‘Americans are very accommodating, co-operative and friendly’
Nimisha Jain, an engineering student in Raleigh, gets nostalgic as she tells AT about her experience of staying and studying in a country that made her confident and independent. (published on 9th Jan 2007)
Raleigh — ‘the city of oaks’ is a very beautiful, peaceful and a safe place to live in, although not so big. I am pursuing my master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from the NC State University at Raleigh.
After spending one and a half year in the US, I really feel the need and importance of overseas education. I find the education system here to be different and much better than in India. Staying in the US can give a hands-on experience with the latest technology and help gain up-to-date knowledge. This is particularly important for engineers as they should have practical experience in their respective fields which eventually prepares them for the commercial world.
Being the first person from my entire community to go abroad for higher education, it was quite challenging and tough for me to adapt to a new place and adjust among new people with completely different culture and climate. But Americans are very accommodating, co-operative and friendly. And there are a lot of Indian students at NC State with whom I celebrate Indian festivals. It makes me feel at home but even then the nostalgic feeling continues to persist in a corner of my heart.
When I think about all those things that I miss the most about Ahmedabad, the first and the foremost that comes to my mind is my family. The second thing which I terribly miss is the delicious and mouth watering Indian food especially junk food like panipuri, bhelpuri, vada pau, dabeli, puff, samosa and sandwich. Nothing can replace the food in India, really. The next on my ‘miss’ list are my friends. I have made a lot of them here, too, but it takes a long time to grow an old and true friend. And how can I forget our festivals! Gifts, sweets, tasty delicacies and a whole day of enjoyment is what they are all about in India. Be it Diwali, Holi, Rakhi, Uttarayan or Navratri— each and every festival is unique of its kind and full of fun and excitement. I also miss the films. You can watch Hindi movies here too (if time permits) but the theatres are not like the ones we have over there. There is no balcony system, no seat numbers, less capacity and most of all, they are very expensive. And last but not the least I miss out on all the fun I had going out for dinner, lunch or simply walking on the CG road, going for long drives on the highways or having a large family gathering.
Besides all this, I feel that by studying and living in the US I have gained knowledge, skills, confidence and an air of independence which will definitely help me attain my career goals.
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