Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Foreign students turn locals

By R. Ravikanth Reddy

HYDERABAD Oct. 21. It was like a home away from home. When teams from African countries landed here, the place was not all strange. Among the sea of unfamiliar faces, there were some who spoke their own language and followed their own culture. These were the students from African countries pursuing their education in the city.

Students from various African countries have donned a new role. Instead of learning, they are teaching the customs and traditions of the country to their countrymen apart from assisting in the nitty-gritty of their daily life here. Hired by the Organising Committee of the Afro-Asian Games (AAG), several African students have taken up the job of helping their respective countrymen overcome the language barriers acting as Interpreters and importantly making them feel at home.

"It's a satisfying feeling,'' says, Makunda of Tanzania pursuing his B.Sc (Computer Science) course at Nizam College. He is helping out the representatives of Tanzania, Congo and Rwanda in interacting with the officials and the media here. He is fluent in Swahili language spoken by the three countries apart from Hindi. "It's mostly about ensuring that they concentrate on the games leaving their problems to us,'' Makunda says.

Even as they derive satisfaction from serving their countrymen in an alien place, the students are pocketing Rs. 1,500 daily. "More than money, its a great feeling to be associated with the top sportspersons of my country,'' says, Moses, a student from Uganda. He is attached to a contingent of seven from Uganda consisting of boxers and athletes and another contingent from Rwanda. Ugandans speak the language of Luganda while the Rwandans speak Ryandese. "I speak both the languages fluently,'' he says. What about Hindi? "I picked up the language from friends here and I am comfortable with it.''

Those students who are directly not associated with the job are on the job of supporting their respective teams at the games. Majid, vice-president of Tanzania Students Association, studying B.Sc in Sai-Sudheer College, says the association has drawn up a plan to cheer his country and later take the Tanzanian contingent on a sightseeing trip in the city. Simon Bazzenkya, a student of Bhavan's Degree College and president of Ugandan Students Association, says they too have similar plans.

However, a few people would miss their favourite heroes back home performing here, as they are busy with practical works and semester examinations. The most vocal, however, would be the Somalians as they outnumber students from other African countries. More than 100 Somalian students are studying in different colleges in the city and the next strong group is from Uganda.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Showcasing city, the giant way
• Foreign students turn locals
• Lightning claims three lives
• Special buses to Games venues

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu