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trouble for foreigners?

10K views 58 replies 13 participants last post by  taimur 
#1 ·
ok guys! i've been hearing of it alot!

the question is: does the staff and student body of paki med schools try deliberately to make the lives of foreigners more dificult? i need hard facts! with reference to ke cuz thats where ill be going.
 
#2 ·
from my own experience you have two options:
1- assimilate; look like them, act like them
2- don't give a damn, you are here to study and don't expect it to be fun......

i went to some crappy academy here and everyone including the teachers picked on me and i hear it's like that at KE too. my advise to you is, don't let it get to you!
 
#4 ·
not as long as you try your best to fit in. The only foreigners that stick out are the ones that walk around with the All-American Pride attitude, refuse to speak in Urdu, and talk crap on Pakistan. Those are the things they look for, so avoid them.

Also, they assume that since you're a foreigner, you don't study, but if you study from the very beginning you won't have any trouble. Actually, if you study hard right from the start, they won't even really care if you do do all those other things you shouldn't be! :)

Impression is everything.
 
#8 ·
my experience in lahore the best is worldcall, ive never seen downloads more then 50 but it's overall a lot better. it's a cable modem and if u don't want wireless its pretty simple.

if u want wireless, im using a linksys router which pretty much covers my whole house. ther is a new company called wateen and you can get a DAP which is like a wireless hotspot.
 
#9 ·
awesome! Thanks guys. About the rate system tho, at home I'm on A LOT every day, and I know since I'll be at med. school I probably won't be online for nearly as much time, but theoretically assuming that I'm on like 24/7, does the rate come out to a reasonable amount or is it expensive by American standards ($40-50/month) ?
 
#12 ·
Money makes the torrents work #wink
 
#15 ·
You get can mobilink or ufone unlimited GPRS plans and just connect your cell phone to your computer through a USB cable if your in the hostels and you will have a decent internet connection for surfing, checking emails etc.
 
#20 ·
People at the KE boys hostel have internet. A local internet cafe gives a wireless signal down the road, but a booster is required. The download speed is ok, but kinda pricey due to the monopoly.

I myself have the world cable modem service. I pay 1500/month for 200kbs, download speed around 25kbs. But they have the deal where u pay 6 months in advance then they double everything. So 40kps is not bad, well it sux in comparison to the 2.3mbs download back home #sad

Before that i tried the vptcl wireless, a waste of time and it sux. World call wireless was even worse. Never could get a connection. Haven't heard too much about DSL though in Lahore.

Oh yea, any new students that are coming, next year they are planning to Wifi Defence, Lahore. Rumors have it that 1mbs download speed. Not sure about the price though.
 
#25 ·
oh yea, we don't live in defence we're lucky just on the edge of one of the antennas. and the wifi is totally AWESOME!!!!! right now its 100mbs with downloads upto 140kbs. very cool.

if you have worldcall you can get better connection by being on their VIP list i think they ask for like 6 months advance payment but it's worth it.
 
#22 ·
yea bro, i m from the US. Delaware to be exact.

Thanks for reminding me about the 10k bro!

You got to make a Bank Draft to the Vice Chancellor of KEMU, i m not sure about the exact wording, but i m planning to get the exact details on Friday, i have my exam that day so afterwards planning to stop by the accounts.
But i will let u know bro.
 
#24 ·
Salam guys,



Would you happen to know if it's the same procedure for those who need to pay who got in under PTAP? I imagine it would be the same but then again I wanna play it safe -- never wanna take a risk by assuming in Pakistan, lol.

Thanks for all the broadband options guys! I'll look into all of them and see which ones will are available/most feasible in the area of Lahore where I'll be staying.

Ali, do you know the other foreigners @ KE? Maybe you can introduce me and taimur #laugh . Hahah I'm getting kinda nervous as the days are getting closer and closer !
 
#23 ·
oh yea, my bro works for the company that is deploying the wimax and though we don't live in defence we're lucky just on the edge of one of the antennas. and the thing is totally AWESOME!!!!! right now its 100mbs with downloads upto 140kbs. very cool.

if you have worldcall you can get better connection by being on their VIP list i think they ask for like 6 months advance payment but it's worth it.
 
#26 ·
I m not sure about the PTAP prog. bro. All the Americans that i know, including myself, are on the self finance seat. There were 2 kids, a brother and sister, that got on that prog. but it was "shady" how they got in that prog. Anyway they ended up leaving after 1st porf part 1 exams, due to family problems. So i never asked about it.
But, correct me if i m wrong, you just pay the regular local fees right? I think its around rs12,000? (imagine that medical tuition for only $200!! lol.) Not to worry bro, the accounting office will give you a "bank challan form" basically a bill with the details of that year on it. Got to go to Bank in Nila Gumbad and pay your fees there. The bill itself has three portions, which the bank keeps two and you keep one for your own. When it comes to financial matters KE people are pretty legit.
But a word of caution, when ever paying anything in Pakistan, always get a receipt with a signature and a date. Never know what will happen as long as you got the proof you can avoid alot of headaches.
Depends on when you guys come start. Can introduce to the Second yr guys, but most of them are Canadians, not sure though. There are 3 Americans in 3rd year and a Brit. My year we got 2 (we were 7 but they either dropped out or failed out). and in final year there are 3 Americans. .
Right now our professional exams are starting so school is pretty much dead, every one is studying their asses of.
 
#27 · (Edited)
But, correct me if i m wrong, you just pay the regular local fees right? I think its around rs12,000? (imagine that medical tuition for only $200!! lol.)
Hahah, yea that's right. The EAD people said it would be $200/year (if the conversion rate is still Rs. 60/$1, then I think you're right it should be Rs. 12,000) .

Awesome, thanks so much Ali ! (btw is that your real name, or just your MedStudentz alias? If you don't wanna reveal your name on medstudentz, no wrries, I won't bug you about it haha!)

If you do get anymore info. as to the exact date classes start, that would be awesome.

I'm going to be coming to Pak. around the 15th or so, right after I finish my semester finals here. I'm really looking forward to meeting you, taimur, and the rest of the foreigners @ KE :D , especially since you all have already been through what I'll be going through.

Good luck on your Profs! Hope you're studying hard #laugh
 
#28 · (Edited)
hey ali bro!
im gona live in the hostel and am wondering whether ur in it too..if u are can u describe some of the aspects of living in KE's hostels..........theyve told me foreigners get the best hostels and ive cheked them out...they exceeded my expectations....

so do we have to share a room with someone or something like that?
thanks and good luk on ur exams

im excited and still freekin out a bit but it relieves me that i would at least no someone there .........like you and smeer
 
#29 ·
i have my own house that i live in, actually its my parents "retirement" house! lol, I m planning to get a room in final year because we will have emergency duty and gyne duty at night. Rather than going all the way home and coming back at odd hours. Its better to crash in the hostel.
The hostel rooms them selves are not that bad once u get some paint and nice carpet in it. But the main issue i have with the hostel are the bathrooms. For a lack of a better phrase "them are some nasty bathrooms!"
the smell is horrible and the toilets are even more disgusting. I m still in shock when u said that the hostel "exceeded" you expectations. Damn bro, u must have had some really really really really low expectations! lol
Hey look on the bright side, it gets really boring in the hostel, and that is perfect for studying! lol
 
#30 ·
hello there. im going to army medical college in rawalpindi and i heard that they end up kicking out 80% of foreign students there. how hard could it be? i just want to be prepared for what theyre gonna throw at me?? anybody got some advice??
 
#32 ·
If you work really hard at the beginning and establish the so called "good repute" it will definitely help you throughout the year. The first impression is crucial! Once they realize that you're a serious student the teachers will do their best to help you even when you don't perform to the best of your ability. If you study hard and try to stay near the top of your class the teachers really won't have much reason to dislike you.

Often foreign students come in with the idea that med school in Pakistan is a joke and will be really easy so they slack off until they find themselves near the bottom of the class. When you place yourself in this position the teachers won't be very willing to cut you any slack.

Hopefully if you try your best to fit in and don't create any issues with faculty members you won't run in to any big issues. There will most likely be many times when you'll disagree with college policies/teachers but in the long run it's better to just stay within the rules and on everyone's good side since so much of the grading is subjective.
 
#31 ·
It's true that a lot of foreigners fail (I don't think anywhere near 80% though) at a lot of different colleges, not just AMC. Usually though this is because those foreigners refuse to blend in, refuse to study, and are content to pretend that being from somewhere other than pakistan makes them better somehow. In the end, it's the scores that count.

They might expect you to do poorly when you get there, because unfortunately they'll have those low expectations for all foreigners. Take the first test/quiz or class study session seriously and show the teachers that you mean business, and their impression will change immediately. Teachers are always eager to figure out who's who in the new class, and that first impression lasts the longest, so make it a good one.
 
#33 ·
thankyou guys for taking the time to write a detailed response, im greatful. it makes sense and i will definitely benefit from your advice. good luck with your studies.
 
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