Career Management Center Old Dominion University

Archive

July 21, 2006

I now understand what types of questions Indian students have about studying in the U.S. These include questions about TOEFL, SATs, GREs, American culture, funding, visa interview questions, etc. I have found that the number one worry students have is funding. Most students cannot afford to pay for a U.S. education unless they receive scholarship from a university or college. Thus the biggest part of any student's time at USEFI is preparing for exams so they will achieve high scores and qualify for scholarship. I have also found that the majority of students here are applying for engineering or their MBAs.

It is fascinating to see the excitement in students' eyes when they mention going to America for their higher education. To them higher education is like a dream that they have had for many years. As an American, it is somewhat disheartening that an American higher education can be taken for granted as many students do in America. I can remember my classmates skipping classes consistently because they didn't really care. I in fact skipped one too. I compare these students to the students I see applying for college in the U.S. and I am awestruck at the differences in attitude.

I have realized that this difference in attitude is what draws me to international education. These students want to be educated in America and are willing to work as hard and as long as possible to achieve an American degree. This makes me feel that any work I put into my future job will be worthwhile.

I have also found that USEFI is a unique place to work in Delhi because this organization is unlike other advising organizations. At USEFI students' hands are not "being held" through their application process. There are advisers here to assist the students, but the advisers do not do all the work for the students. I feel that this is a great experience for Indian students because they become more independent. Indian students I have talked to have gave me the impression that they have been "spoon-fed" by their parents. However in USEFI's environment, responsibility is put on the individual. I feel that this will give students independent experience which they can take with them when living and studying in the U.S.

July 11, 2006

Hello, I am a graduate student in the International Higher Education Program at ODU. I am 24 and currently living in Delhi for the summer. Yes that is right! I was able to attain an internship in Delhi for the summer. Not the coolest (temperature) place to go in the summer, but the most appropriate if interested in the field of International Education. But I am getting ahead of myself.

I work at the United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI). This organization is meant to connect scholars in America and India as well as create a community dialogue about current issues to increase understanding between the two communities. USEFI has both American and Indian employees. It is a great place to learn because everyone seems interesting and passionate about what they are doing. I also enjoy this organization because USEFI does such a wide variety of things (which I will describe later). I feel very lucky to have this internship opportunity at USEFI and now I wish I was able to stay for a longer period.

My first week of living in Delhi was difficult because I didn't know anyone or anything. I found living in Delhi difficult because of a million and one reasons. However, these reasons seem trivial now that I am more comfortable in Delhi. The living standards here are quire lower than in America, but that is to be expected. What amazed me the most is that the day to day interactions are difficult too. For example, getting from point A to point B in Delhi can be a challenge for those who don't speak Hindi (yeah...that is me). If I have a name of a place I want to go, I have to figure out how the Indian pronounciation would sound, which is not an easy task, especially when I don't know where I am going. Then after they figure out where it is, I have to bargain for the price. The first week, I didn't want to bargain with the auto rickshaw drivers because I didn't care about losing 10-20 rupees here or there. I found it very difficult to argue with people over prices. So I didn't. However, now I understand that bargaining isn't too difficult, you just have to know how much money you should pay. Then argue the price down from the outrageous amount they first tell you (if you look like a foreigner).

This is probably enough information for a short introduction to my cultural experiences the first week.