Foreigner April Publication

IN THE SPOTLIGHTSHE CAMESHE SAWSHE CONQUEREDA tete-a-tete with Ms. Kavita Saini, One of the best studentvisa counselors in Ropar, Managing Partner of a leadingoverseas education consultancy, Chandigarh & RoparQ: What makes you ‘one of the By Abhishek H. as equals with other consult- competition. We (consult-best counselors in Ropar’? ants. How did you manage? ants) are all in this to helpA: I don’t believe in tags and mentor students to the best A: True, I entered this in- students and we need to do possible extent. I like to see it with our utmost sincer-it is the work that should myself as the wind beneath dustry only a few years ity. I attribute my success the wings of students. to the values imbibed in mespeak for itself. I do my work back, but I don’t know if I by my parents and the sup- Q: You are not from this indus-sincerely with absolute hon- try yet you have risen to stand stand equal to others. Hon-estly and try my best to estly, I do not believe in

PROFILE psychology. This helped me to great lengths at the timeMs. Kavita Saini is the Managing of counseling. CounselingPartner of a leading overseas education is the strongest link as wellconsultancy, heading offices in Chandigarh as the weakest link in ourand Ropar. She is a management graduate work, both for consultantsby profession and has worked in various and students. The futureEuropean MNCs prior to this. Kavita has of the student depends to acarved a niche for herself in this industry large extent on how they arewithin a short time. She loves to travel and counseled. I have heard ofinteract with people from all walks of life. many students being misled which have impacted their future gravely.port of my MANTRA it despite Students don’t KAVITA’S TOP TIPSfriends, your busy look at counselorsemploy- Focus, clarity of mind, schedule? as mentors and l Visit atleast 3 – 4 con-ees and purity of heart and A: I have that is a mistake. sultants yourself… dostudents. I sincerity in action Counselors have a not go by what your rel- learnt the more critical role ative or friend advises to play than whatam happy to ropes of this they currently do l Check the list of top ranking universitieshave like mind- work by myself. Q: Why did you start a Ropar and colleges being of- branch when you already had fered by consultantsed people around When I started the a branch in Chandigarh? A: Sitting in Chandigarh l Check if the consultantme who share not only my Chandigarh branch, I did I was counseling a large has forte in the country number of students who of interestvision but also my work! … telecalling myself for many were travelling from Ro- par and farther places. l Check if the consultant(chuckles) months along with the tel- This is because the expo- is registered with the sure of the students in the state authority ecallers to understand the smaller towns is limited and they are mostly misled l Try and meet the direc-Q: What inspired you to get into kind of queries students by unregistered consult- tor or owner of the con-counseling and continue doing have, their confusion, their ants or advertisements. sultancy firm before se- They also end up spending lecting large amounts of money for small services. My ef- Reach Ms. Kavita Saini at fort is to cater to the local +91 - 9988811986 population, provide ethical advice, meet family mem- About the author bers and sort their queries Abhishek H. about sending their chil- dren to overseas study des- is a banker by tinations. profession and a budding market- Q: What next? A: As the trend of studying ing guru. He is abroad is increasing, my fo- an avid reader and was bit- cus is on continuing to pro- ten by the writing bug a few vide quality counseling’s and in fact enhance it further. years ago!





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POLAND STUDY VISA Anna SzymikPROCEDURE Krakow, PolandIF YOU ARE THINKING OF STUDYING IN EUROPE, THERE ARE She is an administrator forEXCELLENT REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD INCLUDE POLAND AS international students forONE OF YOUR OPTIONS. the university. Her hobby is travelling.Academically and culturally, Poland for the course of your choice in The Erasmus programme supportshas a lot to offer. From Management Poland. student exchanges with the pop-to Technology, and from Arts to • Affordable Education: Compara- ular and well-established Europe-Research, educational institutions tively, study in Poland is cheaper an Universities. The programmein Poland keep an expertise in than in other European cities. gives a huge support to foreignall. There are many other reasons Tuition fee varies between 1500 students and their achievements.which favour the idea of studying in to 3000 EUR per year only. If Thus, students can take maximumPoland. you opt to go for other Northern advantage from it.• Quality Education: University of European countries instead of Po- • Scholarships and Special FavoursWarsaw, Jagiellonian University land, you will have to pay nearly for Non-EU students: Polandin Krakow and Adam STUDY IN POLAND IS CHEAPER THAN IN OTH- frequently coordi-Mickiewicz Universi- nates bilateral studentty in Poznan are just ER EUROPEAN CITIES. TUITION FEE VARIES exchange program,a few of the well- BETWEEN 1500 TO 3000 EUR PER YEAR ONLY, the information aboutknown names in the COMPARED TO NEARLY 10,000 EUR FOR OTHER which can be obtainedworld, known best for NORTHERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. from the Polish embas-providing competi- sy of any country. Thetive quality educa- scholarships gener-tion. With more than 450 Higher 10000 EUR per year. ally remain very affordable andEducation Institutions (HEIs) to • Poland is an inseparable part of attractive.choose from, you can easily opt the Socrates-Erasmus Programme: • Vibrant Cultural and Student April 2018 | 55

Life: With its own unique iden- of non-GMO and bio-organic food earlier, or else the visa may not be tity, Poland’s cultural offering trends. issued in time. Whether you want is competitively comparable to to take admission in the fall semes- other European countries. In the STUDY AND VISA REQUIRE- ter or spring semester, you have to last two decades, Poland has done MENTS IN POLAND: decide it quite early. Once you get economically very well and now it the green signal for the admission, is well known for organizing ex- GENERAL ADMISSION REQUIRE- you will need to apply for the visa. A ceptional music and film festivals, MENTS: proof that you have completed your sports, parties etc. Music festival secondary level education. ‘Juwenalia’ is a special attraction Now, if you have decided to take for all students, which is orga- on a selected study programme 1. A school leaving certificate. nized by all the universities. in Poland, you must first contact the selected University’s office by 2. An International Baccalaureate• Low Cost of Living and Delicious e-mail, phone or fax. Alternatively, or European Baccalaureate exam Cuisine: Travelling and living you can contact them through their passing certificate (if you have expenses are very reasonable in foreign recruitment offices. one). This certificate helps to apply Poland. freely for pursuing undergraduate Remember, a candidate should apply studies in Poland.1. A monthly transport ticket costs for the study program sufficiently around £9 to 25 only.2. A shared flat costs only £100-150.3. A student dormitory room costs even less, about £100 only.4. As for the cuisine, the famous dishes pierogi and kielbasa are available for students at a very reasonable price. In Poland, one kilogram of cheese costs about £4 only, Take-away kebab costs £1.50 and a total meal in an inexpen- sive restaurant costs about £3.80 only. Poland is a forefront runner56 | The Foreigner

3. Nostrification: If you don’t have temporary study visa acquired atan International Baccalaureate the local Voivod’s office after theiror European Baccalaureate exam arrival is sufficient for them to con-passing certificate, than you must tinue their study in Poland.legalize your equivalent qualifica-tion at one of the Polish diplomatic Visa requirements for the studentsoutposts or any other such autho- of non EU countries:rized institution. It is mandatorythat you must verify your equiva- The students of the non EU coun-lent degree in accordance with the tries need to first apply for aPolish law. This process is called as student visa. They can do so at thenostrification. Polish consulate established in their country of residence. Those who4. For postgraduate studies, one already have a visa, which is aboutneeds to present an undergrad- to expire, have to reapply for itsuate diploma or degree from a extension at least 45 days beforePolish institution or other overseas the expiry of the current visa. Theequivalent. The nostrification of the necessary document checklist forforeign diploma can be presented by obtaining study visa is attachedthe end of the first term. here:VISA REQUIREMENT: Poland student Visa Application form duly filled-in and signed.Applying for a student visa in (original + 1 copy)Poland is not a complicated pro-cess. Once you correctly fill all the A valid Passport photocopy (Must have a validity of more than 3POLAND: FACTS & FIGURES A language proficiency evidence stating that you are proficient in• There are 46,101 international students from 158 countries studying the language in which you wish to in Poland, 10,000 more than a year ago (28% increase). study.• Currently international students make up 3.1% of the total student body Financial sustainability proofs in the country (seven years ago the figure was 0.6%, in 2014 - 2.3%). confirming that you have sufficient funds to study and live in Poland.TYPICAL TEACHER IN POLAND Health insurance policy which ap-75% Is 42 years Has an average of proximates about 30,000 Euro for 1 year (travel insurance policy is notare women old on average 17 years of teach- applicable). ing experience Passport sized photographs.99% 99,5% Visa Application Fee.completed university or completed a teacher Teaches in a class Itinerary/Transportation documents21other equivalent higher education or training with students like rail or air ticket etc.education programme on average Note: (A) All international students who wish to stay in Poland for morerequired information in the appli- months from the planned depar- than 3 months needs to acquire acation form and submit the docu- ture). temporary residence permit (TRP),ments, you can easily get the visa in which is issued for the period of14 days. Proof of payment of the stamp duty. their planned study. But it is no lon- ger than 2 years. It can be extendedVisa requirement for the students A letter of acceptance from a later on, if one wishes to do so.of EU/EEA countries: The students university, college or institution inof EU/EEA countries do not require Poland. A proof of enrolment. (B) Poland is now a member ofa visa prior to arrival in Poland to Schengen Area. So, a student can alsostart any course of study. Only a CV (Curriculum Vitae) apply for Schengen Visa, if he/she School diploma or certificate. April 2018 | 57

wishes to travel freely in the Schen- Erasmus scheme, so it’s easy to take Note: The permission to work ingen Area (most countries of EU). advantage from it. Universities in Poland depends on the country of Poland also offer scholarships and your origin.VISA PROCESSING TIME AND financial aid to their internationalFEE: students. However, for extra cash, Medical Facilities: EU/EEA citizens international students can do part- are entitled to health benefitsIn India, the visa processing fee for time work in Poland while studying. on a European Health Insuranceall types of visa is ₹4,400 (which is Card (EHIC) basis, but the non EUnon-refundable). The visa applica- • EU students can get part-time students need to buy a commercialtion cannot be waived or submitted work all year long, but non-EU health insurance policy. For nonmore than 3 months prior to the students are allowed to work only EU students, medical facilities areplanned date of departure. It is in the months of July, August not free in Poland. The policy costobligatory for all to register their and September. If one wishes to is somewhere between 36 PLN tovisa application online. continue the work all year long, 270 PLN.Normally, the visa processing time ac- he/she must try to obtain a work Living in Poland can be a fascinat-cording to the Schengen THE NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ing experience for theVisa code is 14 work- students. People anding days, but in some STUDYING IN POLAND IS GROWING CONSID- places in Poland areexceptional cases it can ERABLY EACH YEAR. THERE ARE NOW 46,101 very clean. The youngerbe prolonged to 30 days. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FROM 158 COUN- people and teens areRemember, the applica- well-versed in Englishtion should be submitted TRIES, 10,000 MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. and are very helpful. Thein the Consular Division cold weather there is very(personally or by an authorized per- permit for jobs that continue all enjoyable, especially during Decem-son). No prior online appointment is year long. ber/January. Polish cuisine is quiterequired to do so. • The ‘Stay card’ needed to study good and for non vegetarians, it isWORK PERMISSION AND MEDI- in Poland can be extended, if one a boon. The studies are exception-CAL FACILITIES FOR STUDENTS wishes to find work in Poland. ally competitive and cheaper. OneIN POLAND: must definitely consider Poland as a • The students having residence study destination, if one wishes toWork Permissions: Poland is a part of permit can work in Poland without study in Europe for sure. any authorization requirement.

Sampurna Dutta COLLEGE REVIEWCharles DarwinUniversityCharles Darwin University (CDU) is Health, Science and the Environ- Institute of Management.an Australian public university with ment, Law, Education Business &campuses in the Darwin suburb of Arts. TERTIARY ENABLING PROGRAM (TEP)Casuarina, the city of Palmerston,and the towns of Alice Springs, CDU also offers a “bridging This is a free program that will helpKatherine and Nhulunbuy. course” – the Tertiary Enabling students to gain knowledge and Program (see below). confidence that will help in theirCDU has in its academic menu not tertiary studies later on. Studentsjust degrees in Higher Education Note: Indigenous students should who pass out of this program are el-but also Vocational Education and contact the Office of Indigenous igible for Graduate/UndergraduateTraining courses. Students can even Student Services for details on spe- degrees and VET courses.choose to study part-time or even cial privileges for them.externally (through informative TEP is a 14 weeks program whichvirtual classrooms). HIGHER DEGREES BY RESEARCH students can participate in online or on campus.CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY For details on Research, studentsCOURSES should enquire with the support Admission Criteria in Charles Darwin contacts. UniversityVOCATIONAL EDUCATION& TRAINING (VET) SHORT COURSES This depends on the type of stu- dent you are: Adult learner, SchoolCDU offers over 200 VET courses This is specially designed for the leaver, Indigenous, International,related to 14 different industries. corporate sector. Regional &Remote, or Defence force.VET courses come in the form ofCertificate I to Advanced Diploma This will help the staff and the For details on Admission criteria forlevel. They also allow student to go administrators to finetune and each student category, see www.for Apprenticeship (full-time with develop their skills in Computer, cdu.edu.au/prospectivestudents/no work) or Traineeship (part-time/ Leadership, Presentation, Writing, studyingatcdu/application-and-en-full-time work-based study). Motivation& Communication. The try-requirements training can even be customisedHIGHER EDUCATION (UG/PG) to meet specific requirements of a Note: An International student is company. one who is NOT a permanent resi-CDU offers higher education in the dent of Australia or New Zealand orfollowing disciplines: Engineering, These Shortterm courses are offered a holder ofPermanent Humanitarian through a tie-up between Charles Visa. Darwin University and Australia April 2018 | 59

APPLYING PROCESS IN CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY in the worldCHARLES DARWINUNIVERSITY NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL RANKINGS (2015-16) QS World University Rankings 2015-Applying process varies from one 2016 - CDU achieved an overallstudent category to another. The Times Higher Education World score of 91.4% and a ranking of 86following website provides detailed University Rankings 2015-2016 - globally in the area of internationalguidance: CDU was ranked in the top 251-300 students. universities in the world.www.cdu.edu.au/international QS 50 Under 50 and Next 50 Under Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 2015 - CDU ranked in the top 91-www.cdu.edu.au/research/ori/ 50 Rankings 2015–CDU ranked 48th 100 universities under 50 years old.hdr-supportSTAFF & STUDENT STATS No. of Students [6 913] No. of International Students [2 727]No. of Academic Faculty StaffInternational = 68 PostGraduate 22 % PostGraduate 46 % Total = 307 UnderGraduate 78 % UnderGraduate 54 %60 | The Foreigner

ConcordiaUniversityConcordia University is a public ing Accreditation Board (CAEB). which must be English Languageuniversity situated in Montreal, Arts 30-1.Quebec, Canada. 3 - FACULTY OF FINE ARTS Some programs have additionalCONCORDIA UNIVERSITY HAS 4 It offers 60 programs at the Un- requirements (e.g., letters of intent,FACULTIES: dergraduate and Graduate levels in portfolios, interviews, auditions and some of the following disciplines: specific deadlines).1 - FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE Acting for the Theatre, Art Educa- For Graduate Courses: A Bachelor’s/There are over 293 programs offer- tion, Visual Arts, Art History and Baccalaureate degree or equiva-ing more than 2,400 courses. Film Studies, Intermedia (Video, Per- lent and proficiency in English are formance and Electronic Arts), etc. the two most important admissionThis department offers both Bache- criteria.lor of Arts and Bachelor of Science 4 - JOHN MOLSON SCHOOL OFprograms with majors such as Eco- BUSINESS APPLYING PROCESS IN CON-nomics, Political Science, Actuarial CORDIA UNIVERSITYMathematics, Ecology, Communi- It offers 48 different programs atcation/Cultural Studies, Creative the undergraduate and graduate FOR GRADUATE COURSES:Writing, etc. levels in six disciplines (Accoun- tancy, Finance, Marketing, Manage- • Application form and Fee2 - FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND ment and Supply Chain & BusinessCOMPUTER SCIENCE Technology Management). • Curriculum VitaeThis department offers 86 under- ADMISSION CRITERIA IN CON- • 3 Confidential Letters of Refer-graduate and graduate-level pro- CORDIAUNIVERSITY ence & Academic Assessmentgrams in the following disciplines: formsAerospace Engineering, Building For Undergraduate Courses: DependsEngineering, Computer Engineer- on what type of student you are: • Statement of academical visioning, Computer Science, Industrial Quebec, Non-Quebec, International, (in 500-700 words) explainingEngineering, Information Systems Mature, Transfer, Independent, Re- the main academic pursuits andSecurity, and many more. turning& Visiting. But a high school also research goals diploma is a must for all - with aAll engineering programs are ac- minimum of 5 academic Grade 12 • Transcripts of all post-secondarycredited by the Canadian Engineer- courses, numbered 30 or 31, one of institutions attended • Proof of Canadian citizenship (if applicable) April 2018 | 61

FOR UNDERGRADUATE COURSES: CONCORDIA UNIVERSITYNA- Rankings, 2015-2016) TIONAL/INTERNATIONALIn addition to Biographical/Contact RANKINGS (2015-16) Included in Canada’s Top 25 Re-info applicants also have to provide search Universities(Research Infos-the following: Included in the “Top 200 Most ource, 2015) International” universitiesin the• A copy of the transcripts from ed- world; ranked 131st (Times Higher Included inthe “Top 100 Under 50” ucational institutions studied in Education, 2016) universities in the world (universi- or any post-secondary institutions ties not older than 50 years, Times (even if courses are in progress). Ranked10th amongst 15 Canadian Higher Education, 2015) comprehensive universities (Ma-• If student is currently enrolled clean’s University Rankings, 2015) Its MBA program was ranked 24th in school, s/he has to submit the worldwide. And 5th in Canada results of past academical terms Included in the Top 500 Universities (Bloomberg Businessweek, 2015) and give a list of current courses in the world (QS World University the student is currently doing. Staff & Student StatsSTAFF & STUDENT STATS No. of Students [31 324] No. of International Students [8 729]No. of Academic Faculty StaffInternational = 361 PostGraduate 20 % PostGraduate 45 % Total = 1329 UnderGraduate 80 % UnderGraduate 55 % © Adqproductions62 | The Foreigner

Aman SabarwalScholarshi psfor Indian studentsto study abroad EMPLOYMENT AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT 92% of employers are 64% of employers think 64% of employers say graduates with interna- looking for transveral international experience tional background are given greater prefession- skills such as curiosity, is important for al responsibilityA lot of Indian students dream of problem-solving skills, recruitmentstudying abroad because it not onlyimproves their chances of getting tolerance and confidencea job but it also gives them a richexposure. But, it requires a hefty TOP 5 PLACES OF ORIGIN OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSsum of money to study and supporttheir stay abroad. Students from the top 5 places comprize 53.5% of all international studentsLuckily, many foreign countriesoffer scholarships that would enable Taiwan: 3.4%the Indian students to study abroad Canada: 3.8%with ease. South Korea: 10.10% India: 14.40%LIST OF SCHOLARSHIPS China: 21.80%Many countries offer scholarshipsfor the Indian students to study inabroad. Some of the scholarshipsinclude:• Australian Award Scholarship• Scholarship for South Korea• Scholarship for Mexico April 2018 | 63

AUSTRALIAN AWARD • The candidate must have the SCHOLARSHIP REWARDSSCHOLARSHIP intent of adding to the develop- • Full tuition fees ment of the country • Establishment allowanceThis scholarship is offered to those • Contribution to living expensesoutstanding students who wish to • Preference is given to the womenstudy in Australia. The requisite applicants, those belonging to (CLE)quality required is that the student minorities groups, rural areas or • Overseas student health covershould possess leadership trait. It economically weaker sections ofis awarded for the undergraduate, the society (OSHC)postgraduate and doctoral courses. WHEN AND HOW TO APPLY CONTACT DETAILSThe candidates may also apply for the Official website:scholarship for vocational and train- The notification for the schol- www.australiaawards.gov.au/ing courses offered by the participat- arships is usually posted at the Australian Foreign affairs website:ing universities and institutions. beginning of the year and is open dfat.gov.au/people-to-people/ for two months. The selected can- australia-awards/Pages/austra-ELIGIBILIT Y didates are interviewed within five lia-awards-scholarships.aspx months. You can visit the official• The candidate should be a resi- site from time to time to receive dent of India the details.• The candidate must be at least 18 years old as on the date put in public notice The New Horizons building at Monash University

SCHOLARSHIP • The candidate must be under 40 SCHOLARSHIP REWARDFOR SOUTH KOREA years of age on 1st September of • Entire tuition fees the year • Monthly allowance of 900,000This scholarship is offered to tal-ented Indian students who wish to • The applicant must hold a bach- won (KRW) per monthstudy in South Korea. It is awarded elor’s or master’s degree as on • Research allowance in eachto 5 to 10 students each year. It is 31st of August for master’s andawarded for: doctoral courses respectively semester of 210,000 won for students in humanities and social• Korean Language • Candidates who have already sciences and 240,000 won for received Korean scholarship of students in natural and mechanic• Relations any kind are not eligible for this sciences. (including Korean studies) scholarship • Relocation/Settlement allow- ance worth 200,000 won• Biotechnology WHEN AND HOW TO APPLY • Medical insurance worth 20,000 won• Electric Engineering The interested candidates can apply online in HRD ministry’s website. CONTACT DETAILS• 3 years Master’s Degree that The notification is usually out in Indian HRD ministry’s website: includes 1 year of course in the the month of February or March. The www.mhrd.gov.in Korean Language results are out on the first week of March and selected candidates are in- April 2018 | 65• 4 years Doctoral which includes 1 year terviewed on the last week of March. of course in the Korean LanguageELIGIBILIT Y• The candidate must be a resident of India

SCHOLARSHIP • Fellowship of fine arts is awarded • Roundtrip international transpor-FOR MEXICO to those who plan to carry their tation from the capital of resi- fine arts project in Mexico dency to the Mexico cityThe scholarship for Mexico isawarded for various courses that ELIGIBILIT Y • Monthly stipend or a one-timestretch between 5 days to a year. grant as specified in the noticeThe number of slots is not fixed. The • The candidate should be an Indi- each yearscholarships include: an citizen • Transportation charges for• Scholarship for visiting pro- • The applicant must be above 18 traveling from Mexico to the fessors, specialists, research- years of age as on the date speci- place where the activities need ers who have been invited by fied in the public notice to be carried out, and back to Mexican research centers to Mexico take seminars, workshops, and • The candidate must hold requisite lectures degree as specified in the notice • Medical insurance that is granted from the Mexican Institute of• It is awarded for high-level con- WHEN AND HOW TO APPLY Social Security. This insurance ferences is granted after three months of The notification is posted either in fellowship• Genaro Estrada Grant is awarded the month of April or May in HRD to Mexican specialists that have ministry’s website. The mode of ap- CONTACT DETAILS a research or publication relating plication is online and the decision Indian HRD ministry’s website: to Mexico is made by the Mexican government. www.mhrd.gov.in• Fellowships for Media Collabora- SCHOLARSHIP REWARD tors is awarded to working pro- fessionals in print and electronic • Entire fees of course/ seminars/ media research66 | The Foreigner

NRI SUCCESS STORYUPPMAVIRDIWork experience Time period One of the most successful NRIs who has built up a successful careerCEO of Chai Walli Pty Ltd 2014 – till date in Australia is Uppma Virdi. This 26Public speaker 2017 – till date years old woman is the CEO of Chai walli. Apart from running a successfulLegal Counsel of Clearpoint counsel 2015 – 2017 business that she built from scratch,Corporate Solicitor of Toyota Motor March 2016 – August 2016 she is also a brand strategist, publicLawyer of mental health legal centre 2014 – 2015 speaker, commercial lawyer. Uppma Virdi has made her mark in the field ofIn-house paralegal at Federation Centre 2014 - 2014 marketing and sales as well.Social justice Intern at Shine Lawyers 2014 – 2014 Uppma Virdi started Chai walli with 2010 – 2014 the motive of serving high-quality In-Paralegal(workers compensation) 2013 – 2013 dian Ayurveda tea to the Australians.of Hall And Wilcox The Chai walli became very popular and its owner, Uppma received theLegal Intern of Justice connect Businesswoman of the year award in 2016.Legal Intern of Moone Valley Legal centre 2012 – 2013 Uppma Virdi also has an online teaSeasonal clerk of Sladen Legal 2011 – 2011 store. Here, she mainly sells all vari- eties of tea and other products likeCustomer Sales Representative of Telstra 2008 - 2011 candles, kettles, chocolates, strain- ers, and pots. Uppma Virdi is highly inspired by his grandfather, Dr. Pritam Singh Virdi. April 2018 | 67

NRI SUCCESS STORYTHE AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF UPPMA VIRDIAwards and achievements Year Uppma Virdi is an inspiration to 2017 many. She is an Indian by heartRanked 20 under 40 series of Indians doing great work around 2017 who is currently based in Aus-the world by CNN 2017 tralia. Through Chai Walli, she 2017 wants to bring these two culturesForbes 30 under 30 for the Asian list for e-commerce and retail 2016 together. Not only this, she has 2016 also dedicated her life towardsThe finalist of Health food award in the category of food and educating consumers about thebeverages unique tea and Ayurveda culture of India. At such a young ageReceived the Hind Rattan award by the NRI welfare society of she has achieved a lot that everyIndia Indian feels proud of her. She isBusiness woman of the year by the India Australia business a youth icon for all the young en-community awards trepreneurs who dream of starting off their own business and makingBusiness excellence awards by Victorian Sikh Association it successful.68 | The Foreigner

NRIs IN FOCUSNBL SIGNS ON INDIAN BASKETBALL HEROESNBL clubs Adelaide 36ers and Sydney Kings have signed on Vishesh Bhriguvanshi andAmritpal Singh respectively. While the 36ers have, in conjunction with the DreamBasketball Academy, signed former Indian captain Vishesh Bhriguvanshi on a one-year training contract, Indian skipper Amritpal Singh has been selected as a mem-ber of the 11-man Sydney Kings squad, after his impressive recent outing with theSydney Kings Invitational Team in China.The duo are the first Indian players ever signed by an Australian basketball out-fit, forming part of a move by both clubs to build up their respective fan bases inthe Indian community, both domestically and abroad. According to an Indian Linkreport, both the 36ers and the Kings are intent on growing the fledgling relationshipbetween their clubs and fans within the Indian community.SIKH TV CAMPAIGN IN US Are Sikhs campaign on Baisakhi Day in April, said that a survey conducted in mid-July in Fresno, California,Sikh campaigners who ran a $1.5 million TV campaign showed that 78 per cent of those who had seen the TVhave said that it helped in increasing Americans’ commercials said they know something about Sikhism,understanding of the community even though the US against only 40 per cent of those had no exposure tois in a period of rising communal tensions. The Na- the community.tional Sikh Campaign (NSC), which launched the We According to American stereotypes, people with beards and turbans are associated with terrorism or involving in hostile against the US, and as a result Sikhs, who wear these as religious symbols, have been subjected to attacks and harassment. It started with the Iran crisis in 1979 and intensified after the September 2001 terror attacks and continued through the presidency of Barack Obama when six Sikhs were massacred inside a temple in Wisconsin state in 2012. The survey showed that Democrats, Republicans, Inde- pendents, Evangelical Christians, non-college educated whites, college graduates, all shifted 20 to 25 points towards “positive feelings, towards the Sikh communi- ty” as a result of the campaign. April 2018 | 69

NRIs IN FOCUSDR. RAJ PANJABI GOES THE LAST MILE IN LIBERIA Dr. Raj Panjabi, 36, is a Mile Health is that “there are a billion people around the co-founder and the chief world who live in communities so distant from health care executive of Last Mile services that they might die of diseases that no one needs Health, a charity that to die from. These people live in small isolated settle- brings medical care to some ments where no doctor or nurse visits. They exist beyond of the most remote corners “the last mile” of the organized health care system.” of Liberia. Earlier this year, he was awarded both the Dr. Panjabi said that in Liberia, he had been to districts Skoll Award for Social En- where people walked for two days to get to a clinic. To trepreneurship — an honor solve this, his organization partnered with the Liberianworth $1.25 million — and the $1 million TED Prize. Pan- government to create a model where lay people fromjabi, who teaches at Harvard Medical School, plans to use these rural villages are hired to serve as communitythe money to finance the training of community health health workers. Last Mile Health trains them in aboutworkers in Liberia and other developing countries. 30 lifesaving practices and then give them backpacks with medical supplies and smartphones connected toThe reason Dr. Panjabi has named his organization Last nurses based at clinics.MANISHA SINGH NOMINATED AS US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATEUnited States President Donald Trump has nominated Florida-basedattorney Manisha Singh as assistant secretary of State for Economicand Business Affairs. She will be in charge of the department uponapproval by the US Senate. The position has been lying vacant sinceJanuary 2017, after Charles Rivkin resigned following the swearing inof Trump as the 45th US president.In the new position, Manisha Singh will be in charge of Economic Di-plomacy. She currently serves as the chief counsel and senior policyadvisor to US senator Dan Sullivan. She earlier served as a senior aideto the US Senate Foreign Relations committee, and as a former depu-ty assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of Economic, Energy, andBusiness Affairs. Singh has also practiced law at multinational lawfirms, and worked in-house at an investment bank.Singh, who speaks fluent Hindi, hails from Uttar Pradesh, and moved to the US along with her parents as a child.INDIAN BOY, 14, TAKES SOLO FLIGHT passed a radio communication test and obtained 96 per cent score in the PSTAR test, an eligibility test to flyMansour Anis, a 14-year-old Indian boy, is being hailed transport aircraft in Canada.as the youngest pilot to fly a single-engine aircraft. Thestudent of Delhi Private School in Sharjah flew a Cessna Anis’ solo flight was 10 minutes long. After boarding152 aircraft during his solo debut flight. Anis now holds the plane, he wheeled the aircraft from the parking areaa student pilot permit, and received the certificate from to the runway, took off the flight, flew for five minutesAAA Aviation Academy Canada on August 30. He also and landed safely. “Let it be known throughout the aviation world that Mansour Anis at the age of 14 years successfully took off and landed at Langley Regional Airport thereby accomplishing his first solo flight,” AAA Aviation Academy wrote in the certificate issued to Anis. After returning to the United Arab Emirates, the boy claimed that he has also set the record of flying solo with the least number of training hours. He flew solo after just 25 hours of training.70 | The Foreigner

UNFORGETTABLE HOLIDAY DESTINATIONSTorquay - Full of PleasantSurprises!PLACED IN THE TOP 10 FOR TRIPADVISOR’S TRAVELLER’S CHOICE AWARDS FORTHE SECOND YEAR RUNNING, A TRIP TO TORQUAY IN ENGLAND IS GUARANTEEDTO BE A FABULOUS EXPERIENCE!The iconic palm trees, busy harbour greatly struck by its beauty and mild ning fish and chips. You’ll love theand international marina could fool climate. Following the Battle of seafood restaurants with deliciousyou into thinking you were on the Waterloo, Napoleon was held captive fish sourced from nearby Brixham’sMediterranean. Enjoy long leisurely on the HMS Bellerophon in Tor Bay famous Fish Market. Families arewalks along the pier and promenade for two days and is reported to have well catered for with plenty of fam-and take in the relaxed atmosphere. exclaimed ‘Quel Bon Pays’ (what a ily friendly eateries just strollingMake time to walk up the steps of lovely country). distance from the bustling harbour.Royal Terrace Gardens and take inthe amazing sea views across the FOODIES DELIGHT FAMILIES AND FUNbay which are magnificent especial-ly at night, with the lights reflecting Torquay is an absolute haven for The perfect place for families,onto the sea. foodies with a collection of serious- Torquay has a huge number of ly good eating experiences from cel- attractions with Living Coasts, anThere’s so much going on in Torquay ebrated restaurants to award-win- amazing marine zoo perched overthat one trip’s never enough. Meetthe seals, penguins and otters atLiving Coasts, take a sightseeingboat trip around the bay, or discoverTorre Abbey and its 800 years ofhistory told through talking statuesand animated dinner plates!Torquay is full of surprises with itsmagnificent horseshoe-shaped bay,swaying palm trees, elegant Victo-rian villas, pretty marina, sweepingsandy beach and its fascinatingAgatha Christie connections.Torquay’s history is bound up in theNapoleonic Wars when the townbecame a watering hole for therich elite who could no longer visitcontinental Europe and who were April 2018 | 71

fect for a wide choice of watersports including scuba diving, sailing, kite surfing, wind surfing and water skiing. The latest trend is the gentle but delightful sport of paddle boarding, perfect on the calm waters of Tor Bay.the harbour, the world famous you’ll pass some lovely headlands EVENING ENTERTAINMENTAgatha Christie Trail, Torre Abbey and catch sight of the steam trainand Gardens, boat trips around the working the gradient to Churston Torquay comes alive in the eve-Bay and to nearby Dartmouth, Waves near Brixham. You can also visit ning and pretty lights illuminateLeisure Pool, Babbacombe Model the quintessentially English village the marina and the town. In addi-Village, Bygones plus the amazing of Cockington tucked into a pretty tion to a wealth of dining choices,Kents Cavern, one of Europe’s top valley close to the town. there’s a great range of water-prehistoric Stone Age caves. There’s front waterholes and chilled-outalso a year-round calendar of excit- WATERSPORTS cocktail bars. You can enjoy aing events. non-stop party in the popular Torquay’s sheltered bay makes it per- nightclubs or why not book a topSOAK UP THE SIGHTS quality show at the Princess The- atre, one of many vibrant theatresThe views from the lovely Royal around the Bay?Terrace Gardens are spectacularwith the magnificent new illumi- THE LOCALS ARE FRIENDLY!nated staircase a real treat afterdark. From here, you can see right Torquay is a wonderful place for aacross the large sheltered bay to short visit and a longer stay andBrixham and Berry Head. Torquay offers a really warm welcome withis part of the UNESCO-supported friendly locals providing you withEnglish Riviera Global Geopark, a a truly memorable English Rivieraunique area where cavemen and holiday experience.prehistoric beasts once roamedand its natural beauty has real NAPOLEON WAS HELD CAPTIVE IN TOR BAY FOR‘wow’ factor. TWO DAYS AND IS REPORTED TO HAVE EXCLAIMEDSTROLLING AND WALKING ‘QUEL BON PAYS’ (WHAT A LOVELY COUNTRY).The spectacular landscape aroundTorquay will make you want to ex-plore further and there are 22 milesof coastal footpath to enjoy. Takethe path behind the famous Imperi-al Hotel and you’ll enjoy a delightfulstroll towards the lookout at Dad-dyhole Plain and on towards Mead-foot Beach. In the other direction72 | The Foreigner

STUDENT SUCCESS7 Time Management Ti ps for Students by Rachel CampbellWith exams approaching, you Take a look at our top seven time as well as any shifts you work onshould be thinking about how to management tips, so that you can the list, and make a note of howget better at time management do your best at university and also much time each priority will takeand organize your days so you can find moments to relax and even out of your schedule.strike the right balance between earn some money on the side.home, work and university life. You 2) CREATE A LIFE SCHEDULEshould also try and eat some brain 1) WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO?food - and no, we don’t mean crisps Whether it’s a pin-up planner, aand energy drinks! The first stage of improving your timetable or a calendar on your time management is to list abso- phone, find an organizing tool thatBy taking the time to arrange your lutely everything that you have to works well for you and add your listpriorities, you can give yourself do. This may sound obvious, but of priorities to it. There are manythe best chance of staying on track speaking from experience, most time management apps that canand organized during the exam pe- students tend to leave important help with this. Also, think aboutriod, which in turn can help reduce tasks until the last minute, which when you are most alert, so thatstress levels, something that can can impact on the quality of their you can plan your study periodsbe the difference between success work and their overall grade. around these times.and failure at university. Include any university deadlines Find time for socializing, but also April 2018 | 73

make sure that you get enough and think about your work is cru- 6) EXERCISE TO CLEAR YOURsleep. Most people need between cial for good time management. HEAD IN BETWEEN STUDY7 to 8 hours sleep every night to Allow yourself the time to process SESSIONSremain focused and alert during new information and plan howstudy periods. you are going to use it, as this can Believe it or not, exercise works help you to avoid having to re- in the same way sleep does. It can3) BE FLEXIBLE BUT REALISTIC read and repeat any research. focus your state of mind, helping you to clear your head and boostTypically, allow around 8-10 One way of effectively planning your brain power in between studyhours a day for working, studying, before researching is to make a sessions. If you’re new to exer-socializing and anything else list of everything you want to find cise, aim to fit in a 10-minute runpractical you need to do. out, so that you can make notes here and there, steadily increas- below each subheading as you go. ing the amount you do as you goAs a full-time student, you’re on.expected to dedicate 35 hours a 5) AVOID PROCRASTINATIONweek to university studies, in- AND DISTRACTION 7) HAS YOUR ORGANIZATIONcluding the time you spend in BEEN EFFECTIVE?seminars and lectures. If you only One way to avoid procrastinationspend 15 hours a week attending is to think about the different Constantly reviewing and reas-tutor-led learning, you should use places you have been when study- sessing your schedule can helpthe extra 20 hours for indepen- ing – where were you the most you to recognize whether youdent study. focused? Where were you most need to make any changes in distracted? Is there anything you order to help you complete anyIt’s also important to remember can do to make studying actually university tasks and also havethat things often take longer than somewhat enjoyable? time to relax and spend time withexpected. So, allow a little extra friends and family.time in case you spend longer Remember, what works for oneon a task than you thought you person might not necessarily work Rachel Campbell is a creative content writerwould. for you. For some, studying with for Pure Student Living, a provider of high friends can limit their productiv- quality student accommodation situated in4) ALLOW TIME FOR PLAN- ity. But for others, studying in a number of locations throughout London.NING TO AVOID REPETITION groups can help to increase moti- Source: topuniversities.com vation and avoid procrastination.Taking the time to research, plan74 | The Foreigner

Your reliable resource on studying abroad Planning to SettleForeignerwww.theforeigner.co.in The Abroad?Unlock the future abroad! April 2018 | ₹ 100 Want to make it simple!US TO BRING IN MORE STUDY IN JustHIGHLY SKILLED CANADA SubscribeIMMIGRANTS” 2036 STUDY IN SINGAPORE 48GREY MATTERS - Top Tips for ScoringTHE PIONEERS, THE VETERANS High in Your IELTSAND THE TOWERS OF IELTSCOACHING 84 Practice Tests for Your IELTS & PTE 87SONIA DHAWAN RNI No. PUNENG/2016/29249-BTI/117 DREAMING TO GO ABROAD?CEO, GREY MATTERS GROUP SUBSCRIBE TO THE MAGAZINE!38 Be a Foreigner with …IDEAS, OPPORTUNITIES, SUCCESS STORIES, CASE STUDIES SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION OFFERNo. of Issues Hope Opportunity Success GoalAmount (INR) (Most Popular)You Pay (INR) 3 6 36You Save 300 600 12 3600Delivery (Postal) 300 500 1200 2400Delivery (Courier) 0 17% 900 33%Free Gift Free Free 25% Free 150 300 Free 1800 600 x x v v FOR BOOKING Call Shruti 94654 31361 73473 83193 [email protected] www.ItEhLeTfSoirmeimgnigerra.ctioo.ninVISA.comSouth India: Tamil Nadu | North India: Punjab | Haryana | West India: Gujarat | MaharashtraKarnataka | Kerala | Telangana Chandigarh | Delhi | Himachal | East India: Wet Bengal Pradesh | Rajasthan | UP

WORLD FESTIVALSHalloween: The World’sSpookiest FestivalThe bizarre yet much-loved festival originated 2,000 years ago with the souls. All Saints’ Day is observedof Halloween is celebrated around ancient Celtic festival of Samhain on November 1, followed by an Allthe world with much fervor and and was primarily a Celtic holiday Souls’ Day on November 2. The threeexhilaration. The festival is known which is celebrated on the night festivals together is referred to asby different names (such as Hallows’ of October 31 every year. This time Hallowtide.Eve, Samhain, the day of the dead, marks the end of the summers andFeast of the Dead and All Hallow- the beginning of the winter season. Going back into history, thistide) in some countries. It is believed that on the night spine-tingling time of the year orig- of October 31st, the souls of the inated in Ireland and later the im-THE ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN dead family members return and migrants from Scotland and Ireland people lit scared bonfires or leave brought this tradition to the UnitedAll Hallows’ Eve means the eve- food at their doorsteps to keep evil States in the 1900s. With the passingning before All Hallows’ Day. It’s a spirits at bay. It is said that during of time, Halloween has turned to befestival of trick or treat, which is this festival all saints are honored more about guising in scary cos-celebrated in a number of coun- and people pray for the departed tumes and masks, performing anticstries. Halloween is believed to have in exchange for food and drinks,76 | The Foreigner

parades, street fairs, live music, and LEGEND STATES THAT IF YOU PUT YOUR CLOTHESparties. This is how the practice ON INSIDE OUT AND WALK BACKWARDS ONof trick-or-treat evolved gradual-ly. Moreover, Halloween has today HALLOWEEN, YOU’LL SEE A WITCH AT MIDNIGHT.emerged as a big business opportu-nity for entrepreneurs as it holds amassive potential and is regardedas a multi-billion dollar business asconsumers of all age groups splurgeon candy, home decoration, cos-tumes, and accessories to celebratethe occasion with great festivity.INTERESTINGHALLOWEEN FACTSAnother name for trick-or-treatingis guising. It evolved from a Celtictradition. They would put food andtreats out for spirits they believedroamed the streets during Samhain.Samhain was a festival to mark theend of the Celtic calendar each year.It’s believed that Halloween hasbeen around for 6000 years.The first Jack-o-lanterns were notmade from pumpkins. They weremade from turnips.The largest pumpkin was grown byNorm Crave. His pumpkin was 836pounds and he broke the worldrecord in 1993.Commercially, Halloween is secondonly to Christmas in the amount ofmoney spent.Witch comes from the word ‘wicce’,an old English word that means‘wise woman’. Witches, or wiccanwere once very respected. They heldone of the two main meetings onHalloween.A person with a fear of Halloweenhas samhainophobia.The colors most common on Hallow-een are black and orange. Black is asymbol of darkness and death, whileorange is a symbol of enduranceand strength, often associated withautumn and harvest.The black color so popular on Hal-loween is a reminder that Halloweenitself was a festival marking theborder between life and death.

INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH FOR SUCCESS ABROADJoseph Cherian“IT IS I” VERSUS “IT IS ME”There is something peculiar about English usage among cerned about using the highest level of English commu-many, perhaps most, non-native English users. Let nication, you would only use “It is I”, “It is he”, “It isme point out one very prevalent one. If, for example, she”.someone asks you ‘Who wrote this article?” and youanswer “It is I”, you are more likely to be considered by Now let me explain why the second set of usages isthe first speaker as a person whose English is not very the kind of English that you would find among highlypolished. To him, the correct sentence would be “It is educated English users.me”. It sounds so natural, and so correct. But if youwere to walk in the corridors of Oxford University and English grammar rules state that when a pronounsomeone asks you the same question, and you reply “It follows a linking verb, such as ‘is’, it should be in theis me”, the other person would consider you uncouth in subject case (I, he, she, they, we), and not in the objectyour language usage. case (me, him, she, them, us). That means it is correct to say, “It is I,” and “It was he who wrote the article”,So, if you want to please most people in India and other etc, and incorrect to say “It is me”, etc.non-native English using countries, you may want touse sentences such as “It is me”, “It is him”, “It is her”. Linking verbs are words like ‘is, was, were, be’, whichBecause it sounds right to most local ears. don’t describe an action so much as describe a state of being. When pronouns follow these non-action verbs,But if you don’t care what ordinary English users think you use the subject pronouns such as ‘I, she, he, they,of your standard of grammar, and you are only con- we’. Here are some correct examples of using the pronouns in the subject case: “Someone has written an anonymous love letter to me. Is it you?” “Of course, it is not I! I am not in love with you. It may be he, the one who sits behind you in the classroom. Ask him!” “Who was that lady in red you were dancing with at the party last night?” “Oh, that’s she, my old neighbor who is in town to see her old friends. It is I who is escorting her around as her chaperone.” “Who are the people who abandon their pet animals when they shift to another city?” “It is they, the heartless men and women who do not have an iota of compassion in them.” “Who are the people who are taking care of such aban- doned pets?” “It is we, the members of the Society for the Humane Treatment of Animals.”78 | The Foreigner

Unlock the Future Abroad? SUBSCRIBE YOUR COPY NOW: Call Shruti 94654 31361 73473 [email protected] www.IthELeTfSoirmeimgnigera.ctoio.innVISA.comSouth India: Tamil Nadu | North India: Punjab | Haryana | West India: Gujarat | MaharashtraKarnataka | Kerala | Telangana Chandigarh | Delhi | Himachal | East India: Wet Bengal Pradesh | Rajasthan | UP

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Emilian GalazkaBOOK REVIEWS THE OFFICIAL CAMBRIDGE GUIDE TO IELTS STUDENT’S BOOK The Official Cambridge Guide to iTunes or Google Play. IELTS is joint- IELTS is THE definitive guide to ly managed by the British Council, IELTS. It contains all you need to IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge succeed in the exam. English Language Assessment. Skill-building exercises cover all of KEY FEATURES the question types in the exam for both the General Training and Ac- A range of essential skill-building ademic Modules. Our research into exercises and focus on exam strategy real IELTS candidates’ exam answers helps you to maximise your grade. - and the mistakes they make, helps you avoid the same ones! Eight Eight official IELTS tests provide official practice tests and a focus plenty of exam practice. on test-taking strategy help you maximise your score. Videos of the Prepares for both the General Train- Speaking test, and all the listening ing and Academic Modules. material, including the tests, can be found on the DVD-ROM or download- Answer keys provide clear explana- ed via an accompanying App from tions to help you learn and improve your score. Suitable for students of all bands (4.0 and above), you can choose how much or how little language development you need. Speaking test videos help prepare you for this hard-to-anticipate part of the exam. Accompanying app delivers the video and audio content in an alter- native format for portable devices (App Store or Google Play). AUTHORS: Pauline Cullen, Amanda French, Vanessa Jakeman REVIEW STAR RATING: COST OF BOOK: Rs. 450 to Rs. 600.82 | The Foreigner

THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO THE TOEFL TESTScoring a perfect ‘120’ on the TOEFL TOEFL questions which will allow approach to teaching children aboutiBT exam is no more a herculean you to practice well and grasp the the all important exam.task thanks to the ‘The Official concepts effectively. These ques-Guide to the TOEFL Test With CD- tions further allow you to test your ABOUT THE PUBLISHERROM, 4th Edition’. The makers of the preparation levels and identify‘Test of English as a Foreign Lan- strengths and weaknesses. Further- N/A Educational testing Serviceguage’ have come up with the most more, the book includes a detailed (ETS) is based in Lawrenceville, Neweffective resource for TOEFL aspi- explanation on every section of Jersey and is the official organiserrants. Educational testing Service the test and information on what of TOEFL and many other exams(ETS) released the fourth Edition of is expected from every section with like GRE, ACT, contract based SAT,the Official Guide to TOEFL which is respect to the speaking and writing teacher licensing exams and more.a perfect mix of all that you need part. The book teaches you how to They release exams for various kindsto crack the exam. The book has fabricate a good answer and how to of organisations in order to certifycomprehensive theory which will integrate speaking, listening and individuals and asses them with re-allow you to get an insight into writing skills to demonstrate the spect to their skills, attitude, knowl-what TOEFL is. required amount of proficiency level edge and relevancy to the program needed to ace the exam. for which they are applying.CONSOLIDATED CONTENT EFFECTIVE SUPPLEMENTARY REVIEW STAR RATING:The book comes along with multiple RESOURCES COST OF BOOK: Rs. 750 to Rs. 850 The book has a collection of supple- mentary resources to choose from. It provides you with 600 TOEFL questions from the test makers along with a CD-ROM that has 3 au- thentic TOEFL iBT practice tests. It also includes strategies for success and some invaluable tips and tricks which aim to increase your problem solving speed without compromis- ing on the accuracy. With over 750, 000 test takers worldwide, this book takes a holistic April 2018 | 83

10 TIPS THAT WILL INCREASE YOUR WRITING ABILITY IN THE IELTSWriting skill is a very important 1. BEFORE ANSWERING understand the question prop-factor when it comes to passing the THE QUESTION YOU SHOULD erly. Highlight that part of theIELTS exam. Writing is not very easy READ THE QUESTION question which you think isso to guide you through the process important. It is important thathere are ten tips that you should In the IELTS exam, before you you identify the keywords in thefollow. start answering a question question. make sure that you read and INTRODUCTIONESSAY General statements PARAGRAPH Essay statements BODY Topic sentence A. Topic sentence • Support CONCLUSION • Support • Support • Support • Support84 | The Foreigner • Support Concluding sentence Concluding sentence Note: The body is the longest part of the B. Topic sentence essay and can contain • Support as many paragraphs as • Support necessary to support the • Support controlling ideas of your essay statement Concluding sentence C. Topic sentence • Support • Support • Support Concluding sentence Restate main points Final comments

IELTS WRITING best tips- mind the time! 20 min +40 min mind the paragraph structure: Idea +- save 5 min for proof-reading Argument(s) + Example(s)start with planning - brainstorm - don’t wtite much in the 1st taskideas and organise the best ones - write not less than 300 words in the 2nd task write down a list of “nice words” around the topic and use them start writing directly on the answer sheet - in pencil2. THINKING AND PLANNING 5. KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU DO NOT 8. CHECK WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTENABOUT WHAT TO WRITE COPY THE WHOLE SECTIONS OF THE QUESTION. There can be grammatical errorsAfter you have read the questions and spelling mistakes in yourthoroughly, you should think and Suppose you have included the whole writing so it important that youplan what to write provided that you question section in your answer and thoroughly check whatever youdo not lose too much time. Before have reached a word count of 280. have written.you start writing have an idea about But the examiner might cancel thehow you are going to compose the question section which might cause 9. YOUR WRITING SHOULDending or otherwise you might get your word count to reduce to 230. REFLECT YOUR VOCABULARYstuck midway. 6. IT IS IMPORTANT While writing, make sure that there3. IT IS MANDATORY TO KEEP UP WITH TIME. are no or few repeated words. It isTO WRITE ENOUGH WORDS not mandatory to use difficult words While completing the essay and the but you should use words which areThe essay should be of 250 words report, time is your biggest enemy precise.and it is mandatory to write at least and it is important that you write250 words. The report should be of as fast as you can provide that the 10. IMPRESS THE EXAMINER WITH150 words and it should not be less content is good. You should not PROPER USE OF PARAGRAPHSthan that. take more than 40 minutes to write the essay and the report writing It is quite true that an examiner4. MAKE SURE THAT YOU should take 20 minutes and not would not spend much time check-DO NOT WRITE TOO MANY WORDS more than that. Practice the time ing your paper. For this purpose, it management at home. “Practice is very important that you make aIt has been mentioned earlier that puts brains in your every muscle”. good impression by presenting athe essay should be of 250 words well-structured writing with properand it can be extended up to 260 to 7. ESSAY OR REPORT WHICH ONE paragraphs. Do not write a disorga-280 words but not more than that. SHOULD YOU ANSWER FIRST? nized piece which will immediatelyLonger the essay, there will more make a bad impression.chances of errors and the concept In the question paper, the essayof the writing might fall flat. The contains twice the marks than the So, here are the top ten tips thatsame thing is applicable for report report. So write the essay first to you should definitely keep in mindwriting and the 150 words limit can make sure that you are able to com- while appearing for IELTS writingbe extended up to 160 to 180 but plete it. After that, you can start part.not more than that. writing the report. Good Luck! April 2018 | 85



IELTS READING TEST Joseph Cherian Joseph Cherian is the consulting editor of ‘The Foreign- er’ magazine, and the author of several books, including Idiotic English and Idiomatic English.READING PASSAGE 2You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14–26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.GREECE, HEIR TO SEVERAL ANCIENT HERITAGESA. Greece is heir to the heritages of ancient Greece, the Roman and the Byzantine Empire, and nearly four hun-dred years of Ottoman rule. Greece is the birthplace of democracy, the Olympic Games, western books, and westerndrama including both tragedy and comedy. The Iliad, an epic poem written by Homer in the 8th Century BC, is theoldest work of western writing.Ancient Greece was not a single country; Ancient Greece was divided into lots of small city-states in the south andtwo kingdoms in the north. After the Hellenistic era, in 146 BC, the Roman period began when the Romans ruledover Greek lands. After a century the whole Greek-speaking world became part of the Roman Empire. Greek was thelanguage used by most of the people in the eastern parts of the Empire, while Latin was spoken more in the west.In 330 AD the capital of the Roman Empire changed; Byzantium, an ancient Greek city, became the new capital,which was then renamed to Constantinople. In the following years the Roman Empire was divided into two parts;the east part became the Byzantine Empire. In 1453 the siege of Constantinople by the Turks took place, the Otto-man Empire was then established.B. For almost four centuries, Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire. In 5 March 1821 Greeks started a revolutionso they could be independent. Greece became an independent country on 3 February 1830. Many wars occurredbefore Greece gained the lands it has today. Greece also took part in the two World Wars. Greece fought alongsidethe Allies in World War II and the Entente in World War I. A civil war took place after the World Wars, too. After amilitary junta of 1967–1974, a vote was held for Greeks to decide whether they wanted Greece to become a Repub-lic or to remain a Kingdom. The Greek vote of December 8, 1974, resulted in the end of the monarchy in Greece andthe establishment of the current Third Hellenic Republic. Greece became the tenth member of the European Unionon January 1, 1981. The country adopted the Euro in 2001 and successfully organized the 2004 Olympic Games inAthens. At the moment Greece is facing big economic and social problems.C. Greece has a coastline of over 13,600 kilometres. Four fifths of Greece consist of mountains or hills, making thecountry one of the most mountainous in Europe. Mount Olympus, at 2,917 metres, is the highest mountain in thecountry and is believed to be the home of the Greek gods in Greek Mythology. Western Greece contains a numberof lakes and wetlands. Greece has also many islands, over 6,000, the largest being Crete. Other well-known largeislands are Rhodes, Santorini and Corfu. Greece is an active earthquake zone, small earthquakes occur every year inGreece, especially in Western and Southern Greece.The climate of Greece can be categorized into three types: the Mediterranean, the Alpine and the Temperate. TheMediterranean type of climate features mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The Alpine type of climate fea-tures harsh winters with large snowfalls, while the summers are cool with many thunderstorms. This climate is tobe found on high mountains. The Temperate type of climate features cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers.D. Greece’s population is around 11 million. The majority of people living in the country are ethnic Greeks withsome people from foreign countries like Albania and Bulgaria staying in the country at the moment. The mostspoken language in Greece is Greek, as well as the official language of the state. But there are also people whospeak Bulgarian and Turkish close to the borders with Bulgaria and Turkey. Greek language has a history of almost4,000 years. English is widely spoken as a foreign language, along with other languages such as French, German,Italian and Spanish among others. These five languages are also provided around the country’s schools. Educationin Greece is required from the ages of 5 to 15. April 2018 | 87

E. The most famous sport among Greeks is probably football. Greeks also tend to listen to foreign music a lot,while Greek music is famous in countries in the Balkans and the Middle East.Greece attracts more than 16 million tourists each year. Greece has been an attraction for international visitorsfor a long time because of its rich and long history and more recently for its glorious Mediterranean coastline andbeaches. The most popular destinations for tourists are the Cyclades, Athens, Crete, Rhodes, the Ionian Islands,where the island of Corfu is, and other coastal regions of the country as well as places of archaeological interest.QUESTIONS 14–17Reading Passage 2 has five sections, A-E. Choose the correct heading for sections B-E from the headings below.Write the correct number: i-vii, in boxes 14—17 on your answer sheet.List of Headings i. The country’s historical heritage is one of the main the reasons tourists visit Greece. ii. Several empires contributed to the heritage of Greece iii. Greece cuisine is popular in the Balkans and the Middle East iv. The Temperate climate is found in the plains of Greece v. A nation that won its territory through many wars vi. Greek education provides for the learning of several European languages vii. The land of mountains and islands Example Answer Paragraph A ii14. Paragraph B  v 15. Paragraph C vii16. Paragraph D vi17. Paragraph E iQUESTIONS 18–20Answer the Questions BelowChoose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answerWrite your answers in boxes 18-20 on your answer sheet.18. What is the word that means a sudden, complete change in a social order?19. A word that means relating to national and cultural origin of a people.20. We use this word to refer to something valuable that is passed down from previous generations.QUESTIONS 21-26Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 2?In boxes 21-26 on your answer sheet, write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the state-ment contradicts the information, NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.21. Greece’s climate features wet winters and dry summers.22. The most widely spoken languages in Greece are Greek and English.23. Greek music is popular not only in Greece, but also in some other countries.24. Greece’s coastline and beaches are among the main attractions for international visitors.25. If the military junta had not taken place, Greece would have continued to be a monarchy.26. The Iliad is the oldest work in the world.88 | The Foreigner

IELTS WRITING TASK 2You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.Write about the following topic:Hundreds of thousands of animals are crippled or killed every day around the world in the name of medical re-search. This is cruelty we are doing to our silent fellow creatures. Animal testing should be banned in every coun-try.To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.Write at least 250 words.WRITING TASK 2 – MODEL ANSWERA large percentage of the population in every country would have died without the discovery and use of medicinesdeveloped through animal testing. Therefore it is a means of survival for humans. Animal testing for the purposesof medical research should be allowed because there are no alternatives to it. It is crucial in the advancementof medical science. Because scientists need to see how an organism’s entire body is affected by an experiment,things like artificial skin and computer models of organs cannot fully replace animal testing. There are also manyunknown variables in an experiment that synthetic tissues and computer simulations cannot reproduce. If therewere any viable alternatives to animal testing, scientists would be using them already, as the cost of caring for andhousing lab animals is very high. Unfortunately, technology has not yet advanced to a point where animal testingcan be completely replaced.Animal testing has benefits for animals as well. Many new medical treatments for animals have been developedthrough animal testing. Rabies vaccines, cholera treatments for hogs, and heartworm infestation treatments fordogs have all come about through testing on animals. Animal testing also helps with the preservation of endan-gered species. Techniques developed using animal testing, such as embryo transfer and artificial inseminationhave helped with the breeding of endangered species, coupled with the results of research on animal sexualbehavior. By advancing veterinary medicine and helping to preserve endangered species, animal testing benefitsanimals.In the present day, because of all the benefits it has for humans and other animals, animal testing is a necessaryevil, and should not be banned.[270 words] April 2018 | 89



PTE Writing Test Steven Smith Masters in English (University of East London) Steven Smith is an English language trainer. He is writing his first book on new tech- niques of learning foreigner languages. He loves fishing and watching soccer.You will have 20 minutes to plan, write and revise an essay about the topic below. Your response will be judgedon how well you develop a position, organize your ideas, present supporting details, and control the elements ofstandard written English. You should write 200–300 wordsKeeping animals behind cages for public entertainment is not a civilized act. Animals need their natural habitatfor their optimal survival. Zoos do not have the space necessary for the free movement of the animals.MODEL ANSWER:No animal, wild or domestic, should be kept within confined spaces, such as zoos, aviaries, and aquariums. It isas cruel to animals as it is to humans who are forced to remain in their houses throughout their lives. Imagine ifsomeone comes into your house, kidnaps you, tears you from your family, and jails you for life. Zoos should be ille-gal because humans do not have the right to capture animals, tear them from their families, and put them behindiron bars, even if the animal is endangered.In the zoos, animals are often abused, and not given enough space and exercise. They suffer from stress, boredom,and depression. Many animals die prematurely because of a bad diet, lack of exercise, and bad living conditions.Some caged animals, such as polar bears get only a few meters of space when in their natural habitat they walkhundreds of kilometers.Even if animals born in zoos are released into the wild, they will not know how to hunt and do other things thatare necessary to survive in the wild. According to one news report, two lynxes released into the wild were founddead from starvation even though the area was full of hares, the lynx’s natural prey. If we keep on building zoosand keep taking animals captive, they will be dependent on the human race when the human race is havingenough of its own problems.Zoos are morally wrong. Supporters of zoos say that they are preventing extinction. Then we should protect theirnatural habitats instead of creating animal prisons. April 2018 | 91

PTE Reading TestFILL IN THE BLANKSBelow is a text with blanks. Select the appropriate answer choice for each blank.[There are more words than gaps so you will not use all the words provided.]A. The most primitive type of pencil is_____________to be the stylus, which was a thin metal stick, often madefrom lead and_________for scratching on papyrus, which is a__________of early paper. The eraser________theuser of the pencil to manually and mechanically delete, by rubbing away, the unwanted marks from a surface.realized believed allows made used quality typeB. The heart of a vacuum cleaner is the internal fan. It is usually hidden deep__________the vacuumto keep people from____________themselves by poking fingers or toes____________. This fan pulls airfrom________________the vacuum into a bag.hurting outside within started under piercing inside92 | The Foreigner

ANSWERS for p87 ANSWERS for p92Q-14: v Q-18: revolution Q-22: False Q-26: False A. 1: believed 2: used 3: type 4: allows B. 1: within 2: hurting 3: inside 4: outsideQ-15: vii Q-19: ethnic Q-23: TrueQ-16: vi Q-20: heritage Q-24: TrueQ-17: i Q-21: False Q-25: Not Given

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LEARN FRENCH Claudia Legault Native French Canadian, I currently live in the southern of the United States. My first language is French and I communi- cate daily in English. Passionate about travel, I am always curious to learn about other cultures and languages. I presently study Spanish and I would love to learn German eventually too.La Météo / The WeatherIn Quebec, weather is a recurring topic. According to our point of view, we have four extreme and unstable sea-sons. Like all northern regions, winter is cold and snowy, while in summer it is hot and humid. Year after year, it isthe same thing and, for us, the weather remains unpredictable.No matter the season, most of the people look at the weather in the morning, before starting the day. First, it tellsus what type of clothing to wear. Second, it is the main subject of small talk. Commenting about weather is a goodconversation starter.I have always wondered if it is like this everywhere or if French Canadians are really obsessed with the weather?This morning, as I am drinking a coffee somewhere in Montreal while writing this article, it is rainy. It rains a lot!This summer is particularly rainy and everybody complains about it.So for this lesson, I thought it would be fun to learn vocabulary about season and climate. So if you ever come toQuebec, you will know how to interact!SOME TYPICAL EXPRESSIONSAs you might already guess, weather is very local... and so are the expressions that come with that subject.Quebec is the French province in Canada. The territory is very large, three (trois) times bigger than France, as youmight have observed on a map. Sometimes, it is summer temperature in Montreal, while there is still six feet ofsnow in Gaspésie (Gaspesia).Therefore, these expressions are typically French Canadian (québécoise) and probably not known in France andother French countries.Il pleut à boire deboutIt rains so much that you quench your thirst, standing outside.Il pleut des cordesIt rains so much it looks like ropes coming down.Pleuvoir à siauxIt rains so much that it is like pouring water on the floor with a bucket.96 | The Foreigner

GENERAL VOCABULARYSoleil = Sun Il fait soleil aujourd’hui = It is sunny todayArc-en-ciel = Rainbow Regarde, le bel arc-en-ciel = Look at the beautiful rainbowNuage = Cloud C’est nuageux cet après-midi = It is cloudy this afternoonChaud = hot, warm L’été est chaud et humide = Summer is hot and humidPluie = rainParapluie = umbrella Il pleut, n’oublie pas tonparapluie! = It is raining, don’t forget your umbrella!Imperméable = raincoat Vent = wind C’est venteux = It’s windyFroid = cold Il fait froid, porte ton manteau = It is cold, wear your coatBrouillard = fog Le brouillard était très épais ce matin = The fog was really thick this morningPEU IMPORTE LA MÉTÉO, JE VOUS SOUHAITE UNE BELLE JOURNÉE!NO MATTER THE WEATHER, I WISH YOU A NICE DAY!

Govind GopinathTECHNOLOGY & GADGETS1. MU-MIMO WI-FI ROUTER TECHNOLOGY: transmissions. With the introduction of MU-MIMO, an array of multiple users can connect for the purpose ofThe acronym MU-MIMO means multi-user, multiple accessing router’s functions and that too without anyinputs and outputs respectively. Currently, MIMO is that congestion.wireless technology has been supported by an array ofrouters and IoT devices worldwide. With the help ofMIMO technology, the number of antennas on the Wi-Firouters were increased for the purpose of improvingthe signal transmission as well as coverage. But, withthe advancement in the domain, the latest MU-MIMOtechnology has been innovated for allowing multipleusers to access a wireless network at the same time.The revolutionary technology is also called as Next-GenAC. The technology will be supported over the routersbased on 802.11ac Wi-Fi protocol. If we go back intime and talk about the 802.11 Wireless protocol, theprotocol allowed a first-come, first-serve fashion for 2. SPACEX’S FALCON HEAVY ROCKET: What comes as a fascinating fact is that, Elon Musk- the CEO of Tesla Motors have just sent his car to Mars. Yes, you read that right. SpaceX has recently launched a powerful rocket called Falcon Heavy from Cape Canaveral, USA, into space which is car- rying Tesla’s Roadster car. Billionaire Elon Musk’s rocket carried an array of terrific items that includes his red car, a mannequin wearing a spacesuit and a note saying “Don’t Panic” stuck on the dashboard. The supreme fact is that Falcon Heavy is the world’s fourth-biggest rocket in terms of capacity. The purpose behind the design is to enable carrying of humans into space easily and then to mars or even moon. The dummy flight was a massive success for Elon Musk’s SpaceX. It took over $500 million USD to develop Falcon Heavy and surprisingly no aid was provided by US government. If you associate Falcon Heavy with NASA’s human spaceflight review panel, you’d be surprised to know that the rocket falls under the category of superior heavy-lift range under the launch systems. Elon Musk is pre- paring SpaceX for the next big project with a codename called “BFR” which will focus on making bigger & bigger rockets.98 | The Foreigner