Cultural Differences or Beurocraitc Strongholds
If any of you are wondering what it is like to try to apply to the university of Mumbai, there are two ways to find out. You can either (a) step outside and run around in circles until you feel like you need to either puke or punch someone in the face or (b) you can read the rest of this blog entry.
For those of you who chose option (b), here is a recount of what has happened so far:
November 15, 2005 — receive word from Rotary International that I have received a scholarship to study for two years at University of Mumbai in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) India.
November 17 — Send e-mail to University requesting admission application and instructions (since there is nothing of the like to be found anywhere on the website).
No Response.
November 22 — Send second e-mail to University. No Response.
November 30 — Send third e-mail to University. RECEIVE A RESPONSE! None of the information I requested is included in the response.
December 2 — Phone call to India. Told to call a different number. Called different number, told to call another number. Called that other number, told to call yet another number. Called that one, told to call a different one. Called that one, told to call the original number I had called. I give up.
December 6 — E-mail a professor at the University. Professor responds and GIVES ME PERTINENT INFORMATION! I am told the application process does not start for a few more months. I am encouraged to contact the registrar and request a NOR (whatever that is) and am informed I need to be granted permission from the registrar to apply to the University.
December 7 — Send e-mail to registrar requesting a "NOR" (still do not know what it is) and humbly ask their permission to apply to the University.
No Response.
December 15 — Call Registrar's office. I am directed to a different number. Woman who answers says:
"Just come".
" Just Come?" I ask to clarify I heard her right.
" Yeah. Just come."
"I don't need to be chosen? Or take a test? Or send you any papers that show I am eligible?"
"No. Just come."
Then she puts the phone down, and a gentleman picks up. I give him the same sales pitch I gave the very welcoming woman, and he says "you can't come. You need permission". So he takes down my e-mail address to send me all the pertinent information I will need to apply.
E-mail never comes.
December 20 — Call Rotary club and inform them it is impossible to apply to this school to see if they have any ideas. I am told to wait until I attend my Rotary training in February, and not to worry about anything until then.
So I gladly throw in the towel for a few months.
February — attend Rotary training. I find out I am the first scholar to go to India on a two year Masters scholarship. In other words, no one has any bright ideas for me…I am on my own in this jungle.
End of February — Frantically begin where I left off in December. Send an e-mail to the same professor who has proven to be the most helpful of everyone so far. She informs me there is an American currently studying there in the same program I want to apply for. I am given his e-mail. I am so thankful for this, it does not even occur to me to feel annoyed that it took this long for anyone to share this wonderful news with me. My new American friend is named Alan.
February 26 — E-mail Alan. ALAN RESPONDS. I learn that classes start in July (wow - way sooner than expected) and am told what things to start gathering together to send to him, so he can apply for me. At this point I am still feeling unsettled that there is no standard application form I need to fill out. So I ask Alan exactly what he did when he applied. His answer was exactly what I should have been expecting, "It doesn't matter. This is India. Nothing is ever done the same way twice."
March 1 — I receive contact information for my host family in Mumbai. I e-mail immediately and solicit their help in this ambiguous application process. They reply with completely new and different information; unlike anything I have been told so far. But then again, I guess in a way, that is totally consistent with how everything has been so far. So I guess their response was in true Indian fashion.
Now it is the end of March. Still no news from Alan, or anyone else. Classes begin in a little over three months, and I feel I am no closer to applying than when I started. But for some odd reason, I feel like this will all work out. I guess that is the Indian in me.
For those of you who chose option (b), here is a recount of what has happened so far:
November 15, 2005 — receive word from Rotary International that I have received a scholarship to study for two years at University of Mumbai in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) India.
November 17 — Send e-mail to University requesting admission application and instructions (since there is nothing of the like to be found anywhere on the website).
No Response.
November 22 — Send second e-mail to University. No Response.
November 30 — Send third e-mail to University. RECEIVE A RESPONSE! None of the information I requested is included in the response.
December 2 — Phone call to India. Told to call a different number. Called different number, told to call another number. Called that other number, told to call yet another number. Called that one, told to call a different one. Called that one, told to call the original number I had called. I give up.
December 6 — E-mail a professor at the University. Professor responds and GIVES ME PERTINENT INFORMATION! I am told the application process does not start for a few more months. I am encouraged to contact the registrar and request a NOR (whatever that is) and am informed I need to be granted permission from the registrar to apply to the University.
December 7 — Send e-mail to registrar requesting a "NOR" (still do not know what it is) and humbly ask their permission to apply to the University.
No Response.
December 15 — Call Registrar's office. I am directed to a different number. Woman who answers says:
"Just come".
" Just Come?" I ask to clarify I heard her right.
" Yeah. Just come."
"I don't need to be chosen? Or take a test? Or send you any papers that show I am eligible?"
"No. Just come."
Then she puts the phone down, and a gentleman picks up. I give him the same sales pitch I gave the very welcoming woman, and he says "you can't come. You need permission". So he takes down my e-mail address to send me all the pertinent information I will need to apply.
E-mail never comes.
December 20 — Call Rotary club and inform them it is impossible to apply to this school to see if they have any ideas. I am told to wait until I attend my Rotary training in February, and not to worry about anything until then.
So I gladly throw in the towel for a few months.
February — attend Rotary training. I find out I am the first scholar to go to India on a two year Masters scholarship. In other words, no one has any bright ideas for me…I am on my own in this jungle.
End of February — Frantically begin where I left off in December. Send an e-mail to the same professor who has proven to be the most helpful of everyone so far. She informs me there is an American currently studying there in the same program I want to apply for. I am given his e-mail. I am so thankful for this, it does not even occur to me to feel annoyed that it took this long for anyone to share this wonderful news with me. My new American friend is named Alan.
February 26 — E-mail Alan. ALAN RESPONDS. I learn that classes start in July (wow - way sooner than expected) and am told what things to start gathering together to send to him, so he can apply for me. At this point I am still feeling unsettled that there is no standard application form I need to fill out. So I ask Alan exactly what he did when he applied. His answer was exactly what I should have been expecting, "It doesn't matter. This is India. Nothing is ever done the same way twice."
March 1 — I receive contact information for my host family in Mumbai. I e-mail immediately and solicit their help in this ambiguous application process. They reply with completely new and different information; unlike anything I have been told so far. But then again, I guess in a way, that is totally consistent with how everything has been so far. So I guess their response was in true Indian fashion.
Now it is the end of March. Still no news from Alan, or anyone else. Classes begin in a little over three months, and I feel I am no closer to applying than when I started. But for some odd reason, I feel like this will all work out. I guess that is the Indian in me.
posted by Seth & Hannah at 9:29 PM
1 comments
