Here is my story.</p>
<p>I am a MBBS student born and raised outside of India, in the North American continent. Just like the others, I was thrilled about the idea going to India, doing my medschool to cut down on time and money. I finished highschool with a decent average, got into a well-established university and did one year of undergrad. I wasn’t too thrilled about my first year performance, and I figured that getting into medschool would be a challenge despite of straining myself day and night.</p>
<p>If anyone has done studies in NA, you would know that an average student’s life revolves around tutorials, lectures, work, 3 hrs of sleep, commuting for hours (if the uni isn’t close), work, tutorials and then an exam~! Though, in comparison to India, you don’t pass or fail just based on your finals cause most of the work is accumulative. Though finals do count for much… still there is hope.</p>
<p>So anyways, after literally wasting 10 grand on one year of uni, I decided to move out of the country and do medschool overseas. I landed in India and there I joined a private/govt medical college. This is one college that I had no clue about, my first mistake. I had never visited this remote place. I had no idea, about anything. All I know was based on what my uncle and aunt had said. Even they themselves didn’t know much about the college. So when I finally got here…</p>
<p>I was in for a surprise. This college has nothing. No facilities. No internet. Hostels are literally filthy, we have cats running around here and there. Unclean water (its literally yellow), and there are snakes in the outyard… fun stuff!</p>
<p>Now, I’m not that fluent in the local language. I can’t read nor write, so commuting is difficult. Extremely difficult. The buses aren’t hybrid and smooth like we get over here. It’s bumpy and rough rides… so if you ever get into a local bus, just make you hold on tightly! LOL</p>
<p>Anyways, so I joined my first year course. I paid a huge amount to get in nonetheless, less than what I would pay here. Yet, if you add up all additional costs, its about the same or more. So if you think it’s cheaper, well think again!</p>
<p>You’re roughly paying 100-150 grand USD in NRI Quota. That is the common number in ALL medical colleges across the nation, I believe. So, it’s not that much of a diff compared to how much you would be paying in States. Besides, you could even work a part-time job to pay some off in States, here that’s not possible.</p>
<p>So… I paid a lump sum because this was what I really wanted to do and I didn’t want to wait four years to find out I didn’t make into medschool. So I chose the EASY PATH…</p>
<p>Now, my second mistake. Something NO FRESHMAN, is EVER supposed to do especially an NRI! It is to slack off. I had this notion that I could ‘pull it off’ in the end like I have been doing all my life. WRONG! Indian education is VERY much different than anywhere. It’s rigid. It’s pure memorization. If you can ‘mug it up’ not ‘pull it off’ … you’ll pass! You have to have the stamina to sit there and memorize the whole bloody Chaurasia/Greys Anatomy, or AK Jain/Ganong. Byhearting is the way to go! I never did it. I had an idea about every topic, but those medical terms wouldn’t click as fast. I struggled throughout the year, sessionals were horrible for me, and I thought Uni exam would come through for me…</p>
<p>Honestly, in one year I went through some major changes in my life. I struggled with the language. I had trouble interacting with the locals, classmates, teachers and just about anyone =P Academics weren’t all that great… I was in some serious depression. I cried days after days, night after nights. I just couldn’t take it. Everyone was so narrowminded. People had trouble understanding my accent. I didn’t even know about ‘ragging’, when I joined. I was dragged into it for first few months. To be honest, I think I saw hell for the first time… =P</p>
<p>I foresaw most of it, and I truly believed I could handle it. But time and circumstances turned the tables around, and I was in a state where I was ready to fly back home.</p>
<p>I might be an odd case, or a common amongst those NRI kids nonetheless, bottom line is I was betrayed by desire and instincts. The need to become something valued by society was at the peak of my mind, never did I ask once… Am I making the right decision?</p>
<p>Time is now, 4:05 am EST and I’m writing this because two hours ago I found out I failed my 1st Year MBBS Examination. I’m in the ‘repeaters’ batch, which means additional 6 months to finish my course. I have to pay extra fees. After all, I’m Indian, I now welcome the mental trauma of humiliation from family and friends.</p>
<p>So I ask…</p>
<p>Where is the saving of time? Money?</p>
<p>Best wishes