Finding home in Delhi, student tales Part 1

Life is too short to be stuck in the same place. In a country like India, where facilities such as educational institutions are clustered, students moving out of their native places to a whole new city is a very common phenomenon. Every year, Delhi and NCR welcome thousands of students from different corners of India, with hope in their eyes for a bright future.

Moving out is certainly exciting, mostly because of the freedom that comes with it. The freedom of choice, to eat what you like, to wear what you want, to go out at any hour, and to meet new people. It also comes with a big baggage of responsibilities, to cook, do laundry, to shop for groceries, and even if someone gets these things sorted, there's always the loneliness that creeps in when one comes back to their place after a long day, alone, to deal with. Apart from such responsibilities, the students also have to navigate through the college chaos which includes managing attendance, studying, submitting assignments, and socializing.

To understand what it feels like to move to Delhi as a student, CitySpidey talked to a few such students.

Rhea Chhetri from Darjeeling

Rhea Chhetri moved from Darjeeling to Delhi in December 2021 to pursue her master's in Journalism. According to Rhea, moving to the capital of India from the north-eastern region has its perks, but along with it comes the stereotypes that are latched on to them. Says she, "The gaze that we get and how we have somehow subconsciously gotten used to it says a lot about how not enough has been done about it." The financial burden is yet another problem. While Rhea chooses to book her ride online for commuting in the city, her experience has not been very pleasant. She says, "85% of Rapido drivers have questioned me about my ethnicity in a derogatory way, and the free podcast I get to hear (involuntarily) of their love story with a girl from Nepal or north eastern India is just too much."

For Rhea, even the metro doesn't feel safe. She says that people don't think twice before invading her personal space which has even turned into harassment.

Sherub Dorji, Bhutan

Sherub Dorji from Bhutan also moved to Noida, Delhi NCR in 2021 for his master's. For him, Delhi has been an easy ride so far. Despite being from a foreign land, Delhi has been easy on him. Says he, "The people, the food, shopping, travels, and many more have been what I have expected from a metropolitan city. There were times I wished I was back home but so far, it's been good."

However, not all of his experiences have been free of complaints. He tells that most autowalas and taxi drivers look at his face and charge him exuberant fee because he is a foreigner. But he has adapted to new ways to tackle such people. He says, "Soon I learned, when in Rome be like Romans. I had to think, talk and act like Delhiites to get by. The fact that I speak Hindi has helped me a lot. That is when people don’t tend to take advantage of you being an outsider." The people who live around him have been welcoming and warm towards him. Most of them know he is a foreigner but don’t treat him any differently.

He speaks further, "In terms of traffic there is nothing like I didn’t expect. The way people drive, whatever happens, traffic never stops. I love this about Delhi. Loved the food in Delhi. Disappointed with the education system, it is still based on textbooks, where real-life skills are hugely lacking."