The Indo-Israeli Love Affair
Indian students share their first impressions of Israel and how they found themselves, both socially and academically, at Tel Aviv University
Travelling from his quiet village in northern India to Tel Aviv University, Rajeev Kumar, 27, felt his first wave of culture shock as he stepped off the plane into the land of milk, hummus and all-night coffee shops. “Everything was new to me – the food, the language, the pace of life. It was exciting yet overwhelming at the same time,” he recalls. As Rajeev struggled to carry his overstuffed suitcase up the steps to his dormitory room, a burly Israeli student suddenly came from behind, grabbed the other end of the bag and walked with him the rest of the way. “At this moment, my fear of being a stranger in Israel vanished, and I felt at home.”
Rajeev recently began his studies in TAU’s new International BSc in Electrical and Electronics Engineering Program, the goal of which is to offer overseas students a world-class education in the heart of Israel’s high-tech hub. According to Managing Director of the Program, Mr. Daniel Nissimyan, “The new BSc Program, together with the University's numerous other international study offerings at TAU International, are greatly contributing to the global feel of the campus. Five years ago, there were less than 5 Indian students in engineering; today there are over 15 enrolled from the BSc to post-doc level.” Engineering has always been Rajeev’s passion. “I believe that engineers can help solve the majority of the world’s crises, such as food and water shortages. The key is developing new technologies – an area in which Israel excels,” Rajeev explains. Israel’s ingenuity and its ability to thrive despite limited resources is what initially drew him to the BSc program.
In his own life, Rajeev has learned to be resourceful. After completing 10th grade, he began teaching himself college-level calculus and physics. He also volunteered as a math and physics tutor for six years, helping dozens of students pass India’s competitive college entrance exams. Rajeev dreams of one day opening a programming company in his home town, a place where jobs are scarce. “I want to stop brain drain from the villages to the metropolitan cities. I know it is not easy starting up a company, but I am extremely committed. My TAU education will help me achieve this goal.”Today, if Rajeev is not in class, you can find him independently teaching himself computer programming.
