Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Over the past few months,I have realized that there are two kinds of exchange students at Lyon-the Indians and the rest of them.They are like two seperate entities altogether,the position of former further compounded by the fact that there are just 5 of them as compared to 300 odd of the second kind.The difference is too apparent and striking to be missed.There's as much difference in background,experiences,age as in ambitions and expectations.Nobody can share the wonder and exhiliration experienced by us when watching freshly fallen snow or doing skiing,ice skating,hiking,canoeing etc for the first time or for that matter the charm of watching a football match in Europe.Nobody can understand our appreciation at watching a train or metro come day after day at the exact stipulated time.The difference in aspirations can be judged by a simple experience.Recently,I met 3 Indians in Edinburgh on top of a hill overlooking the city who were studying at Oxford.I was visiting the city with a Portuguese friend who had grumbled the whole way on the fact that we had to take a bus from London leading to cramped and long journey.When the fellow countrymen heard of our journey,their first reaction was,"Whats the problem?Anyway you must have seen the countryside on the way.Thats what matters.its beautiful isnt it??". Echoing my belief and sentiment.Can anyone understand this adulation for mere grass and trees?

The differences in academics are even more mind boggling.For most of us a simple Fukka in a subject means a lot and the proposition of repeating or extending a semester is just unthinkable.This leads to a huge slog and a race to complete as many credits as possible here so as to save yourself from blushes back home.In contrast the attitute of other nationalities is completely different.Most of them come here with the belief that they are not going to validate or pass many courses and the only repurcussions of an yearly exchange program would be that they would finish their degree a semester or two later.Not that it matters much.For example in one of the best university of Germany,the average time people take to complete their 10 semester course is 13-14 semesters.As long as you have some reasons to justify your longevity be it exchange or internship or maybe some social service they just term this anamoly as 'taking things slowly'. No surprise that most of their worries here are concentrated on getting hold of a suitable place to party every night.No doubt that while we have completed 50 credits in one semester,the average for exchange students is just about 15-16.

Thats where partying and clubbing comes into picture.I believe that most of the IITians(must say though cliched, it surely does saves a lot of line print considering the common attributes and characteristics that this word has come to represent) have two personalities-much like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.During the day with all the baggage that they carry by virtue of being what they are(IITian again) and hailing from a developing country,they confront the situation by running from pillar to post to balance all things while the drunk exchange students sleep.But during the night,all the hidden desires break loose.In a bar or a club with all the partying faces around with apparently no worries whatsoever they forget for a while their baggage and try to steer away from reality by making sure to cherish these moments because they know that when they wake up the next morning their baggage will be back and it would take a renewed effort and vigour to counter the challenges posed by virtue of country,culture,personality and aspirations.But just at that moment with wine,music and beautiful girls,it doesnt matter.