Study Abroad: 6 essential tips to make the best of your experience

 With a population of more than 1.2 billion, India is a leading contender to send its youth abroad for higher education. According to reports, in the last year alone, 3,40,000 Indian students made the decision to study abroad. However, when you consider the better standards of living, world-class opportunities, and higher-quality education, this does not seem quite as surprising.

Whatever be your reason to enrol for in a study abroad programme - a chance to study under a better pedagogical system, or the dream of landing a job overseas - if you are planning to make the move soon, then here some tips that are sure to make your experience memorable and easy.

6 Essential Tips For Studying Abroad

After finding an excellent study abroad programme and getting accepted, you are now eager to begin your international experience. Here are the 6 essential tips that will help you in making your studying abroad experience a breeze.

• Learn the local language

This is particularly true if you are travelling to a country whose local language is not English. While most universities that admit international students do have almost all instructions (including the largest international programmes) in partial English, you will still need to know the local language when socialising, at the grocery shop, or even if you decide to travel and explore the country. Also, keep in mind, that learning a language to the point of having conversational proficiency takes time, so this is one of the first things you should do.

• Apply for your Visa with enough time on your hands

Getting your visa should seem like a simple enough step, especially since the university you apply to will be providing you with the relevant documents you need. However, don't drag out the procedure or leave it for another day. It is known that student visas take a while, depending on your host country's passport and visa requirements and many a student has had to defer their tickets or join after the start of term because their visa was late. Avoid making this classic mistake and apply with ample time on hand.

• Prepare a budget and manage expenses

Prior to studying abroad, it's important to create a budget to make sure you have enough money for both the programme and living expenses. International universities where you apply will be able to provide you with some standard rates for living costs as these tables are prepared and revised for the benefit of international students. Reach out to your admissions counsellor and ask for the same.

Depending on your standard of living, you may spend more or less than the quotes - and it should only be treated as an average. Intelligent budgeting and researching the best options for housing, groceries and commute can go a long way if you are trying to save money.

Some programmes offer scholarships and grants, especially for international students. You can also apply for government grants or loans. Besides these, there are the options of taking an educational loan from your home country, or working a part-time job alongside your studies. If applying for a PhD programme, explore opportunities for fellowships that will provide a stipend to cover your expenses.

• Get to know the people

While this is something most people try to do after they arrive and start their programme, the secret to success here is to start ahead. Reach out to your admissions counsellor and ask for the best way to interact with current students and professors to get insights into your time there. Many universities like to encourage community among cohorts and will give you some direction. You could reach out to these people as well as those in your batch by email, or through social media and get the conversations started.

Studying or working abroad offers the chance to interact with and learn from people from various origins and cultures. Participating in activities and getting to know them ahead of time will assist you in making friends quicker and enjoying your time abroad.

• Get a local SIM card

The value of communication is something you start to understand only once you are far away from your near and dear ones. While you can use an international SIM card or a cafe's wi-fi when you first arrive, neither are these cheap or practical options. One of the first things you must do when you reach is to get a local SIM card. If you're unsure about what's best, ask for help from the international students’ helpdesk on campus.

• Make your experience memorable

And finally, remember to enjoy yourself and find a healthy balance between studies and fun things to do. For most Indian students, studying abroad usually takes a bit of getting used to as the method of instruction and pedagogy vastly vary from our curriculum. But if you make the effort and prepare to apply yourself, you will find it a breeze. When you are not studying or working a student job, find time to explore, travel or socialise with your new friends. Make time to share different pursuits or hobbies with new people.

It might not be quite as simple as it first appears, to study abroad. It can be difficult to leave behind your familiar surroundings, close relations, home and friends. However, know that these tips will help you make the most of your time there and effectively get over your homesickness. Also, from improved learning and research opportunities to lucrative professions and intellectual development, the advantages of enrolling in a study abroad programme far outweigh the hiccups you are sure to face.

Mehwash Hussain

Source: The Telegraph, 18/08/22

Real picture: Editorial on abysmally low representation of women in entertainment industry

 Despite the need to correct India’s gender imbalance, serious challenges persist. The percentage of women in the country is 48.04; yet, sectoral representation of women remains abysmal. The entertainment sector is a classic example. India is one of the fastest-evolving media and entertainment markets globally, producing the highest number of films every year. But a recent study conducted jointly by Ormax Media and Film Companion and supported by the streaming platform, Amazon Prime Video, shows that only 10 per cent of key industry roles — editing,directing, writing, design, cinematography — were held by women. The survey, which analysed 150 films and series across eight languages, found that none of the 56 mainstream theatrical films that were surveyed was directed or edited by a woman. Male actors also spoke three times more than women when it came to trailers, while film promotions remain male-centric. Over the top platforms were found to be a tad more inclusive,with more than 60 per cent passing the Bechdel test — a measure of representation of women in fiction — against more than half of mainstream cinema that has failed to improve its poor record since 2019. The report, a first of its kind, confirms suspicions about entrenched prejudice. Mainstream entertainment remains discernibly skewed when it comes to gender balance.That perhaps explains the stereotypical representation of women in the content of popular cinema. OTT platforms may be open to exploring women-centric content, but a lot more needs to be done to ensure inclusion. Correcting this imbalance is important, not least because popular cinema and digital content play an instrumental role in shaping public consciousness.

This is not to suggest that the entertainment industry is the only culprit. Estimates suggest that more than 90 per cent of women workers exited the workforce during the pandemic, making the labour force even more lopsided. The presence of women in the top echelons of India Inc is sparse. Little wonder then that the Global Gender Gap report predicted that it will take about 197 years for countries in South Asia — India is among them — to achieve full gender parity. The prime minister,Narendra Modi, has hailed “naari shakti” as the beacon of hope. High rhetoric will not do. The dodgy nature of government commitment towards gender parity is evident from the traditional inertia on, say, the women’s reservation bill. That is but one instance of the gap between word and deed of successive regimes

Source: The Telegraph, 26/08/22

Quote of the Day

 

“He is able who thinks he is able.”
Buddha

“वह व्यक्ति समर्थ है जो यह मानता है कि वह समर्थ है।”
बुद्ध

Current Affairs-August 21, 2022

 INDIA

– Punjab & Haryana agree to rename Chandigarh International Airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh
– India, Australia conclude Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) near Perth
– Scotland museum signs deal to return seven ancient artefacts to India
– Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal visits Chabahar Port in Iran to review work progress
– Former Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibtey Razi passes away in Lucknow
– Egypt releases postage stamp on 75th Anniversary of diplomatic ties with IndiaECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Govt launches 2nd phase of Grameen Udyami Project to promote skill development and entrepreneurship amongst tribal youth

WORLD
– Russia to allow UN officials to visit and inspect Zaporizhzhia nuclear power complex in Ukraine

SPORTS
– India (167/5 in 25.4) beat Zimbabwe (161/10 in 38.1) by 5 wickets in 2nd ODI at Harare
– Former India football team captain Samar ‘Badru’ Banerjee dies at 92 in Kolkata

Current Affairs-August 22, 2022

 INDIA

– National Conference of Women Police being held in Shimla on August 21-22
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– India’s first indigenously built Hydrogen Fuel Cell bus by CSIR, KPIT launched in Pune
– Vijay Shekhar Sharma to continue as Paytm’s MD & CEO for another 5 years

WORLD
– Somalia: Govt. forces end hotel attack in capital Mogadishu that killed 20 people
– World Mosquito Day observed on August 20; marks the 1897 discovery by Sir Ronald Ross that female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans
– International Day of Remembrance & Tribute to Victims of Terrorism observed on August 21
– World Senior Citizen’s Day celebrated on August 21
– Pakistani singer Nayyara Noor dies at 71; her family migrated from India in 1958

SPORTS
– Boxing: Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk defeats UK’s Anthony Joshua in Jeddah; retains world heavyweight title

Career in social work: Do’s and Don’ts; Top 3 skills a social worker must possess

 Studying social work is a fulfilling career path filled with numerous opportunities to impact lives of humans across the globe, both individually and altogether. In India, alone, there is currently a huge need for social workers both in the urban and rural sectors. With issues ranging from poverty and unemployment, to lack of basic human facilities like sanitation, access to healthcare, education, and of course, the struggles of the disadvantaged and marginalised in our society. Social work is aimed at addressing the problems in all aspects of life, from providing one-on-one support for family welfare to formulating legislative policies to eliminating systemic injustice.

Do’s and don'ts of social work

Experience is the most important factor in any job, and particularly in the case of social work. The more knowledge and understanding a student gains, the better they are able to contribute to their day to day work.

Practical experience is therefore, the focus of this field as it also enables students to put into practice the lessons they have learned and observed in class. Such practical experience exposes them to ground realities and helps them understand the importance of social work. A student's ability to apply those lessons at a practical level before entering the core work field allows them to take immediate action after the completion of their studies. Here are some of the do’s and don'ts of social work.

Do’s of social work:

• Be ready to meet the people you will work with where they are in life and acknowledge their struggles and problems without judgement.

• Be transparent enough to communicate your abilities clearly to the person without pretending you have answers to all their queries.

• Be prepared to adjust your priorities and schedules to suit any critical situations.

• Understand that you can't meet everyone's needs at once but ensure that the work flow remains uninterrupted.

• Remember you are a professional and no matter what happens or what roadblocks you face, you will need to remain respectful and find the right solutions.

Don’ts of social work:

• Don't assume anything about the people you are working with, always ask and cross check about their family, culture, background and more importantly, their struggle.

• Do not personalise and hold on to negative comments in case you receive them and focus on your work instead.

• Don't look forward to fixing each and everything, everyone is responsible for their own actions and decisions, you have to look forward to being supportive and resourceful and let the rest take its course.

Top 3 skills for a social worker in India

In India, there is a lot of scope for social work, with NGOs and other organisations constantly on the lookout for competent workers and volunteers. However, anyone wanting to enter the field in the country must also keep in mind that the issues are many and the work challenging.

Social work is a demanding profession that requires a worker to have a wide variety of skills and qualities. Success in this particular field requires workers to continually develop skills as per the changing demands throughout their careers. While the below mentioned list is not exhaustive, these skills are essential for all social workers, particularly when they are starting their career.

1. Compassion

Compassion is the ability to identify and understand the experiences and perspectives of others.

It is especially important in social work practice. The people who want to work with or the causes you associate with have monumental challenges, and empathy goes a long way when you consider the outcome of your efforts. An empathetic social worker is better accepted, and hence able to provide better services.

2. Critical thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to analyse information obtained via minute and unbiased observation and point of contacts, and come up with unique solutions. A social worker must be able to collect information through observations, interviews, and investigations and objectively assess each case with his/her critical thinking. They must be able to make correct decisions, select the best resources, and thereafter come up with the best strategies to help.

3. Cultural Tolerance

To work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life, social workers must be respectful and sensitive to cultural beliefs and practices. Social workers need to understand and respect the cultural background of their clients. Keeping an open-mind, respecting human being, irrespective of gender, caste, creed or social standing, and the valuing their individuality enables a social worker to work effectively and efficiently.

For you to obtain these and other specific skills, there are a number of courses available in our country, many of them short online courses that you can complete without enrolling in a university or college. Check out 5 such courses here

Overall, success in social work rests on the pillars of lifelong learning and having a deep-seated need to make a difference, to people and to society. Social workers should feel professionally committed to the values ​​and ethics of social work and continually develop their professional skills for the betterment of their clients. The profession is noble but also full of trials, are you ready for the challenge?

Nancy Jaiswal

Source: The Telegraph, 22/08/22

Cold hearts: Editorial on mature democracies adopting harsher anti-immigrant stance

 In the US and Europe, Ukrainian refugees are being welcomed even as hurdles mount for Syrian, Afghan and Central American asylum seekers

Five years after a massive exodus of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar turned the global spotlight on the sufferings of the community, their future remains uncertain, caught in the crosscurrents of a hardening world willing to forego traditional humanitarian values. Myanmar, where the army is accused of mass murder and sexual violence against Rohingyas, does not want the community to keep its independent identity. Bangladesh, which hosts 750,000 Rohingya refugees, has made it clear that it believes that Myanmar should take back those from the community who fled. India, which hosts 40,000 Rohingyas, embarrassed itself last week after it quickly extinguished hope that it might drop its animus towards the community. Hardeep Puri, a former diplomat who is now Union minister for urban affairs and housing, announced on Twitter that the Centre would provide shelter to Rohingya refugees in a New Delhi settlement. Soon, the home ministry put out a public statement rebutting Mr Puri’s claims and insisting that it plans to deport illegal Rohingya refugees. The United Nations, which has described the Myanmar government’s actions as “genocide”, has said that conditions in Myanmar are not safe for Rohingyas to return.

It is precisely in such situations that large, mature democracies — whether India, the United States of America or nations in Europe — have opened their arms to vulnerable communities escaping death and devastation. From Tibetans following the Dalai Lama in the 1960s and millions of Bangladeshis in the 1970s to Sri Lankan and Afghan refugees in the 1980s, an India much poorer than it is today embraced people from its neighbourhood who were in trouble. Today, India and the Western democracies have adopted a much harsher, anti-immigrant stance for the most part, often infected by bigotry and bias. India has declared its intent to expedite citizenship for asylum seekers from neighbouring countries as long as they are not Muslim. In the US and Europe, Ukrainian refugees are being welcomed even as hurdles mount for Syrian, Afghan and Central American asylum seekers — also fleeing war and violence — to enter those nations. This is illegal under international law, which bars countries from turning away or deporting those at risk back home. It also sets a poor example to younger democracies that look up to India, the US and Europe. The Rohingyas’ search for a home poses a key test for the future of the world, which democracies are failing at the moment.

Source: The Telegraph, 22/08/22