February 13, 2011
School of Communication, Coimbatore
 

“Temperature at this place dropped to -19 degree Celsius!” wrote Rajalakshmi Kanjilal, from the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque in the US.
 

Referring to the unusually cold weather that has gripped most of the United States this winter, Rajalakshmi continued, “I am told that the bitter cold weather is quite unlike normal New Mexico weather. One day there was heavy snowfall and even all our classes were canceled.”
 

“We are also facing a shortage of gas in the state,” she added. Gas is widely used for heating homes all over North America.
 

A final-year undergraduate student at the Amrita School of Communication, Rajalaxmi is nevertheless enjoying her semester abroad.
 

As part of the student exchange program between Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and the University of New Mexico, she received an opportunity earlier this year to complete her final semester of studies at the U.S. university.
 

When she returns to India and Amrita in May, she will graduate with a B.A. in Mass Communication. Along with having studied at Amrita, she will have the perspective of mass communication, as it is taught in the U.S.
 

“I am very happy that Rajalakshmi received this opportunity,” shared Ms. Sreedevi Purayannur, Assistant Professor at the Amrita School of Communication. “This is the first of its kind for a student from our School.”
 

“Rajalakshmi is one of the best students in her class. Her exposure will enrich both Amrita and the University of New Mexico.”
 

At New Mexico, Rajalakshmi is attending classes in Interpersonal Communication, Electronic Publishing, Inter-Cultural Communication, Language, Behavior and Thought. She will also work on a dissertation during her stay there.
 

“The curriculum here is contemporary,” wrote in Rajalakshmi. “I feel that it facilitates a good understanding of the various nuances of communication and journalism. The skill sets that I gained while studying in Amrita are helping me understand and relate to the classes being taught here.”
 

“The students, staff and faculty are open and helpful. The state of New Mexico is known for its ethnic diversity. This is reflected in the student population, which makes for a rich class room experience as several perspectives are freely shared.”
 

Does she miss India? And her friends at Amrita?
 

“Yes, definitely. But overall, I am very thankful to have this opportunity to study at a hundred-year old university. I am looking forward to returning soon to Amrita and to India.”