Knowledge Must organises its summer programme Summer in India 2013 from 14th July till 10th August in Delhi. The programme consists of an exciting mix of Hindi language classes, academic seminars, skills training sessions, Delhi tours and weekend excursions.

India holds a very special place in our globalising world. It is not only home to every sixth human being on the planet, it is also the most culturally diverse country in the world. From high-tech industries in the megacities to remote jungle villages seemingly untouched by time, India encompasses both the dynamic forces of globalisation and the deep-rooted traditions of one of the world's most ancient cultures. Due to all this diversity, India is difficult to grasp.

Continue reading "India Summer Programme 2013: Studies in Indian Language, Culture and Society"

Keya Choudhury is a Berlin-based intercultural trainer: She helps individuals and organisations prepare to work in different cultural environments than their own. Taking some time off from her current assignment in Bangalore, Keya recently came to Delhi for a short holiday. Being highly energetic and proactive, sight-seeing and meeting friends proved not fulfilling enough, so she enrolled in a week-long intensive Hindi course with Language Must. In this refreshingly lively interview, Keya shares some of her experiences learning Hindi, living in India and navigating different cultures.

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Part 1. Never Travel on Boxing Day.

Back in the year 2008, I was a second year student in University of Nottingham in England. Knowing that I would ‘enjoy’ the Chinese Spring festival in between exams, I decided to make the most of my Christmas holiday by traveling to the northern part of Great Britain. So the plan was to invite some friends to clean up my fridge on Christmas day and go for a 10 days journey in Scotland with two Chinese classmates. However, I was told on Christmas dinner that the two classmates who had already booked the trip (350 quid) didn’t bother going any more, since they felt like falling ill after a visit to London and thought Scotland would be cold as hell. My expectation of the journey went a ‘30% off’, yet I insisted on going alone.

Continue reading "A Journey in Search of Deep True Scottish Love"

Kumbh Mela is the biggest pilgrimage festival in the world and in fact also by far the largest gathering of people for any purposes anywhere. This festival attracts tens of millions people every about 12 years, when it takes place in Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh, India). The pilgrims’ crowd is so big, it could even be seen from space. The main purpose of the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage is to bathe at the Triveni, in the most holy of places – the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical river Saraswati.

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Nitin Misra, a senior IT engineer from Delhi, recently completed a one-year MBA programme at the University of St. Gallen. Located in the German-speaking part of Switzerland and only half an hour away from the German border, he realised that knowing some German would significantly improve his experience abroad. Prior to his departure, Nitin therefore enrolled in a short-term One-to-One German language course with Language Must. In this interview, he talks about his motivation to go to Switzerland, his love for Focaccia bread and the peculiar length of certain German words.

Continue reading "German Courses in Delhi: The Experience of an Indian IT Engineer in Switzerland"

When I was in the 11th grade of my school education, I went on a student exchange program to India with the German exchange organization YFU (Youth for Understanding). This is now about five years ago and though the Indian exchange program of YFU is growing and other exchange organizations have followed, I'm still asked very often “Why India?! I didn't even know that this is possible.” Yes, a student exchange program to India is possible, and it's definitively one of the best experiences of my life so far.

Of course, living as a 16-year-old Western girl in India for one year wasn't always easy. During my first weeks in India I was – quite frankly speaking – shocked. The first days I stayed with some other exchange students at the office of YFU in Delhi. It was the beginning of July, just before the monsoon, and thus very hot and humid. This alone was exhausting for us. But there was so much else: masses of people, often staring people, poverty, garbage, and a lot of different smells and noises. The language was different and even the Indian English was difficult for us to understand.

Continue reading "Student Exchange Program to India – Is That Even Possible?!"

When thinking about food in my native country India, so many thoughts and memories cross my mind. A major chunk of our budget is invested on food which makes it the one of the largest sources for our GDP. The rich cultural diversity of India plays the vital role in the huge variety of food we can boast of. “Mumy bhook lagi hai” (Mom, I’m hungry) - Maggi’s advertisement which made a remarkable impact on the advertising world. I also can recall the Sunflower oil advertisement which showcased an Indian mom cooking Indian delicacies.

When we think about Indian food as Indians “ghar ka khana” (home-food) is the best for us. The reason being not only the quality spices used but also that it is hand cooked by our beloved mom and simply is the best!

The adjectives which come to my mind for Indian cuisine are yummy, delicious, delectable and scrumptious. There is Paneer Kadhai, Chicken Biryani, Pulao and Butter Chicken, Gajar ka Halwa, Imarti, or Gulab Jamun, puri and sabzi, dosas, uttapams and so many more. The list is endless and everybody will find so many options to choose from. The popularity of Indian dishes is growing with each passing day. It is because of the flavour and aroma of the spices used primarily.

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When I booked myself on a Historic Mehrauli Walking Tour I was really excited, was really looking forward to go. Why was I so excited about this walking tour? I had arrived in India only two weeks before to complete an internship as part of my studies in Germany. And of course, everything still felt completely new and adventure-like to me. It was my first time in India, as you may have guessed. You must remember your first time being here and can imagine how I felt.

Continue reading "Mehrauli Walking Tour - Exploring Delhi's Oldest Neighbourhood"

You are thinking about going abroad, studying away from home for a few semesters? You are considering China among your choices? You want to know more about your chances and opportunities in China, which problems and difficulties you will have to deal with? China is the place to be. China makes a great place to study. In the past few years the country has done well in improving the study conditions for foreigners, while the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) offers more and more scholarships to students from abroad. Therefore the number of foreign students studying at Chinese universities has risen dramatically. But what is it that draws the interest of more than 250,000 foreign students annually to China?

Continue reading "Studying in China: Tips and Experiences"

My first contact with the German language was just two weeks before arriving in Germany. It was a crash course to pass an interview at the embassy. Finally, five years ago, I set my foot on the Teutonic lands and since this time my life has been undergoing big changes. If you are unlucky enough to have a passport from one of the post-Soviet Union countries, your world ends at the border to the next EU country. A round trip to Paris for ten days could be the biggest dream that you can afford. I was yet a naive girl and tried to live in Germany without knowing German for the next six months, but I was fortunate enough to learn English to get me by. Sure, I could have been getting by like this, but my destiny said "No!" and I soon found myself in a line to submit my application for a German course.

Continue reading "Learning German to Study in Germany - A Didactic Story "

Coming to India for vacations, internship or job? Regardless the amount of time you are planning to spend here, it is very advisable to learn at least a couple of basic phrases in Indian languages. They will make your stay nicer, your experience richer and they will even save you some money! The "language situation" in India is quite different from other countries. You have many official languages and countless of other languages. In fact, India has the most complex linguistic set up anywhere with literally thousands of languages being spoken. Nevertheless, there is one language that functions as a lingua franca across much of the country. Indians generally refer to it as Hindi!

Continue reading "Learn Hindi in Delhi, India "

The first time I was in India I wanted to get to know the real India - not just the Lonely Planet-India, so I decided to do CouchSurfing. Occupying somebody else’s living room is not just about saving money. It is about sharing. A complete stranger shares with you his home. You can observe his morning habits, you eat with him, you can discuss every possible topic under the sun... Indians, at least the Indian CouchSurfers, are usually very keen on discussing the differences and similarities of their own and your culture. Hence, I got to know a flight attendant, an elephant rider, a family father, a son of a wealthy family etc. So I could see the differences between the lower, middle and upper social classes. It was an incredible experience!

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Whether you come for business, education, or leisure, India's capital city Delhi offers you countless opportunities to spend your time. To help you make the most of this mega-city, we have gathered together over 100 interesting, fun, and often unconventional ideas into one handy guide. See how many you manage to tick off before you leave - that is, if you intend to leave behind the city's excitement at all…


ACTIVITIES:

1. Learn Hindustani, the lingua franca of the Indian Subcontinent (that covers the continuum of the standard registers Hindi and Urdu). For Delhi this is a real Must - and will make you enjoy the city all the more!

Continue reading "101 Things to Do While in Delhi"

Lili Jiang, 23, is a Chinese student from Sichuan Province, China. In July she went to travel in India and she has decided to share her experience with us.

KM: So, first of all, Lili, how come you decided to go to India? Isn’t it still a quite unusual destination for Chinese tourists?

Lili: Well to be honest, I think you are right, there aren’t many Chinese tourists in India (yet!), and on the plane I had a hard time explaining to the Chinese hostesses and passengers why I was travelling to India as a tourist. Most of the Chinese people on my flight were going to India for business purposes and they didn’t understand why I was going there just for fun! The hostesses were actually worried for me, telling me things like: “Why are you going to India? Are you mad? If you need help you can stay with us, here’s our Indian phone number!” Despite their concerns though, my experience in India was great! The main reason why I decided to go was that I’ve always felt an attraction for India! We’re neighbours, yet so different!! My friend (who was flying from Hong Kong, while I was flying from Beijing) and I were scared we would miss each other in the airport. Luckily enough, I guess I looked too different from my Indian sisters and brothers and my friend recognized me right after I got out of customs!

Continue reading "Being a Chinese Tourist in India! "

There is loads of fun to be had during your time in Chengdu, whether you come for business, education, or leisure. To help you make the most of this "heavenly city" we have gathered together over 100 ideas into one handy guide. See how many you mangage to tick off before you leave - that is, if you manage to leave at all…

Continue reading "101 Things to Do While in Chengdu"