Telephone, Email, and Internet Access

Telephone

Land lines will not be provided in student apartments, and students will be asked to avoid using the telephone at their host family residence.  Telephone call centers (STD/ISD booths) are ubiquitous and inexpensive, and students will be provided with cell phones for program-related calls and emergency use. 

During orientation, you will receive more information about how to call home. Using Internet telephone booths is generally the least expensive way to call home from India, and you are able to receive calls at these calling centers as well. Students may also wish to contact their U.S. long distance carrier before they depart the U.S. and request an international calling guide. Keep in mind that using calling cards purchased in the U.S. is more expensive than using local options.

The least expensive way to talk with your friends and family on the phone is to have them call you. Reliance India offers inexpensive calling cards to India from the U.S., as well as a service that allows a U.S. number to be forwarded to an Indian cell phone at reduced rates.  

Internet/Email

For academic use, student computers and internet access are provided at the Alliance program center.  For personal use, internet cafes are widely available and inexpensive or you may consider purchasing a broadband data stick upon arrival.  Students should not expect internet access at their housing placements.

It is important to keep in mind that internet access and land-line phone service may not always be available. Power cuts are a frequent and regular part of life in India, so plan as best you can to allow for more time than you might usually need to accomplish even the most humdrum of tasks using the internet.

Critical skills for success--with all things in India--are patience and an ability to roll with the unexpected.  Also, remember that your priority in India is to immerse yourself in your local environment!  Too much dependence on communication with home can not only hinder your ability to adapt and integrate, but it can actually exacerbate homesickness and culture shock.  Try to set realistic expectations with your family and friends in the U.S. that will allow you to fully focus on this experience and your own personal growth and transformation throughout it.