Expatriates love Bangalore for its cosmopolitan lifestyle, salubrious environment, food and people. Munganyiki Aurore, an expat from the Rwanda, shares her experiences here
It was not difficult for Munganyiki Aurore Alexandra to adjust to the City. Aurore, who hails from Rwanda, has been in Bangalore for three years and says that she likes the fact that Bangalore houses people from different countries. Studying at T John College of Pharmacy, this Rwandese has grown quite comfortable with Bangalore's culture.
She admits that she came to the City because of the quality of education it provides. "I wanted good higher education and thought of moving out of Rwanda. I discussed this with my parents and we zeroed in on Bangalore as education here is cheaper compared to that in Rwanda," she says.
She is all praises for Bangalore and says it was easy for her to adjust to the City. "I have friends and cousins who study here. They helped me to settle down properly," she explains.
Talking about the differences between her hometown and Bangalore, Aurore says that though Rwanda is clean, Bangalore is infrastructurally better developed. "The City is growing. Also, there are many places here to visit and hang out, like Brigade Road. My favourite place is Wonder La, I've been there thrice. It is good to see people from different countries here," she observes.
Aurore admits that the City has helped her widen her friends circle. She has her own set of friends from the African community. "We make it a point to have prayer meets at a hall in our college. And this is not restricted only to African people; our Indian friends join us," she informs.
Though she does not have any problem with South Indian food, she says she prefers North Indian delicacies. "The food is spicy here and I'm trying to cope with it. But I like dosas. Other dishes I like are paranthas and kababs," she says.
Aurore says that she has witnessed drastic changes in the City during her stay here. "Bangalore is growing enormously. Malls have been constructed. In just three years, the City has changed so much," she says. Her neighbours, she adds, are helpful. "Whenever we need anything, our neighbours help us. They also advise us to be careful and come back home safely," she explains.
Recalling her 'Deepavali' celebrations, Aurore says that she and her friends were invited to their neighbour's place and had a fun time. "It was nice of our neighbours to invite us. They gave us sweets and we enjoyed the celebration," she says.
Like almost every other expat, Aurore too has faced problems with the City's autorickshaw drivers. "They have cheated us many times. This is what I dislike about Bangalore," she complains. Apart from the autorickshaw drivers, she says she dislikes the fact that the City's unclean. "I'm uncomfortable with the uncleanliness of Bangalore. But this won't stop me from liking the City," she says.
Aurore says that living in Bangalore has taught her about various cultures of the world. "My college is full of people from different countries. I get to know so much about their culture. We feel close to each other," she says happily.
Apart from Bangalore, Aurore has visited Mysore and Tamil Nadu. "Tamil Nadu was extremely hot and difficult for us. But I liked Mysore. There many places there to visit," she says.
She admits that bidding adieu to the Garden City will be disheartening for her. "I will miss the time spent here. The fun my classmates, friends and I had cannot be replaced. I will miss being together with them," she concludes.