobbled lanes, colourful houses with red roofs and lego windows, water fountains, cows grazing with their traditional cowbells ringing, clear skies and snow capped mountains in the background.This is how I can describe every place in Switzerland.

Ruins of Rome, night lights of Budapest, history of Prague and churches of vienna and particularly the people of these cities had very different experience to share. I enjoyed roaming aimlessly on the streets stopping at every intriguing corners of these.

Housing:

175 people in one hostel with one single kitchen and tiny fridges. Wonder what could be my first impression. I was most scared about this part. But it forced us to interact with each other. We shared food, chatted for hours, partied on Halloween, celebrated birthdays singing songs in 20 languages (we were singing Baar Baar din ye aaye 😛 why didn’t Kishore Kumar give us a better song), had icegolas from the fresh snow. The kitchen was manageable in a few days and it was nothing compared to the friendship and moments that are going to be cherished forever.

Endings:

Exchange has made me more confident and independent. It showed me a world completely different from what I was used to. I found that culture is an essential part for shaping a person’s behaviour. I haven’t yet made peace with the fact that this has ended. I had to bid goodbyes to friends whom I may not meet ever again. It seemed like I was leaving a big part of my life. Crazy it is to feel like that as it was just four months.

A Journey to the West!

By Raghav Khandelwal,
Chemical Engineering, 4th year
DTU, Denmark (Autumn 2018-19)

For each one of us, college life is like a transition from teen to an adult. We make friends, learn new things going from one semester to other (crying to pass each one) capturing millions of experiences and memories. Every semester brings something new but for me the last semester; the exchange program at Denmark Technical University will be the limelight of my whole academic life.

Denmark Technical University

Pre-exchange preparations

The process of exchange starts with a slightly tedious job of course mapping i.e. looking for the courses with similar course content in the foreign university. Once you succeed in mapping your courses, you have to get the application signed by your faculty advisor and then get it approved by the DUGC. After that it goes to the International relations office for approval and nominations. The whole process for exchange in DTU is, in general pretty straightforward.

The Journey Starts

Arriving in Copenhagen, I had to start the journey as a freshie again, making new friends along with understanding new education system. I was excited and a bit nervous at the same time. The exchange program at DTU with more than 800+ exchange students started with an introduction week in which 15 exchange students from different parts of the globe were grouped and were assigned a buddy. Later on, 2 such groups were merged together. The whole week was so well organised with lots of interesting stuff lined up for us. We had presentations about university’s culture, their different clubs, workshops, events, so many interactive games / activities, an amazing race in which we explored the famous spots of Copenhagen and also had a gala dinner and an after party. All these activities and exploring introduced me to so many new and exciting people. This helped in making many good friends just in the beginning phase which would have been a bit difficult otherwise. Luckily, our buddy group’s bonding was great and we hung out a lot even after that week and even used to have lunch together often.

The happiest country of the world – Denmark

According to my experience, Danes are the nicest, happiest and the most eco-friendly people. Part of the Nordic region, it has one of the most socially, economically and technologically advanced societies in the world. There is no doubt why Copenhagen, its capital city, is considered the number one city to travel in the world.

With old Nordic architecture to the new modern architectures, from the thrilling rides of Tivoli to the centuries-old royal castles, museums, beaches and what not. Copenhagen didn’t disappoint me at all. The trademark place Nyhvan with colourful blocks of buildings is a love at first site and the delicious Danish pastries are like heaven on plate.

Nyhvan, Copenhagen

The only enemy there was weather. Coming from a tropical land, the frequent rains with spine freezing wind can depress most of us Indians. Also it was difficult to adapt with the sunrise and daylight hours. In September it was light and cheerful, with sunrise at 4am and sunset about 10 pm whereas from mid-October with sunrise at 9am, it starts getting dark and dreary with sunset at 4 pm.

I also witnessed my first ever Falls (not the emotional one but the season :P) . Always wanted to experience the transition of the lush green coloured leaves to the beautiful autumn colours of orange/yellow/brown followed by dull leafless stage.

Life at DTU

Academically, life at DTU was different from the academic life at Bombay. The lectures were 4 hours long, with professors giving break every 50 mins. Also, attendance was not compulsory (a reason for travelling more :P). Professors were friendly and we used to call them by their names unlike using Ma’am/Sir we use in the Indian System. We didn’t have any mid-semester exams or a lot of quizzes, instead they have sort of an intensive system of group assignments and projects [some of which required a lot of literature/research reading as well] .These collaboration with students from different educational backgrounds gives a different perspective and develops your thought process a lot.

Fortunately, I got an accommodation at campus village with other exchange students. I had housemates from Singapore, China, Japan, Turkey and Hungary and it was great fun to live with so many diverse people, interacting and cooking with them and also getting to know more about their culture and country. It isn’t quite affordable to eat out in Denmark on a daily basis, so I used to cook my own food. I started as a novice in this department but became a good cook gradually. Going for regular grocery shopping made me realize of the responsibilities that comes along with the independence.

It was also great to have fellow exchange students from IIT as well. There was always a sense of comfort and a feeling of homeliness with those people. We all learned to cook Indian food together, travelled and even celebrated different festivals together including Diwali.

Now, the most amazing part of the exchange, travelling

One of my reasons of choosing Denmark for an exchange was the Schengen visa which allows visit to 20+ European countries. And I tried to explore as much as I could within a certain budget.

The first country I travelled to was Belgium. Oh man! Their fries, waffles and chocolates are to die for. We visited Bruges the ‘ Venice of the north’ where we got the feel of old medieval European culture. Next was an amazing 11 day long trip in the potato week holidays with 5 other fellow exchange students. We travelled from the fashion capital of Milan to the Renaissance city of Florence, the hyped tower of Pisa to the most historical city of Rome and Vatican City. Italy is full of art, architecture and of course, the most famous pizzas. We also wandered around the Hungarian capital Budapest, which for me is the most beautiful city at night. The city is so well lit up, bathing in golden lights. The next stops included Vienna and Prague. The highlight of the trip was an unplanned trip to the picturesque towns of Cinque Terre.

 
Manarola,Cinque Terre

My dream of travelling solo came true with a trip to Spain. I visited some of the most astonishing and bizarre architectural buildings in Barcelona and toured to various shooting locations of the world famous television show Game of thrones (GOT) at Girona (City of Bravos).

Tip: The best way to explore these European countries is by walking/cycling and commuting in the public transport. Take a day pass and just hop on/off wherever you want.

Being a photography enthusiast, the beautiful European localities were a paradise for me. I found immense joy capturing anything and everything that caught my eye.

Girona, Spain                                    Colosseum, Rome

4 months, miles away from home, I made so many friends, interacted with lots of people from different cultures and societies of the world, experienced new things which I would have never thought of, I took millions of memories back home. I knew I was returning a changed person. It had been an unforgettable experience for me, and I will cherish the moments I spent there forever.

Is an exchange worth?

Definitely YES. The opportunity to travel and experience different cultures, in my opinion can make you grow as an individual. There are definitely some trade-offs specially for a bachelor student (mixed up curriculum and possibly internship), but the amount of learning is immense and I bet you won’t regret your decision. My advice especially to my juniors would be, at least consider for an exchange program once. Cheers!

A journey like never before!

By Satyam Mohla,
Electrical Engineering, 4th Year
NTU, Singapore (Autumn 2017-18)

Singapore is an island country in Southeast Asia, just off the Malay Peninsula and 85 miles north of the equator. It has always been on my travel list, for quite a lot of reasons. I have always been interested to come here for many reasons: It has a balance of the modernism of Western Culture and yet has a strong emphasis on South East Asia. I am also interested in finance and economics and so was already aware of the strong financial markets of Singapore

Merlion Park, A symbol of Singapore: Diversity, Aug 2018

Singapore for me was a diverse multi-ethnic country, boasting strong ties to its history and culture. A country that got independent just around the same time as India, Singapore has come a long way to having a high level of development not only regarding materialistic capital but also regarding human capital. The country is young but well developed with leaning skyscrapers, diverse communities and unique buildings. Singapore has many cultures living within it. As a result, there is a very diverse way of life with people speaking many languages and worshipping some different religions. Such a wide range of cultures makes the country very accepting of others. The country boasts of strong Non-Singaporean presence in almost all sectors of Singapore. Also being at a very strong position economically makes it easier for Singapore to invest in foreign relations and foster new ties making the country more and more open to foreigners.

China Town, A Mix bag of Cultures, Aug 2018

This is important when the country-city is a major port in South East Asia, is an important financial market and is home to the coming future. The country is infested with technology in every nook and corner. The founders and leaders of young Singapore made sure that the technological changes are adapted swiftly to the never stopping lives here. From MRT to Buses, the public transport is integrated into one NFC card transaction channel making it convenient for the people to use it. The bureaucratic red tape here is none, for almost every process is conveniently online, making it easier for people and first timers to go thru it hassle- free. I still remember I had applied for my Visa letter just eight days before travel, and I feared the time might be too less. However, everything went smooth, and I reached here in time. All because of the efficient process of the ICA, the immigration authority of Singapore.

Little India, August 2018

I love how the people here have adapted to many cultures while keeping their own intact — a mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian. Of Buddhist, Muslim Hindu and Christian religion. A mix of all the colourful aspects of every culture is reflected here. The same is reflected in the food here too. The main streets in Singapore are busy, colourful and filled with the inviting aromas of street food. It is here where you can devour delicious prawn noodles or a bowl of Wee Nam Kee chicken. One of the biggest things here is the “Chicken Rice”.

What is that! Tryst with Indonesian Cuisine, August 2018

A culture of street food transformed here into organised hawker centres: Lines of small shops where vendors sell specific delicacies. Some of these shops have been accorded Michelin stars! These spots are bursting with local flavours and are irresistible after a long day walking through the streets and shopping in the malls. We didn’t face any cultural differences or shocks however some aspects of Singapore did surprise us. The presence of CCTV cameras everywhere was a little unnerving; even the buses had 3-4 cameras! God, I wonder who watches all the videos. Also the fact that Cars in Singapore are 5-10 times expensive! It’s funny that you can buy 5 Rolls Royce in the US at the same price you can buy one here! Also a funny one, that chewing gum is banned in here! Also, I got to know something about “kiasu” or also know as FOMO: Fear of Missing out. Singaporeans have a big FOMO, and I discovered this when I saw people waiting in queues for hours and Hours! For a wrist bad! WHY? I’d preferable let it go and, I asked my Singaporean guy here as to why were people queuing up? And got to know about this! Another thing worth mentioning here is the humidity we face, it’s so much! So much.

The campus was one of the best I have ever been to. I have been to campuses in the United States, Japan and India and Singapore campus would come out as a modern open campus, with a high emphasis on the concept of open spaces, to promote interactive learning providing that conducive environment for collaboration. The facilities provided here the best, The libraries are so amazing here, with the best of the facilities available. Even, uninterrupted access to the Bloomberg terminal! The education standards are good with emphasis on learning over mugging the subject or just finishing the assignments. It’s a little easier here than at IIT Bombay however, the learning here is holistic, and students are encouraged to work together in a team, learn together and learn many things, not just the academics which is why I believe that NTU students are far better off because of the soft-skills which we lack so much in India. NTU provides what I call a well-balanced education, something severely lacking in the Indian Education System. One of the highlights of this program was the people I met from so many countries here. The friendships I have that are going to last a lifetime, The relationships that were fostered here, between the future leaders of tomorrow. Besides this, one of the materialistic highlights of this program was the F1 race tickets; I was so happy about it. Amazing that was!

Singapore GP F1: No words to describe, Sept 2018

I have learnt a lot in this program, not just how to be the leader but also how to connect to new people from different countries but also. I always saw this as an opportunity to travel, meet new people and make friends, contemplate and understand others thru living their lives, also experiencing history and culture. An insight into new values & opinions, to explore new places and cuisine. Staying in a completely unfamiliar place independently was surely challenging. But I expected to learn crucial life skills from this experience. These different perspectives are invaluable when you are in a position of responsibility in future, and I want to emerge as a global citizen who can transcend national barriers and can make a difference in the society. I had always been a staunch believer of volunteering and giving back to society. I have volunteered a lot in the past. I have worked with the United Nations Environment Programme, Kenya, GIZ Germany, Times of India. And so, volunteering in Singapore was not that big a step for me!   I did two volunteer-ship in Singapore. I was involved in the Community Service Learning Programme for the mentally challenged at the IMH Singapore.

Painted by a mentally handicapped patient we spent time with, at IMH Singapore

We aimed to spend time with the patients to help them engage with the outer world. We conducted social and recreational activities, such as indoor games, painting, drawing etc. It was one of the most cherished experiences had here, we learnt so much about the challenges faced by them every day. I did have inhibitions at first, dealing with mentally handicapped patients. And I guess that is one part of the volunteering, you try to give back to the society and, you still get something back in return: humility, experience, and an understanding about people’s circumstances and their fights in daily life. These patients had very few people visiting them, and they were  so cheerful, for those few hours we spent there.

I guess this is the end? Sad it is coming to end. But we return to our countries beaming with hope, happiness in heart. Taking back my experiences, relations made. I will be resuming my studies for my goal to be change-maker and contribute to my country, India and, to this world.

Somewhere in Singapore. Adios! The tears of Separation

Singapore & much more!

By Avineil Jain,
Electrical Engineering, Fifth Year,
NUS, Singapore (Autumn 2017-18)

“The purpose of life after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences” – Eleanor Roosevelt

As truly said by the Former First Lady of USA, I went to National University of Singapore searching for experiences, and boy did I get them!

The Process of Getting There –

Tired of the hectic and infamous 3rd year of Electrical Engineering, I was determined to go for a semester exchange, because I wanted change from insti, and I wanted to travel. I had no preferences as such, but wanted a funded exchange. I applied for the TFLeaRN scholarship for either NUS or NTU, and due to my high CPI, I got selected for NUS! The procedure is a standard one – searching for courses to match, getting them approved by Faculty Advisor and HoD and submitting it to the IR office. For the scholarship application, we had to submit recommendation letters, a statement of purpose and proof of leadership and community service! Managing all of them, I secured the scholarship as well. The scholarship, along with summer internship stipend meant I could live an extremely comfortable life in one of the most expensive cities in the world! The Exchange Programme at NUS is a world class exchange programme attracting 1000+ students from across the world. All the formalities were a breeze, and I was astonished at the efficiency of management from the University’s side!

The Experience that was Singapore –

To be very honest, I did not read about SG much before going. I was positively surprised by the level of development in this tiny island nation. Towering Skyscrapers in the business district, to one of the best public transport systems in the world, SG has enough to dazzle anyone visiting it for the first time!

Diversity –

I landed in SG on 31st of July, and from the first day I started making friends. The friends that I made on the first day turned out to be my closest friends and we were a truly diverse bunch! I met people from almost all countries imaginable in Europe, North America and Oceania! Being one amongst 1000+ exchangers had its own fair share of Pros and Cons, the pros heavily outweighing the cons though. After just four months, I have friends from 15+ countries which is truly thrilling!

Food –

One of the best things I liked about SG was the food variety it had to offer. Thai, Vietnamese, Hokkien, Cantonese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Western and Indian, phew… were the cuisines which were available at almost all the public food courts in SG. It was truly a non-vegetarians paradise, and it would be safe to say, I had more meat in 4 months than I would eat in a year here in India! To my surprise, eating out, especially at Hawker Centres was extremely cheap, with prices comparable to India!

Nightlife –

Singapore has one of the best Nightlife a city can offer! With a wide options of night clubs, and Clarke Quay, the quintessential partying area in SG, it was hard not to dress up and go partying!

My favorite place was Ce La Vi, a club on the topmost floor of the Marina Bay Sands, the famous “3 buildings with ship on top” hotel! Cautionary Note: Partying is super expensive in SG, because of the super high taxes the government imposes on alcohol! Yet it did not seem to have any dampening effect on any of us exchangers!

Campus Life – 

NUS is a truly global world class university. The infrastructure was awesome (An Infinity Pool? Count me in!) and the courses were comparatively much easier compared to the rigor a student has to face doing courses here at IITB, which meant I was travelling and chilling much more than I expected! UTown was the most happening place in NUS, and rightly so with its high-rise hostels, gyms, food courts and eateries

My hostel, Ridge View Residential College, is one of the oldest hostels in NUS, and was simply beautiful! Brick Red walls, towering old trees and big spacious rooms meant a comfortable stay for four months. The mess also had much more variety, with upto 5 cuisines available at each meal.

Travel (Best Part about Exchange? Maybe!)

“Travelling leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller”
Indeed, the words of the scholar Ibn Battuta resonate with me as I gained lots of experiences, and stories to tell with my travels to Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia!

Langkawi, an island in Malaysia, where alcohol is duty free, is a paradise. Lush Greenery and stunning sceneries greet the visitor. The best way to experience the island is to rent a scooter, and explored the unexplored areas on the island. I have special memories with the island as I learnt Scuba Diving here, and became a certified PADI Open Water Diver. The experience of breathing underwater is incredible and quite hard to believe the first time one experiences it!

Borobudur in Yogyakarta is an 8th Century Buddhist Temple, and is a true marvel to experience! Mt Bromo, which is one of the most stunning active volcanoes to visit, is a true delight to watch during sunrise. Our experience in Indonesia was surreal, and Arunabh Saxena can testify to our adventures while riding a scooter in the jam packed crazy roads of Yogyakarta!

Halong Bay in Vietnam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and an awe inspiring spectacle with towering limestone mountains and misty skies. Travelling in Vietnam was sheer delight, and my bucket list includes biking across the country!

My Semester Exchange was extremely fun and an eye opening experience for me. Last few days were quite emotional, saying goodbye to friends who you might meet after many years. The final moments were bittersweet, knowing a journey was coming to an end, but only for another one to start in the future! When I bid goodbye to SG, I knew I was returning a changed person with a completely new outlook to life.

Should You Apply for an Exchange Semester?

I see many juniors in a dilemma when it comes to Semester Exchange. It is sort of true that Semester Exchange is more preferred by Dual Degree Students, owing to strict curriculum adherence and problems of matching labs faced by Btech Students. However, I am a strong proponent for Semex, and would advise every junior to consider it once! If Independence, Travel, and meeting new people excites you, an exchange will not disappoint you. It gives a much broader experience than a University Intern, owning to longer stay and more free time. While some people may have a higher preference for Europe, an exchange even to SG or Taiwan would be a total blast as well!