Office of International Programs Brown-in-India Handbook 2013-2014

Photo by Renuka Jain Brown-in-India Program Handbook 2013-2014

Table of Contents

Introduction …………………………………………………2 India …………………………………………………3 Your Advisors in India …………………………………………………5 Pre-Departure Information …………………………………………………6 -Getting a Student Visa -What to pack? -Health information -Medicines -Insurance -Weather -Recommended reading -Pre-departure check list The Program …………………………………………………12 -Program calendar -Landour Language School -Program costs -Refund policy -Dismissal policy -Other costs and expenses Arriving in Delhi …………………………………………………18 -Let the OIP know -Contact the US Embassy Housing …………………………………………………19 -St Stephen’s apartment

College Life …………………………………………………21 -Academics -Starting out -In and around college Around Delhi …………………………………………………25 -Cultural resources -Shopping and eating-out -Places and festivals you should not miss -Transport -Communication -Safety -Money and banking Traveling Around India …………………………………………………31 A Final Note …………………………………………………32

- 1 - Introduction

This handbook is designed to assist you with the process of preparing for your journey to India and participation in the Brown-in-India program. It will serve to answer questions about what to expect. An India guide book, on the other hand, will offer you more specific information about the country itself. The “Lonely Planet” guide is geared towards students traveling on a budget as are “The Rough Guide” and “Fodors”.

We at OIP would like to emphasize that programs in developing nations require enormous flexibility, openness to change, and a willingness to expect the unexpected. We emphasize this because past Brown-in-India students have read these same words, and have reiterated upon their return that these aspects were important to a successful stay in India.

Students who opt for this program must understand that this is not “Brown University transplanted to India,” it is Brown at St. Stephen’s College or Brown at Lady Shri Ram. The academic experience differs distinctly from the Brown or another American university experience.

As you read this handbook, we urge you to ask yourself, “Is this something I want to attempt?” “Can I accept the opportunity to develop an awareness of a different culture?” An intercultural experience is an emotionally intense and profoundly challenging experience for the participant.

If you have any questions or concerns about anything now or while you're away, please contact our office immediately at the numbers/e-mail below. We accept collect calls from students abroad so don’t hesitate because of cost.

If it’s an emergency and not during normal business hours at Brown you can call Police & Security at (401) 863-3322. They can reach one of us at all times – ask them to contact the staff of International Programs at home following their emergency procedure directions from our office.

Brown University Office of International Programs Box 1973 Providence, RI 02912 tel 401-863-3555 fax 401-863-3311 email [email protected]

Enjoy India!

- 2 - India

India is one of the few countries in the world today where the social and religious structures that define national identity have remained intact for at least 4000 years. This despite invasions, famines, religious persecutions, political upheavals and many other cataclysms. To describe modern India as a land of contrasts would be to state the obvious. There are many countries which would qualify for such a description in terms of ethnic, linguistic, religious and geographical variants, but few can match the vast scale and diversity to be found in India.

Change is inevitably taking place as modern technology reaches further and further into the fabric of society, yet essentially village India remains much the same as it has for thousands of years. So resilient are its social and religious institutions that they have absorbed or repelled all attempts to radically change or destroy them. Even in fast paced modern cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi, what appears to be a complete change of attitude and life style is only surface gloss. Underneath it all, the age old verities, loyalties and obligations still rule people's lives.

There is possibly no other country where religion is so inextricably intertwined with every aspect of life. Coming to understand it can be a long process littered with pitfalls, particularly for those educated in the Western liberal traditions with its basis in logic. For those people, "Indian logic" can almost seem bizarre, convoluted and even exasperating. Yet, in its own way, it encompasses a unique cosmology which is both holistic and coherent as well as being fascinating. India was the birthplace of two of the world's great religions (Hinduism and Buddhism) and one of its smallest (Jainism). It's also home to one of the world's few remaining communities of Parsis, adherents of the faith of Zoroastrianism. Islam is among the major religions of India and it plays a large role in shaping the religious landscape of Delhi. Christianity, too, plays a role, although more so in Landour (where you will be doing your preliminary Hindi course), Goa, Mumbai, Kerala (South India) and the North-Eastern States.

The modern state itself is a relatively recent creation born out of a people’s desire to throw off the yoke of colonialism. Even the mightiest of India's ancient civilizations did not encompass all of modern India, and today it is as much a country of diversity as of unity. You may have heard said that there are many Indias. In terms of ethnic origin,

- 3 - language and geography, that is undoubtedly true and it sometimes bedevils efforts at creating a national consciousness. Yet, ever since Independence (1947) India has remained the world's largest democracy.

- 4 - Your Advisors in India

Program Site Coordinator: Samar Grewal

Samar will coordinate off-campus aspects of the program; from organizing airport pick- ups to showing you around Delhi, assisting you with travel arrangements, health emergencies and answering all your questions about Delhi and Indian life. You will be meeting with Samar periodically (he will also conduct periodic inspections of the apartments on a mutually convenient day). If needed, he is also available for one-on-one meetings. Do not hesitate in asking for more assistance.

Contact information Samar Grewal: E-242 F/F Greater Kailash-II New Delhi INDIA 110 048

Samar Tel: 011-91-98715 88798 (011 is the international access code when calling from the U.S. and 91 is the India country code. Email: [email protected]

Student Program Assistants

Brown also employs student program assistants from your respective college. The students will help your group (settle into Delhi and college life. Their role is multi- purpose, ranging from picking you at the airport, helping you to get mobile phones, answering questions about your College and helping you make sense of society around you. Program assistants often help you settle socially into Delhi as well as guide you around Delhi’s markets, restaurants and clubs. Having someone fluent in Hindi assist you is wonderful, not only does it help you get around better, it also gives you someone with whom to practice the language. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions; the assistants are there to help you, so get to know them as much as possible. If they are unable to help for any reason, do not hesitate to contact Samar.

Foreign Student Advisor

The Foreign Student Advisor at St. Stephen’s is Prof Sanjeev Grewal, ([email protected]). He will be your advisors for all matters related to the college. Any academic or administrative concerns should be brought to him. You will need to let him know your choice of courses and agreed-upon syllabi early on in the first term.

- 5 - Pre-Departure Information

Getting a Student Visa

For US Passport holders you will need a student visa to stay as a student in India. Citizens of other countries should check directly with the Indian Consulate regarding entry requirements. The Indian Consulate has recently outsourced the Visa application process to an organization called: “Travisa Outsourcing.” It is your responsibility to verify the required procedures/documents with this organization, to apply, and to secure your own visa prior to your departure. It is strongly advisable to start this process as early as possible; however, you may have to wait a bit before you receive the following items from Brown:

a letter of acceptance from your host college in Delhi (St. Stephen’s or Lady Shri Ram) letter of financial support and program participation

This will be sent to you in the near future and you should have plenty of time to procure your visa before you depart.

Please direct questions to Travisa Outsourcing at: website http://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/ tel 212-754-9900-NYC; 202-333-7460Washington, DC; 312-346-2367-Chicago; 415-644-0149-San Francisco

Past participants have said that this service works very fast.

If you have any questions or concerns after inquiring with Travisa Outsourcing, please do not hesitate to contact Brown’s Office of International Programs at 401-863-3555.

Consular Information

Embassy of India 2107 Massachusetts Avenue N.W. Washington, DC 20008 tel 202-939-7000

OR

Consulate of India 3 East 64th Street New York, NY 10021 tel 212-774-0600

- 6 -

What to Pack?

Regular clothing will be appropriate. Most students at college wear western garb; so do bring a varied selection of Western clothing. However, DO NOT over pack, because there are plenty Western clothing stores in India (Zara, Esprit, etc) and markets such as Sarojini Nagar are full of left-overs from companies such as H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch and the like. In addition, you will be buying Indian clothing that is better suited to wear in the Delhi heat (i.e. light cotton). If you plan on having an active nightlife, do bring a few going-out clothes. Shoes are not so important (except for men in some clubs); flip flops suffice and fancier footwear can be bought as well.

The electric current is 240 volts so you'll need a converter if you bring appliances. Make sure that you know what voltage your appliances can handle so you don’t ruin them by accident. It’s advisable to bring your own laptop to write papers and to connect to the internet. Do not bring a surge protector, they are provided in the apartment and all have sockets accessible to both American and Indian plugs.

Packing checklist: a) 2-3 pairs of jeans (though these can be uncomfortable in summer) or trousers, 2-3 skirts/shorts, 4-5 shirts/tops, 2-3 going out shirts/tops, 2-3 light long-sleeve shirts, 1 sweatshirt. b) One fleece jacket. A winter coat is unnecessary but a warm jacket is very useful c) Underwear, bras, a few pairs of socks d) Basic first-aid kit with topical antibiotic cream, gauze, tape, aspirin etc. e) Alarm clock (battery operated is better for traveling) f) A folding umbrella. If you want, a rain coat as well though an umbrella suffices for the monsoon rains. It will be rainy in Landour but lesser so in Delhi. g) Basic toiletries if you’re partial to your brand h) Sunblock i) About 8 passport photos (you'll need them for IDs, Foreigners Residents Registration Office) j) Insect repellent and after-bite (especially useful at the beginning of the monsoon) k) 1 pair of sturdy sneakers. You will need them for at least one trek, and when it gets cooler. l) Flashlight m) Daypack or some sort of backpack with supporting hip straps. This will be very useful when traveling.

Health Information

Some vaccine regimens take several weeks, so go to a clinic well before departure. You should consult a travel clinic, such as Miriam Hospital Travel Clinic (be persistent—they tend not to answer the phone!) here in Providence, as soon as you can before leaving for India to discuss shots and medicines needed for travel in India. You

- 7 - should also consult your own physician if you have any specific concerns about your personal health situation. In the OIP Resource Library we also have other books about health issues in developing countries which you may consult. The Center for Disease Control publishes a list of all the vaccines and health precautions it recommends for those planning a stay abroad. The CDC website is http://www.cdc.gov/

Malaria is present in some parts of India, including Delhi, and you should consult the travel clinic about malaria medicines. Some medicines have different side effects so make sure you discuss all your options with a reputable travel physician because regular general practitioners may not have the expertise to discuss options for malaria medicines with you. If you decide to take Larium, you can save a lot of money by buying it in India. The pills are $7 each in America and will cost you only a few rupees in India so we suggest buying just enough to last you for the first two weeks, i.e. till you’re able to get to a pharmacy to buy some. It is possible to contract malaria even if you do take medication but it is easily treatable with proper medication and is not life threatening if caught early. Also remember to discuss with your travel physician which medication to take if you do contract malaria, so that when you are talking to an Indian doctor you know that he/she is giving you medication that’s compatible with whatever you’re already taking. Be consistent in taking your malaria medication. Frequent stopping and starting only weakens your system.

It’s advisable to avoid street food for the first month or so and to be careful of which restaurants you frequent. Program assistants are really helpful in pointing out where to eat-out in the first few months. It may be difficult to abstain, but remember that your system (physical, mental and emotional), is already going through so much (coping with the changed environment, people, climate etc) that eating food which has not been cooked very hygienically is an unnecessary risk in the beginning. Vegetables should not be eaten raw unless you or someone you trust has prepared them, since they could have been washed in contaminated water. Water should be boiled before use in cooking and you should use filtered water for drinking and washing fruits and vegetables. Bottled water is sold everywhere and is safe to drink. Both apartments are equipped with water filters. Bring with you packets of re-hydrating salts or Gatorade mixes in case you get diarrhea. Multi-vitamins are also helpful in case of longer-lasting Delhi Belly.

HIV, as in many parts of the world, is present in India. Please protect yourself if you are sexually active and bring condoms with you from the USA. We would not suggest using condoms manufactured in India (though you do get Durex there).

Dengue Fever and other mosquito-borne diseases have been a concern in New Delhi over the past two years, especially in the rainy season. It is advisable that students carry ample quantities of their choice of insect repellant and take care to ensure that the doors and wiremesh windows at their apartments are securely shut. Apartments are also provided with electrically operated vaporizer- repellants. When outdoors, students should try to keep their arms and legs covered and not leave home without applying repellant. Locally manufactured repellants are also effective and readily available.

- 8 - Medicines

It is strongly recommended that students bring enough prescription medication for their entire stay. In general, medications cannot be sent via international mail. Prescription drugs have the additional problem of brand name-changes from place to place. Make sure all medication is labeled clearly and keep it in the original containers which show the prescription number. You can fill prescriptions with a generic name.

Bring a copy of your prescription along and make sure it is clearly written and indicates the generic name of the drug (this will mean more to an Indian doctor if you need to explain what you are already taking). This will also facilitate customs clearance into India because customs agents have the right to confiscate medications as illegal drugs unless you can show they are prescriptions. In some cases a physician in India may not fill the prescription provided by your U.S. doctor without first conducting an examination and confirming the diagnosis.

Most over-the-counter medicines are available in Delhi, where they cost much lesser. If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, it is a good idea to bring both an extra pair and your prescription. Contact lens solutions may have different ingredients in other countries even if it is the same brand name, so bring enough solution with you for your entire stay, especially if you have sensitive eyes.

Insurance

Be sure to consult your insurance provider for coverage overseas and remember that most places ask for payment up-front and then expect you to get reimbursed from your insurance provider. Contact your health insurance provider for reimbursement forms, and please take these forms with you when you go. This will save you time since you won’t have to write to the office here in the USA. You are responsible for knowing your insurance policy and claims procedures. If you are carrying Brown student health insurance, reimbursement forms are available at the Office of Insurance and Risk in the Brown Office Building. If you have any questions regarding Brown student insurance, you can call or write to:

Cheryl Moan Brown University Office of Insurance and Risk Box 1848 Providence, RI 02912 Tel: 401-863-1703 Email: [email protected]

In addition we provide you with a Brown Travel Assistance Plan which covers evacuation and repatriation as well as some other services. This plan is provided by

- 9 - International SOS (http://www.internationalsos.com) and the contact numbers in case of emergency are:

If calling from Call Alarm Center in At this number U.S. or Canada Philadelphia, PA 1-800-523-6586 Call collect: 1-215-942-8226 Mexico Philadelphia, PA Call collect: 00-215-942-8226 South and Central America Philadelphia, PA Call collect: 00-215-942-8226 Europe, CIS, Africa London Call collect: or the Middle East 44-208-762-8008 Asia, Australia Singapore Call collect: or the Pacific Rim 65-6338-7800

When you contact them you must reference the Group membership # 11BSGC000031

The services provided by International SOS range from telephone advice and referrals to full-scale evacuation by private air ambulance. The SOS network of multilingual specialists operates 24 hour a day, 365 days a year from SOS Alarm Centers around the world. However, International SOS is NOT health insurance. Requests for reimbursement for medical care received while abroad should be submitted to your health insurance provider.

You will also be given a wallet size card with important information on how to access International SOS services. Please carry this with you at all times in case you need emergency assistance. REMEMBER: In case of emergency, contact the site coordinator as well!

Weather

June and July are among the hottest months in Delhi. The temperature can go up to (and sometimes beyond) 115 degrees F and even the nights don’t cool down very much. Delhi is very dry at this time. Landour, though, will be delightful. It is at an altitude of 7,500 feet and has perfect weather similar to early fall in North-Eastern U.S. The monsoon arrives in Landour before it does in Delhi – usually around the third week of June. It gets to Delhi around mid-July accompanied by a fall in temperatures and rising humidity. It is unbearably sticky until October. The constant heat can seriously drain your energy and you'll have to take the rest and fluids that your body demands to help you stay healthy.

Beginning in October it starts to get cooler and dryer and November is usually the start of the Delhi winter. It is not a northeastern U.S. winter but because there is no central heating and buildings are made of cement, they retain the cold. Room heaters take away the chill. The day temperature by December will be high 60s-low 70s. The nights can dip to the low 40s. If you are staying for the year, you’ll see the temperatures increase in March. By the middle of April, Delhi will return to its July temperatures.

- 10 -

Some books recommended by previous students for reading before you leave:

Adiga, Aravind The White Tiger Dalrymple, William City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi Mistry, Rohinton A Fine Balance Roberts, Gregory Shantaram Roy, Arundhati God of Small Things Rushdie, Salman Midnight’s Children Sainath, P. Everybody Loves a Good Drought: Stories from India's Poorest Districts Sutcliffe, William Are You Experienced Tharoor, Shashi India from Midnight to the Millennium Tully, Mark No Full Stops in India

Pre-Departure Checklist o Prepared myself: That means having read this handbook and other appropriate OIP publications like the current editions of “The FAQs of Study Abroad” and the general “Study Abroad handbook” and being mentally prepared for the challenge. o Also read some of the above books related to India. o Met with my concentration/major advisor to discuss any credit that I want to count for my concentration/major. At Brown, General Credit transfers automatically. o Checked that my passport is valid for 6 months past the last date I will be in India. o Checked with the Indian consulate about documents required for my country of citizenship. Take to India ALL documents I had to take to the consulate o Have had any medical, dental & vision check-ups as recommended o Health insurance information (policy number, reimbursement procedures and forms, list of medical items covered); Proof of insurance with dates of policy o Medication or prescriptions you need, unless you are sure that the medication is available in India. (Bring original prescriptions with you when you travel). Check with Samar about availability in India. o Gave the OIP and the Delhi staff my travel schedule for my arrival o Any personal, meaningful item that helps me relax, get centered (favorite music, family pictures, diary, sports gear, posters...) that can fit in a suitcase o If bringing two bags, try to pack one with the things you’ll need in Landour (including the warmer clothes etc). The rest (things you’ll probably use only once you’re back in Delhi in July) can be left in safekeeping in Delhi so you don’t have to lug it around with you

Don't bring too much stuff!! You won't need it and it will just cost a lot to mail it back home. One suitcase ONLY and preferably not too big so you can carry it by yourself!

- 11 - The Program

Students in sarees

Brown’s exchange program with St. Stephen’s and Lady Shri Ram Colleges sends students to St. Stephen’s and LSR and receives faculty from both colleges. As an exchange program, Brown’s program in Delhi differs from some other study abroad programs in India which have study centers and living quarters, and provide their own courses. Students on the Brown program take Indian college courses, independent studies with professors (only at LSR) and follow the normal academic schedule of their chosen college.

Brown’s program in Delhi immerses you in an Indian academic environment with the local students. This program works best for those who have specific academic goals which they feel they can achieve in Delhi or for people willing to work to give their general interests specific and focused content. The content of the readings and the papers have to largely be determined by the student in conjunction with the professor (within the limits of St. Stephen's or Lady Shri Ram's curriculum), which makes having a specific focus necessary for the experience to be profitable.

The Brown-in-India program provides a required course in Hindi and three other courses. Hindi is very useful in Delhi, and you should be ready to devote some amount

- 12 - of effort to learning it, in order to get the most out of the whole experience. Knowing even the most basic of Hindi will make it easier for you to build a life in the city and explore it. Bargaining with auto drivers, shopping, ordering food, asking for directions… everything is made easier in proportion to how much Hindi you learn. People who are not interested at all in learning Hindi would probably have a better time on a different type of program.

The courses at both St. Stephen's and Lady Shri Ram College follow the University of Delhi course structure. Indian students tend to enroll in one department only and are therefore very focused in their work. You however, will be given the opportunity to study within several departments. Past participants on our program have recommended that you try to take at least two courses in the same department so that you are with the same students in the same year on a regular basis.

At St. Stephens, students will be expected to select a minimum two out of the three courses from among honours level courses. Their fourth course will be the required Hindi course. Visiting students, unlike local students, may take courses in more than one subject area, but should be careful to arrange these so that the total course load adds up to the load of a matriculated student. Examples of available departments at St. Stephen's include Economics, English, History, Philosophy, Sanskrit, Hindi. Other strong departments include the Department of Indian Literature and the Department of Modern and Medieval History.

At LSR, one of your three courses may be an Independent Study Project specially arranged for your particular interests (Independent Study is not offered at St. Stephen's). Depending on the professor and your topic, you may be able to continue your research after returning to your home institution. Your fourth course will be the required Hindi course. Academic departments at Lady Shri Ram include Commerce, Economics, English, Hindi, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sanskrit, Sociology, and Statistics.

When taking classes across different departments, you need to be careful to arrange your courses in such a way that the time of one course does not clash with another. You will have to actively structure your courses with the help of the Foreign Student Advisor and your professors in the first two weeks of your time at the College. This is extremely important since the regular Indian student appears for exams only at the end of the academic year and Brown program students are examined at the end of their stay. You will have to structure your academic priorities prudently.

Class schedules will be posted on one of the general notice boards at the beginning of the term. Regular classes are held from 8:45am -1pm Mondays through Saturdays at St. Stephen's with accompanying tutorials sometimes stretching out until 2:30pm LSR classes run from 9am - 3:30pm Mondays through Fridays (Saturday is a holiday at LSR). Afternoons at both are devoted to extracurricular activities including theater, debating, sports and academic clubs.

If you’re thinking of taking any science classes which involve labs, be aware that the facilities at St. Stephen’s are not currently on par with American universities. For this

- 13 - reason taking science courses is not recommended. If you are interested in taking non-lab sciences, you should inquire as to availability and quality through the Study Abroad Office.

Students interested in dance or music classes may be able to arrange instruction with a private tutor (private instruction costs are not covered by Brown-in-India). Please check with Samar as soon as possible for assistance in making arrangements. These classes would be considered outside the normal Brown-in-India curriculum and would not appear on your official Brown transcript at the program's completion.

Program Calendar

The program begins in end-June, with the Landour Language Program. Once the college academic year starts, you will be following the normal academic schedule

Jun 20-21 Arrive in Delhi

Jun 22 Around Delhi for sights and supplies, visit to the college campus

Jun 23 Departure for Landour + Landour Language School Orientation

Jun 24 Hindi Classes begin at Landour Language School

Jun 28-30 Tungnath trip

Jul 4 Independence Day barbecue and fireworks

Jul 20 Return to Delhi

Jul 22 Classes begin followed by College Orientation the same week

Aug 3-4 Neemrana Fort Palace Overnight trip

Aug 5 Hindi Classes begin

To follow: Agra Taj Mahal Overnight Trip

Oct 1-7 October break

Nov 9-11 Pushkar Camel Fair Two-night trip

Return date: app around Thanksgiving

- 14 - Landour Language School

The Landour Language School, where you will study Hindi, takes its name from a suburb of Mussoorie, a popular North Indian hill station. The school was established 100 years ago and the courses there are based on all those years of experience. The teachers are selected and trained by a system of examinations and have each fifteen or more years of teaching experience. You will have three hours of language classes every day, usually in the mornings and early afternoons. The rest of the time is for you to study and explore Mussoorie.

While at Landour, you will have 4 classes (2 grammar classes, 2 reading and writing classes). Your group will be subdivided into smaller groups, with each group having the same 4 teachers in the same sequence each day. Teachers may overlap between groups. Students have rated this as the most beneficial language-learning experience on the program and have encouraged future students to take advantage of it. The pace of the Hindi class later on in Delhi will be slower; and most local students may be more inclined to speak with you in English.

Mailing Address at Landour:

Valley View c/o Gambhir Singh Landour Cantonment Mussoorie Uttaranchal 248 179 India tel 0091-135-263 1385

Mussoorie, also known as “The Queen of the Hills”. sits at an elevation of 7,000 feet, offering spectacular views of the mighty Himalayan peaks on one side and the Doon Valley on the other. It’s a breathtaking experience, viewing the valley of Dehra Doon at night with its twinkling lights. Mussoorie connects to the rail head of Dehra Doon via 22 miles of twisting hill road, originally made for bullock carts. The British developed Mussoorie as a popular hill resort to escape the intensely hot summers in the plains of North India (which means you’ll need cool weather clothes for Landour).

- 15 - Mussoorie still contains many reminders of the past. The library just below Savoy Hotel is well over 100 years old. There are ruins of antiquated breweries and old cemeteries with interesting gravestones dating back to Mussoorie’s early years. It is also known for its boarding schools. In the crowded city markets, which you can get to by taxi or a short walk down the steep main road, you can find an amazing collection of shawls. Not far from Valley View (the house where you will be staying) is a cluster of stores named Char Dukan (Four Shops) where you can access the internet or savor local fare ranging from chocolate pancakes to paranthas (Indian pancakes) and momos (Tibetan dumplings).

You could spend entire afternoons walking among the deodar (Himalayan cedar); trees that have witnessed the entire history of the land, from the days when Mussoorie was home to but a few shepherd huts and the cattle that grazed on the Mansur shrub that would later give the place its name.

Program Costs

In order to help you budget appropriately for your academic experience in India we have created a cost information sheet that is available on our website and included in your pre-departure packet. Airfare and living costs are based on our best information but these can change quickly with exchange rate fluctuations and price changes.

For the most up-to-date cost information, please visit http://brown.edu/academics/college/special-programs/international- study/programs/brown-0/brown-india/program-costs-india

Refund Policy

Any expenses that have been incurred by Brown on behalf of the student (i.e. host institution fees, prepayment of orientation housing etc.) once the student has made a commitment to the program (in writing and/or by submitting the program deposit), will be the responsibility of the student and charged to the student account.

If a student withdraws from a program during the first five weeks from the start date, he or she is eligible for a refund of Brown tuition payments based on the schedule below. Brown is not responsible for indirect costs paid directly by the student, including, but not limited to, passport fees, vaccinations and transportation costs.

Withdrawal prior to the start of the program 100% Withdrawal within the first 14 days 80% Withdrawal between days 15-21 60%

- 16 - Withdrawal between days 22-28 40% Withdrawal between days 29-35 20% Withdrawal after day 35 No refund available

The same refund policy applies for students who leave because of a medical or family emergency. A student who is suspended, dismissed or withdraws while under investigation for misconduct, will not be eligible for a tuition refund.

Students who choose to withdraw from a program abroad and, subsequently, enroll at Brown during the semester that corresponds to their semester abroad will be responsible for all costs incurred by Brown up to the time they withdrew from the program.

If a student withdraws from a program, the deposit paid to confirm his or her place is not refundable. For housing or fees paid directly to the host institution abroad, the refund policy of that institution will be in effect.

Dismissal Policy

The Office of International Programs in consultation with the Site Personnel and the Program Faculty Directors at Brown reserves the right to dismiss a student and require that they leave immediately if in our judgment the student behaves in a manner which endangers him/herself, others on the program or the program’s continued operations. Illegal drug use is grounds for immediate dismissal.

- 17 - Arriving in Delhi

Let the OIP know your flight information

You must let the Office of International Programs at Brown know the details of your flight into Delhi by sending an email to [email protected] or a fax to 401-863- 3311.This is necessary so that we can notify our site-coordinator who will then have a program assistant pick you up from the airport in New Delhi. ARRIVAL: DATE: June 20-21 2013.

Contact the US Embassy

“All American citizens residing or traveling in India for more than 30 days or who are planning travel in disturbed areas are encouraged to register with the Consular Section. Through registration, the Embassy or Consulate General can know more accurately the number and location of American citizens, should any emergency arise. It also enables a Consular Officer to locate an individual in the event of a family or business emergency back in the United States. The registration card requests information on the local and permanent residences, next of kin and passport information. These cards can assist in the replacement of a lost or stolen passport.”

As you can tell from the quote above, taken from the official guidelines for American travelers in India, registering is not just a bureaucratic formality. The Embassy has medical facilities and can help in cases of legal or bureaucratic problems. In addition to the help of the Site Coordinator, they can be especially helpful if you are caught in a tight spot while traveling. You can register with the Indian Government in person with the help from Samar. Otherwise, you can register with the Embassy at http://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui

Remember to keep a photocopy of your passport, a copy of your Indian visa, as well as a copy of any credit or debit cards you have, separately from the actual documents. It’s a good idea to give a copy to the Site Coordinator and to leave a copy with someone in the USA too.

- 18 - Housing

The apartment you will be staying at in Delhi has been subleased to you in order to put you amidst Indian city life in a safe and convenient location.

St. Stephen’s Apartment

Brown program students studying at St. Stephen's College will stay in an apartment in South Delhi. The address is

S-93, Second Foor Panchsheel Park New Delhi 110 017 Tel 0091-11-410 05183

Houskeeping Mulfa, the lady who cooks and cleans at the apartment, can make pretty much anything you want, within limits of course. She has a menu she cycles through, but students can let her know what they’d prefer. The kitchen is fully stocked with basics at all times and students are encouraged to cook for themselves on days Mulfa doesn’t come by (app 4-7 days a month)

Food and Supplies Mulfa will buy vegetables and fruit for you and she usually gets good prices but it is also fun to practice your Hindi with the fruit/vegetable sellers. If you get a craving for any special food, you are not too far from a variety of dining options. The student assistant will guide you to them.

Shopping Malviya Nagar, Hauz Khas Village and GK1 are all close to this apartment for most needs. Nehru Place shopping complex a bit further off offers every kind of bank, textile shops, computer goods wholesale distributors and sweet shops. Lajpat Nagar Central Market (nearer Central Delhi) is a large, vibrant multi-purpose market with a focus on clothing, textile and wedding-related merchandise. You will also have our share of American-style malls, especially with Select Citiwalk and DLF Place further south. Ask your student assistant to help you find your way to any of the above.

Laundry The apartment has a washing machine (no dryer though: “air-dry” is hot enough!) which is easy to use. You can iron your clothes at home if you choose to but all South Delhi neighborhoods have a local dhobi to whom you can give your clothes for ironing.

Transportation St Stephen’s college is up the Yellow Metro line, which is accessed by the Hauz Khas station five minutes from the apartment. The journey takes about 45 minutes door to door. For transportation around Delhi, a combination of Metro and autorickshaw is

- 19 - best. Don’t let the drivers intimidate you. Use Hindi as much as you can since they are used to bargaining with tourists. You can stand your ground and walk away if the price doesn’t seem right; this sometimes works to lower the prices.

Changing money Most banks will change traveler’s checks. But for more efficient service you should try Thomas Cook and American Express outlets in Connaught Place. To withdraw money using a debit/ATM card, the best places to go to are any of the many ATMs around the apartment or the bank at college.

Mail There is a post office in Malviya Nagar. Letters take a week or two to reach the U.S.

Internet The Panchsheel Park apartment has wireless internet. Your connection at the apartment is pretty fast, though it is subject to a ‘Fair Download’ limit, i.e., if the downloading exceeds 80GB in a given monthly billing cycle, the speed will drop to 1/8th for the remainder of that billing cycle.

SPECIAL NOTE: Before you leave India, it is recommended that you exchange back to dollars a couple of days before you leave the country. If your flight out of India back to the States is really late, the exchange booth will be closed and it’s very difficult to exchange rupees once you reach stateside.

- 20 - College Life

Academics

Semester-long Hindi language course The Hindi course that students take during the semester/year is held independently of the colleges and arranged by the Site Coordinator. You will receive a month of daily intensive preliminary instruction in Hindi at Landour, soon after your arrival in India. Upon your return to Delhi, you will attend class three days a week at The East West Language Institute. Further details upon arrival in Delhi.

St. Stephen’s College St. Stephen’s College is one of the oldest and most reputable colleges of India. Founded in 1881 by a Christian mission, it remains a Christian institution although over half its students are non-Christian. There are about 1,200 students currently studying at St. Stephen’s, of which 300 live in on-campus housing. St. Stephen's offers degrees in the following subjects: Economics, English, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Sanskrit, Physics, and Chemistry.

The Indian college system St. Stephen’s College is part of Delhi University and is therefore governed by DU norms. These norms and regulations are applicable to all the colleges that constitute Delhi University.

The Indian college system is based on the English educational structure and functions with what American students might perceive as certain ‘rigidities’. Students are not allowed to switch majors after applying, most of the courses in their three years are fixed and are within their major department, and marks are determined by a standardized set of exams. Students take all their classes with students of the same year and subject. They are also required to pass exams in 2 subsidiary subjects, which are usually taken in first year, leaving students to focus on their degree subject for the remaining two years.

The faculty is strong in many departments of both colleges, with many professors doing research independent of the college.

- 21 -

Starting Out

Academic tips In the beginning, the Site Coordinator will help you set up an appointment with the Foreign Student Advisor at each college. This advisor will be giving you academic advice about registration and can help you find your way around campus. You will have to actively structure your courses with the help of the Foreign Student Advisor and your professors in the first two weeks of your time at the college.

If you’re thinking of taking any science classes which involve labs, be aware that the facilities at St. Stephen’s are not currently on par with American universities. For this reason taking science courses is not recommended. If you are interested in taking non-lab sciences, you should inquire as to availability and quality through the Study Abroad Office.

Since visiting students, unlike local students, may take courses in more than one subject area, they need to be more careful in arranging these. Since students belonging to particular departments spend more time together, you might lose out on building your own social base if you spread your classes out too thin. Classes may also be cancelled or moved (either because teachers don’t show up or because the students organize mass ‘bunk’ days), so it’s important to make sure your classmates have a phone number to reach you at and that you are in the loop. To make this clearer, if you are interested in philosophy and economics, you should take two courses in one of these subjects rather than one in each. By doing so, you will be amongst the same group of students for two courses, rather than in three separate groups. Logistically too, the class schedule may be easier to organize. When taking classes across different departments, you need to be careful to arrange your courses in such a way that the time of one course does not clash with another.

You might find that the syllabus gets going more slowly than you are used to. You’ll need to actively work with your professors in the first two weeks to structure course assignments. Don't expect anything to happen too quickly, so plan ahead and leave enough time to get hold of the professors. It will help if you prepare questions that they need to answer or bring from your home university a copy of a class evaluation sheet.

The student/teacher relationship at Stephen’s is more formal than at American universities, but it depends greatly on the individual professor. In the beginning it is a good idea to be formal until you get to know your professors and what they expect. Most professors do not have offices or regular hours, so you’ll have to be persistent. Your best bet is to ask fellow students in that subject how you can reach the professor. You can leave notes for professors in mail boxes in the staff room, and when possible it is a good idea to get your professors’ home phone numbers. If you approach them early, most of the teachers are cooperative and flexible with the courses.

Grading The Indian system of grading works as follows:

- 22 -

60% and above First Division 50% to 59% Second Division 40% to 49% Third Division 39% and below Fail

However, over the years Brown-in-India has developed a flexible system to enable professor and student to arrive at different assessment criteria depending on the length of the student’s stay (6 or 9 months) and the nature of the course taken.

Seek the Foreign Student Advisor's help in putting into place the alternative assessment structure, since it is important that this is clearly established within the first term. This involves clarifying meeting times, types of assignments due, assignment dates and lengths, etc. After the first week you should let the Foreign Student Advisor know what courses you’ll be taking.

Be especially aware that teachers take a very long time to grade everything. You should talk to the teacher often and as early as possible about evaluations for your courses. It can be a bit difficult getting the teachers to write comments or give grades for essays, because they don’t normally work in that manner.

Student ID card If you brought passport photos from the USA, you’ll only have to drop them off at the office and fill out a short form. If you didn’t bring photos, you can have them made near campus. The student assistants will help you with this procedure should you need any.

Library cards The library will issue you books against your Student ID. The system (number of books at a time, late fee etc) differs between the two colleges, so please ask your student assistant if you need any clarification.

In and around College

Medical care The St. Stephen’s dispensary is open on Tuesdays and Fridays at 1:30. The doctor can take care of small problems and can give referrals for larger problems. The doctor’s assistant, lives on campus and can also write referrals.

In case of any serious health problems inform the Site Coordinator immediately and he will arrange medical care for you.

Sports facilities At St. Stephen's there are playing-fields with soccer nets, tennis courts, basketball courts, a rock-climbing wall, a gymnasium (though don’t expect a gymnasium as you know them, the equipment is very basic), handball courts (you need to bring your own balls and gloves), and a badminton net. There are ping-pong tables in the Junior Common Room for the less athletically inclined.

- 23 -

Student organizations At St. Stephen's there are sign-up sheets for many of the student organizations at the beginning of the year, and these organizations post regular announcements on the bulletin boards in the main hall. Three basic places to look for announcements are the departmental advice boards, ‘Today’s Engagements’, and dedicated notice boards. The Societies or Hobby Clubs are good places to make friendships. Here you will find students who might share your particular interests and with whom you can do things. The Hobby Clubs/Societies put up their activities on the Notice Boards, so you should have a look at these regularly to keep in touch with what is happening. As most students do not live on campus, societies are a vital part of college life, allowing students to socialize after class before going home. Some of these are:

Philosophical Society, Economics Society, Photographic Society, English Literary Society, Planning Forum (they discuss issues of policy), Fine Arts Society, Gandhi Study Circle, Sanskrit Hindi Sahitya Sabha (Sanskrit and Hindi Literary Society), Hiking club, Shakespeare Society (English Theatre Society), History Society, Social Service League, Informal Discussion Group, Wild Life Society, Music Society and Cine Club.

St. Stephen's also has a tradition of Chess and Bridge. It is up to the individual student to make inquiries and seek partners.

Photocopying There is a machine on campus at St Stephen’s.

Other libraries If you don’t find what you need in college, you can look in the following libraries:

Alliance Française American Library British Council Library Centre for Women’s Development Studies (CWDS) Delhi School of Economics Library: It is on the same street as St. Stephen’s, on the Delhi School of Economics campus. Max Muller Bhawan Library: Strong collection of German Indology. National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) Public Library: Past students have found this library (close to the Mandi House Metro stop in Central Delhi) to be useful. Their selection is quite good, especially in history. They don’t charge an entrance fee, allow photocopies, and don’t permit check-outs. So if the book is in the catalog, it’s there somewhere. UNFPA Library Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) World Bank Library

- 24 - Around Delhi

Delhi is the capital of India, built and rebuilt seven times by numerous invaders, which means a long history going back a few millennia. St. Stephen's College is situated in North Delhi, very close to Old Delhi (also known as the walled city or Shahjahanabad), the capital of the Mughal rulers who preceded the British Raj. The English ruled India for almost two hundred years, until 1947. In 1911 they moved their capital from Calcutta (Kolkata) to New Delhi, which they built next to the old Mughal capital.

Today, while the two most recent Delhis have more or less merged into each other, certain differences remain. New Delhi, situated to the south of the old city, is fairly modern. It is spread out, with particularly unique residential areas comparable to inner city suburbs. Its main attractions are the well-planned diplomatic and government enclaves, the latter designed by the English architect Edwin Lutyens (including the Presidential Palace, South and North Blocks, Parliament House and Connaught Place). Old Delhi on the other hand has a different charm. The narrow streets of Chandni Chowk, for instance, are named after the products that are sold in each one.

Life in Delhi, like all cities in India, attracts both modern and traditional elements of Indian life. As a city, you will be struck by its history, vibrancy and uniqueness.

Cultural Resources

One of the best things about the city is that there is a wide array of festivals, performances and visual art options available to its residents all year-round and what’s more, most of these are free. You will receive at your apartment, subscriptions to Time Out Delhi and First City magazines which should keep you up-to-date on the goings on around town. Supplements in Times of India, Hindustan Times and The Hindu newspapers list cultural events on a daily basis, besides which you can also check with the following institutes for their programs:

Alliance Francaise India Habitat Centre (IHC) India International Center (IIC) Kamani Auditorium Max Mueller Bhavan (Goethe Institut) National School of Drama Sahitya Kala Akademi The American Library The Attic Triveni Kala Sangam

*Samar is a great resource for cultural, especially musical events.

- 25 -

Shopping and Eating-Out

Most residential neighborhoods have a central market where you can get all you need to get by on a daily basis. But in case you want some variety, here are some other markets (mostly in the Central to South Delhi region) to which you might like to go:

Connaught Place (food and retail, mid-to-expensive) Dilli Haat (food, handicraft and textile from different regions of India) Greater Kailash M-Block Market (multi-purpose, mid-to-expensive) Greater Kailash N-Block Market (dining and clothing; mid-to-expensive) Janpath (small shops selling an array of different handicraft items catering to the tourist market; also very close to Jantar Mantar, an 18th century astronomical observatory) Khan Market (book shops and variety of dining options; mid-to-expensive) Lajpat Nagar Central Market (garment, textile and household goods) Sarojini Nagar (export surplus garment market) South Extension (retail and jewelry; mid-to-expensive) Sunder Nagar Market (brass, antiques and jewelry; upmarket) Palika Bazaar (electronics and clothing; cheap to mid-priced); good for bargaining.

Some tips In the expensive Connaught Place shops the prices will be fixed, but along Janpath and in Sarojini Nagar Market, one can bargain without hesitation. Mentioning that you are a student living in Delhi is likely to help too. For buying presents though, it’s best to hold off until the end of your stay, when you have a better idea of how much things should cost and your Hindi is better so you can bargain better.

Eating-out India has an amazing variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine. Contrary to popular belief, all Indian food is not hot and spicy. Delhi boasts of restaurants that serve food from various parts of India and around the world catering to different budgets and tastes. If you get homesick and feel the need for certain American food products, INA Market is good for almost anything (including turkey around Thanksgiving time).

- 26 - A typical sweet shop in Delhi

Places and festivals you should not miss

Blind Relief Association for the summer cloth bazaar and the week-long fair during Diwali (the Indian festival of lights), which is great for buying Christmas presents. Chandni Chowk for its amazing paranthas and the spice market in Khari Baori Crafts Museum for live demos of Indian handicraft being made (also has a store) Dilli Haat for handicrafts, momos and Nature Bazaar (usually held towards the end of the year and great for the best craft and textle from around India) Hanuman Mandir for the Tuesday evening bangle market Humayun’s Tomb is the mausoleum of the second Mughal-era ruler of India. The expansive complex has been beautifully restored very recently Jama Masjid (go with a guy and you can climb the tower and get a great view of Delhi) Jantar Mantar Lodi Gardens, especially at sunset and for picnics in early winter Lotus Temple of the Baha’i Faith Mehrauli Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site houses the Qutab Minar (a 240 foot watchtower built in 1199) and numerous other structures of note National Gallery of Modern Art National Museum for its permanent exhibits on Ancient Indian history Old Fort Red Fort is the impressive structure from which the country’s Prime Minister delivers his speech every Independence day. The fort and the mosque (Jama Masjid) and walled city (Shahjahanabad) the fort faces, were all commissioned by the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan (he’s responsible for the Taj Mahal in Agra too) Humayun’s Tomb

Transportation

There are five modes of transportation in Delhi. In descending order of cost they are: taxi, auto-rickshaw, the metro, cycle-rickshaw, and bus. By law the price is meant to fixed on all but the cycle rickshaw, but in reality only bus and metro rates end up being non-negotiable.

The most efficient way to travel is the Metro, which can take you to a number of destinations spread across town. Auto rickshaws are a convenient and economical too

- 27 - and you will find them just around the corner outside the apartment. Taxis are most viable when you travel in a group or have luggage. You will receive telephone numbers for fixed taxi-stand taxis and radio taxis when you move into your apartments.

You might have to settle on a rate before getting into a taxi or an auto rickshaw because though rates are meant to be fixed by meter, operators often refuse to turn them on and you have to haggle for a good price. If you do get an operator who agrees to go by the meter, make sure the meter is turned on and set to minimum. Be alert to make sure the driver isn’t going around in circles to inflate the fare. Remember that every rickshaw-wallah/taxi-wallah is required to carry a copy of the standardized fare list (some will offer it to you immediately at the end of the journey, others you have to ask to see it). The Night Fares (always more expensive) are on one side/in one column of the fare list and the Day fares on/in the other. Make sure you’re reading the right one (Night fares are used between 11pm and 5am). Also remember that there are surcharges for luggage and extra stops.

It’s best to avoid taking local buses, more so in peak traffic hours and at night. If you do decide to travel by bus, please go with an Indian friend who speaks Hindi (especially for female students).

The student assistants will get you Metro maps and autorickshaw/taxi rate charts and help you find your way around the city and its transport system.

Communication

Phone calls Local calls cost about 2 rupee for 1 minute. All calls are billed at a minimum of 2 minutes so that when you call out from the apartment, you are being billed continuously. It is advisable to use your cell phone for most of your local calls. As far as long-distance calls are concerned, remember that all of India is on one time. The time difference between Delhi and the USA (EST) is 9.30 hours ahead. Plan calls accordingly and don’t forget adjust for daylight saving time. To call India from the United States, the country code is 0091 and Delhi’s city code is 011, so a direct call to a fixed-line number would be to 0091-11-(eight digit number) and to a cell phone would be 0091- (10 digit number). To call the USA from India, you would dial 001-(area code)-(phone

- 28 - number). Long distance phone calls from India are expensive; you cannot make these from your apartment phone. Most students call from their cell phones or STD/ISD booths that dot every neighborhood market.

Cell Phones The program assistants will help you set up your cell phone connections. After you get your connection going, you will receive a call from the service provider asking to verify your personal details, as they are required to do so for reasons of national security. While getting a connection is straightforward, you must remember to request a verification call-back in the English language at the time of purchasing one. Prepaid local rates amount to about $10/month, unless you are traveling outside city limits, in which case there will be additional roaming charges. If your cell phone gets stolen, it is advisable to request the help of a student assistant or program coordinator: phone companies are sometimes more inclined to help out when speaking with a native Hindi speaker.

Mail Foreign Air Mail rates are Rs 25 for a letter, Rs 11 for an Aerogram and Rs 8 for a postcard. Inland postal rates are Rs 5. Postage Stamps are available only at post offices, which are located in every residential area around town. These are open from 10am to 5:00 pm Monday thru Saturday. Letters mailed to the States take about a week or two to reach their destination so anything urgent should be sent through speed-post, courier or FedEx. Past students have reported that at the post office, after you have handed in your stamped letters, the stamps are sometimes ripped off by someone and the letters thrown away so the stamps can be resold. To prevent this from happening, make sure you ask a post office staff person to ‘cancel’ the stamps (by rubber stamping them) after you've put the postage on. Watch and make sure it’s done so there’s little incentive for any wrongdoing afterwards.

SAFETY

Like all cities, Delhi has its safer and less safe areas. The best advice Brown can give you is to get safety tips from the friends you make in Delhi. Of the places in your immediate neighborhood, it is advisable not to go to the area known as The Ridge (a strip of forest near St Stephen’s) as it is isolated and dangerous.

For men, Delhi can feel safer than many American cities. However, the safety concerns of women in Delhi need more attention. Female students are advised not to give out their cell number or be too friendly to strangers (male) because some gestures you might not think much of in the States are interpreted quite differently in India. Giving out your phone number to men can easily project the idea that you are open to constant romantic advances. Please also avoid wearing revealing or overly tight clothes. You will have a better idea of what sticks out once you’ve seen the way women typically dress in Delhi. As a general rule, try not to travel alone at night; but if you do end up doing so, have your friends take down the license number of the auto rickshaw/taxi and let the driver know that they have done so.

- 29 - Remember to ALWAYS check that the apartment door is locked before leaving the apartment and be watchful in general. This goes for everyone on the Program.

Dating Dating is not recommended in Delhi; gender roles are not what you are used to. This information is not to discourage you entirely, but to inform you that in all likelihood you may face issues of immaturity and dishonorable intentions with men and extreme conservativeness with women (behaviors that may be taken lightly in the States can be interpreted as signs of serious intent in India).

Money and Banking

In India, the unit of currency is the Rupee (Re, plural Rupees – Rs). One Rupee is divided into 100 Paise (p, singular Paisa). There are coins designating 50 Paise, Re 1, Rs 2 and Rs 5 (though the 50p coins are mostly out of commission now). The rate of exchange varies but at the time of printing it was in the low 50s to 1 USD.

Remember to bring your debit/ATM and credit cards along. ATMs are widely available throughout the city, often at walking distance from wherever you find yourself. Please check with your banks to see if you will be able to access money through an ATM machine in Delhi and how much they charge per international transaction. Most shops, hotels, and airlines accept credit cards.

Before you leave, make sure that you check in with your bank to warn them that you will be living in India. You should also find out what cash withdrawal fees apply to your card in India. Some banks charge significant fees for cash withdrawals abroad.

Past students have recommended that you to bring U.S. $1,200-$2,000 per semester for personal expenses, depending on your shopping, traveling, and eating habits.

Also, bring 100 USD in traveler’s check in case something happens to your ATM card. This way you won’t be stranded without money while you wait for the problem to be sorted out or for a new ATM card to arrive from the States.

There is a branch of the Central Bank of India at the Ashok Hotel that stays open 24 hours a day and is very convenient for changing currency and travelers’ checks. For LSR students specifically, money can be changed at the Park Royal Hotel and for St. Stephen’s students at the Punjab National Bank next to Exchange Stores very near the apartment.

Remember to always change money with authorized moneychangers only and avoid bringing large sums of cash.

- 30 - Traveling Around India

There is a week-long break in October from around the 1st to the 7th. This is a wonderful opportunity to travel around India. However, before embarking on such a long trip, go on a smaller weekend getaway to get used to what it means to travel here. For example, Independence Day weekend in August is a good time. Remember to always travel with your passport or Residency Card; without which you cannot check into a hotel.

Also, Delhi is very different from the rest of India. Women outside big cities like Delhi, don’t usually wear western clothes. So, if you are planning to travel, try and wear Indian clothing. It might also be more comfortable for you.

Trains The main mode of interstate travel in India is the railway system. There are three main stations, two in New Delhi, and one in Old Delhi. You can buy railways tickets at the station, on-line, or through a travel agent for a small fee. If you are unable to get a ticket at the station you could try using the "Foreigner's Quota", which, as the name suggests are certain train tickets that are reserved for foreigners. For overnight train rides it is advisable to be extra careful of your luggage and valuables. Use a lock to fasten your luggage to your seat while traveling or sleep using your backpack as your pillow.

Buses Your shorter trips could be done on buses, which run regularly between Delhi and neighboring cities and are quite inexpensive. There are both government-run buses and those run by private companies. These range from the standard non-air-conditioned variety with minimal seat cushioning to semi-deluxe and air conditioned deluxe coaches. The Volvo buses are usually the most comfortable and therefore the most expensive too You can get information on these from the Delhi Tourism Centre or from the two Inter-State Bus Terminals – the bigger one near the St Stephens apartment (known simply as ISBT or Kashmiri Gate) and another smaller one at Sarai Kale Khan in Southeast Delhi

Flights Lately, India has had a surge in no-frill cheaper air travel, making flights a more viable option at times (especially over longer distances). These flights can be booked online, at airport counters and sometimes through travel agents. Some no-frill airlines are: Spicejet, Indigo and Jet.

Much of the above information can be obtained in greater detail online from the relevant websites (like indianrail.gov.in and irctc.co.in for train enquiries). For additional help, you will be provided with a Lonely Planet India at your apartments to help you plan your trips (please do not take these out of the apartments). You can also go to any big bookshop to pick up more area-wise guides like the Outlook 52 Weekend Guides etc. Your site coordinator can guide you if needed with any of the above.

- 31 - A Final Note

The Brown-in-India Program offers you an excellent opportunity to conduct your own research. It is possible to meet and interact with academics that you would not have the opportunity to work with at Brown or your home institution. The Brown-in-India program is not suitable for those who need a very structured course schedule and externally supplied academic direction.

At the beginning of the India sojourn, students attending St. Stephen’s and LSR sometimes experience frustration with the pace of academic life. However, by the time that they leave, they’ve not only adjusted to a different academic system but almost all of them have felt a marked personal growth.

On the Brown-in-India Program you will be challenged by a completely different system of time, truth, attitude, humor, ethics and much more. We view others through our own cultural lenses so it is important to understand that what you encounter in another culture is not right or wrong, but often just different. We live in a culturally diverse world and India offers you experience-based culture learning.

We leave you with a few observations made by past students. See you soon!

“I really would recommend staying the year. As someone who did not, I found that I was just beginning to get really settled and comfortable at school and in Delhi when I left. Obviously this happens in degrees, and I was reasonably well settled a month in, but it was only by the end that I could actually envision myself living there independently without the expectation of coming back to something, and that was a nice feeling.”

“Because of the huge degree of autonomy that you are granted on the Brown program, what you get out of it really reflects what you put in.”

“If you are looking for an experience of rural India, this is not the program for you. But if you are interested in Indian politics or arts and culture, Delhi presents great opportunities to come into contact with the cream of both these worlds. Being thoroughly a city person (I grew up in Washington D.C.) I found it fascinating to live in the cultural and political hub of India. There are always cultural events going on if you want to take advantage of them – from classical Indian music and dance, to experimental theater and cutting edge documentary films, it’s all there.”

“Overall, the Brown program is extremely well structured and thought-out, so that you feel very sheltered from many of the difficulties of day-to-day life in India for someone who is not used to the ‘system’. This is wonderful, especially at first when everything is very disorienting anyway, since you can spend your time getting immersed in the culture rather than freaking out over little things such as finding safe food and figuring out how to call an electrician to repair the air-

- 32 - conditioner. In addition, the Site Coordinator is always there to provide guidance and help, even on little issues that you may feel confused about. I had a great time, and feel that I had adequate stimulus provided by the program as well as plenty of time to pursue my own interests and to travel around.”

“I found the professors to be generally accessible and willing to talk to students. This was not quite universal though, and there was a definite divide between faculty who truly respected their students, and those who did not. However, I would not say this was the prevailing attitude at the school, and other faculty members were extremely inspiring.”

“LSR gets a lot of great speakers, much like Brown, and the girls put on performances that range from really quality (dance, music) to just having fun. The camaraderie was fantastic and something I haven’t experienced in any other academic setting I’ve been in. It really is a wonderfully supportive community. The professors were also all female, which I think added nicely to the support and role models a women’s college is supposed to provide – and is particularly important in India. Overall the school’s ideology is very progressive and feminist, and it was very exciting to me (as someone who identifies with both those things) to watch some of the girls’ ideas transformed as they were exposed to perspectives outside of their sometimes more traditional and very conservative upbringings.”

“I would really recommend choosing one subject of study so you attend class with the same group. Most students socialize among their subject group in breaks between classes, either on campus or sometimes they rush off en masse for lunch or a Hindi film. That is largely how social dynamics are organized and would make it easier to make friends – If you’re on a different schedule from everyone you can’t really participate in that. This was suggested in the handbook last year and I sort of shrugged it off, but it’s really true.”

“Make the most of the time you have. Remember that everything is a good learning experience. I’m not the most outgoing person but I had a great time and made great friends in college and with other students in the program. I even consider the coordinators my friends. They are great people who are ready to talk to you and hear what you have to say. Overall, whatever difficulties I may have had are overshadowed by all the good new and interesting things I experienced and learned. India is outside of any comfort zone you’ve ever had. Don’t fight it; go with the flow and be willing to talk and get involved. It’s worth it! Enlarge you’re comfort zone.”

- 33 -