NITYA PANDEY

Going abroad just because your neighbor’s kid is doing the same isn’t very pragmatic.

A strange language that she was just getting used to and lengthy summer days when the sun shone till 10 pm were the least of her concerns when she reached Germany. Swastika Kharel, 24, a student of medicine at Friedrichschiller Universität, Jena, describes her initial days in a foreign country as some of the most difficult and baffling ones in her life. Like many Nepali students who had lived a relatively easy life in their hometowns, Swastika too had difficulties adjusting to a demanding one when she went abroad for further studies.

“German, a language that was new and challenging, made things more difficult for me unlike my friends who went to the USA or the UK with a certain level of fluency in English,” she confesses.

Every year, many Nepali students go overseas for further studies with hopes for a brighter future and a better life. In the fiscal year 2012-13 alone, 16,404 students have received the no-objection certificate for 63 countries across the world from the Ministry of Education. With the unending political instability in Nepal and the ever-increasing charms surrounding international degrees, foreign universities have turned into the latest educational hotspots.

It has become a general notion that a ticket to a foreign country ensures academics, cash and prestige. But little heed is paid to the consequences when one jumps into the plane and takes off to “the land of dreams” without proper planning and roadmap for the days to come.

Pramod Karki, an education consultant for abroad studies, emphasizes that the financial status of the family should be the most important factor in determining one’s academic destination. As an academic consultant, he has witnessed hundreds of Nepali students suffer badly due to the lack of proper financial planning in a foreign land. He suggests that students should plan their budget carefully before applying to any university abroad.

The USA, the UK, many Asian and European nations come under the education destinations of the present-day Nepali students. The places they choose should depend on the subjects they want to study further, the scholarship schemes, the financial status of the family, and the personal interests of the individual. “But unfortunately, many students get so excited about going abroad that they tend to become shortsighted when it comes to expenses,” reveals Pramod.

Students, if not aware enough, may go bankrupt within a few months of their stay in a foreign country. This is a fateful situation that not just hinders their academic ambitions but also ensnares them into quicksand with little or no space for escape.

Shreya Paudel, 23, a student of International Political Studies at Middlesex University, London, comments that financial hardships have driven many international students to work more than fifty to sixty hours a week, illicitly and unwillingly. As a result, their study schedules go haywire and eventually expenses take the center stage in their lives.

“They can’t go back to Nepal empty-handed, so they end up working hard to earn money either to cover their own expenditures or to send some back home,” he explains.

Such misfortune happens when students decide on pursuing their dreams of studying abroad without proper guidance or good scholarships. Every day expenditures and health insurance are important factors that, if not seriously considered, can create huge troubles when it comes to paying the bills.

For someone like Swastika, fresh out of high school and who had been living comfortably with her parents, it was initially quite difficult to think of every little thing from daily grocery to house rent. Despite having a scholarship, she has worked as a chambermaid and at a meat processing factory for eight to ten hours a day during holidays to meet her living expenses. So she can imagine how difficult it must be for those without any scholarships.

“I was homesick at first but my scholarship always reminded me what I was here for and that I had to earn good grades and get a job to pay back my loans,” she reveals.

She’s just a representative of many Nepali students all over the world who has had hard times adjusting to new lifestyles filled with completely strange and often overwhelming experiences. If unprepared, this may scare the students off or throw them into the dark realms of depression. To prevent this, Pramod insists that even parents have to be conscious. Sometimes, it’s the parents who make all the decisions for their children and it’s their ambitions that the children are forced to shoulder.

Eda Upadhyaya, 50, a mother of three daughters who study at Ivy League universities in the USA, agrees wholeheartedly with the consultant. As a responsible parent, she never forced her daughters into anything. Going abroad was their personal choice. So she encouraged them to try for good scholarships in the USA as it’s almost impossible for any normal Nepali family to fund international university degree education for their children.

“The US is an ideal academic destination. But if one doesn’t get adequate financial aid or grants, maybe it’s better to complete school at places where you can afford it,” she insists.

When financial crises arise, many students are forced to drop out of their courses or take long breaks in between semesters. They are left with no other option if they don’t have enough resources to support themselves. Under such circumstances, students often resort to working illegally at cafes, stores or gas stations which is not just morally testing but mortally perilous.

However, if academics are one’s main concern and a foreign degree is the sole priority, then one doesn’t always have to board a plane and rush out of the country as soon as she passes out of high school. One can always take a step back and analyze the situation before taking any further action. Sometimes, it’s wise to wait and watch, study and work for a few years before applying for a Ph.D. or a postgraduate degree since these programs provide better scholarships and financial aids.

The Fullbright Scholarship Program is one such instance that proves that there can be bigger opportunities down the lane for those who are patient enough to wait and smart enough to compete.

Sagun Basnet, a Fullbright graduate from New York University, describes the Fullbright scholarship program as an opportunity to sharpen up one’s intellectual abilities. It’s really difficult to be a part of this prestigious group but it also can’t be denied that it’s a worthwhile experience.

As a Fullbrighter, one isn’t required or even allowed to work except for voluntary purposes. One is given a certain amount of funds to survive and the fees too are prepaid. Moreover, Fullbrighters can also get their Social Security number without much hassle, which is needed for utility purposes. Sagun, therefore, considers this a more challenging yet much safer option for studying abroad.

“This way, you’re at an advantage since you get a well-funded degree without having to work illegally, and also be a part of a reputed intellectual community,” she concludes.

So, going abroad just because your neighbor’s kid is doing the same or staying overseas only because your second cousin is a Green Cardholder isn’t very pragmatic. It’s always good to set one’s priorities straight and make sure of how things are going to work themselves out once you land up in a strange country.

One needs to be smart when making big decisions. Students should be wise and choose those options that are best for them. Getting an international degree is great. But when is the right time? And what’s the cost? One must always be crystal clear about the answers to these crucial questions before moving forward in this direction.

Published on: 26 July 2013 | Republica