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German lass in love with India

The warm and friendly nature of Indians has cast a spell on her

Photo: K.R. Deepak

WEST MEETS EAST Tina Mlinarevic outside Fusion Foods

At a time when our boys and girls are keen on going to the advanced nations of the West to pursue higher studies and in search of jobs, a German girl has come all the way to India to do her internship at a restaurant in the `City of Destiny'. This is in spite of the ample opportunities she has, to do the same in Europe.

What drew her to India?

"It is my friend from Hyderabad, Anusha, who has painted a picture of the rich and diverse culture of India that has kindled my interest."

Lovely beaches, picturesque Kailasagiri, friendly people and their warm hospitality have floored her. She went on a shooting spree clicking pictures of the marvellous stone sculptures on the walls of the ancient Simhachalam temple and exhausted two rolls of film.

"I have visited Spain, Italy and France, but have not seen such beautiful sculptures anywhere in the world," she avers.

Meet Tina Mlinarevic, who is doing her master's degree in economics from Mannheim University in Germany. She is a member of AIESEC, a student organisation, which has branches all over the world.

Tina's parents, whose parents were originally from Croatia, had settled in Frankenthal city in Germany 40 years ago. Anusha's parents who hail from Hyderabad have settled in the same place. Tina and Anusha became friends. Now they are pursuing higher studies in different cities but keep meeting on weekends when they return to their native place.

Tina's father is a retired mechanical engineer and her mother is employed at an old age home. "My parents wanted me to study medicine but I am scared of blood and decided against it. I studied economics and now I am specialising in marketing," she says.

Staying at Fusion Foods, adjacent to Gurajada Kalakshetram for a month as part of her internship, Tina is supervising the hosting of food festivals as part of which she is interacting with guests and meeting a number of people.

"My 11-week internship here is `great'. I have not only learnt about marketing but am enriched by the Indian culture and hospitality."

Though a food lover and an expert cook, she doesn't relish Indian cuisine as they are `very spicy and heavy on the stomach'. "Indian food is very tasty but I developed stomach problems and was hospitalised twice after consuming it soon after coming here. Now I think I am slowly getting adjusted to it."

How does she get along with the local people, many of whom cannot converse in English?

"I am managing to get along with simple greetings like `Bagunnara'? (are you OK?), and `Naa peru Tina' (my name is Tina)," she said with a radiating and infectious smile.

She plans to host a German food festival at the hotel from October 3. "I have chosen that date as on that day a decade ago that East and West Germany were re-united. It is a day of rejoicing in Germany and people celebrate the event in a big way."

Anusha told me a lot about Taj Mahal and that it is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. I am keen to see it," she says. "Our university will open in mid-October and I have to go back. But I have plans to visit India again."

Nineteen foreign students have enrolled for various courses in Andhra University this year. These include students from Canada, Mauritius, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, besides those from Africa. "This is in addition to the US students who have been coming here regularly for short-term research training in the Zoology Department for the last five years," says Advisor on International Students Affairs A. Joseph.

With more and more foreigners coming to India for higher studies and to take up jobs in the software industry, the day may not be far off when India would be the most sought after destination in the world.

B. Madhu Gopal

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