 The
management of AAFT deems
its primary responsibility to offer a cozy, homely
working environment to all its students, camping
here away from their homes for their short-term
foundation to graduating or post graduating courses.
The inmates, day scholars while in the university
premises are looked after as part of a large growing
family with special emphasis on their professional
as well as personal ambitions in life. Besides the
advantages available in general in Noida; the city
of the millennium and the film city around, life
within the University premises is full of lights,
action and drama both during and post teaching hours.
While the day long schedules are wrapped up by the
on going non stop hectic schedules of group/personal
coaching, counseling, practicals, live shoots interspersed
with celebrity addresses in between, the evenings
become even more vibrant and colorful as the young
budding artistes grace the sprawling lawns, play
grounds for charging their life batteries for another
grilling day ahead.
For the fitness conscious, there is ample provision
for gymnastics, and a number of indoor as well as
outdoor games within the academy precincts itself.
The jogger's parks next doors offer more than what
meets the eye to the others, differently choosy
and the discerning. There is no dearth of
pubs, restaurants, fast food joints for those wanting
a break from the round the clock cafeteria of the
academy and the ambience that the close by five
in one wave cinema housed in the biggest center
stage mall offering almost every conceivable product
all under one roof permeates can hardly leave even
one singe soul away from a visit to this place at
least once in a week.
No wonder the students at UMA are enjoying the
best of both the worlds, a life full to its brim
for learning every conceivable form of creative
art within AAFT and for imbibing cultural inputs
only a environment friendly city of a millennium
like Noida can offer today.
Some Useful
Tips to First Time visitors to Noida
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WEATHER
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Weather
in India oscillates between extremes but remains
generally predictable between fixed seasons
of Winters, Autumn, Summers, Rains followed
by Winters again in a cyclic fashion. The
Skies remain clear generally throughout the
year except during the rainy months. |
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If Nov to
Feb make up for winters with temperatures
ranging from 0 to 20 degrees Celsius in plains
like Noida around Northern India, the autumn
season after Feb until April becomes very
pleasant with temperature ranging between
20 to 30 at the most. |
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During summers
the average temperature can shoot from 30
to 48 in a gradual phased manner. The Rainy
Season falling between mid July till end Aug
witnesses a downfall to between 25 and 35
degrees Celsius but the humidity levels touch
a real high during this period. The pre winter
months of September till November gradually
become very pleasant with temperatures falling
once again from 35 to around 20. |
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WHAT
TO BRING |
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Clothing:
Casual wear in India is pretty cheap.
And the country is already known for its fashion
statements all over the world. Therefore,
it is better to travel light and do some cheap
buying here itself. The range of clothing
and footwear available around Noida and the
capital city of Delhi hardly ten kilometers
away is of international standards and mind-boggling.
It is good to carry a raincoat however with
the minimal entry baggage. |
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International
students are advised to check on the quantum
of baggage allowed through the airlines they
choose to travel by, to avoid paying excess
baggage charges. |
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Electrical/Electronic
Items: The operating voltage in India
is 220 Volts. PCs, Laptops, Note Books, Chargers
etc therefore if brought should be compatible
with this input. |
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Other
Useful Items: Passport Size Photographs
For Student ID and Discount Cards Alarm Clocks
Walkman Stereos, cameras etc. |
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WHAT
NOT TO BRING |
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No drugs,
no weapons. It is advised that the students
should also avoid any costly items like precious
jewellary and heavy cash into the university
premises. International students should also
check on the amount of alcohol and tobacco
allowed to be carried by the airline they
decide to travel by. |
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SOCIALIZING IN INDIA |
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Indians
are as warm as hospitable as any other modern
community on the globe today. They like to
socialize and make new friends. They might
initially appear to be a little shy but that
can be attributed more to any spoken language
barriers than an attitude. More number of
well settled and educated Indians particularly
in cosmopolitan cities like Noida, Delhi and
its NCR are increasingly willing to have friends
from across the world than just their own
communities. Noida and its NCR region has
a number of clubs, pubs where a much larger
number of especially younger Indians can be
easily approached in the evenings and the
like minded always like to progress social
contacts further. |
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CULTURAL DIFFERENCES |
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Food:
A modern city like Noida today offers
all kinds of English, Italian, Japanese, Chinese
Korean and Thai food besides a choice of the
delicacies from its own vast range of specialties
like the Mughlai, Kashmiri, Punjabi, Hyderabadi,
Bengali, Southern and a number of others.
Access to good food and a wide choice is no
problem at all. |
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SOCIAL NORMS |
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Drinking: More and more
Indians are getting fond of alcohol but
people can drink only in licensed bars,
hotels or clubs authorized to serve liquor.
The pub culture is also picking up. There
is a stigma to public drinking but drinking
in private accommodation as per rules of
the accommodation hired is not a constraint.
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Smoking:
By and large, smoking in most public places
and public transport is banned. Some organizations
make an exception by offering separate smoking
zones.Whatever excellent brands of cigarette
are always available in the country.
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Relationships:
Relationships between men and women are becoming
increasingly informal.The younger generation,
university students around Delhi and those
frequenting clubs, hotels etc have already
shed considerable inhibitions. A cursory glance
at the party photographs carried by the leading
English daily newspapers like the Times of
India and the Hindustan Times is fairly indicative
of how the richer class moving in expensive
meeting joints around the cities is feeling
increasingly reassured and liberated in kissing
and hugging some one they like to now. Holding
hands and dancing a few steps together is
a matter of the past, now. |
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Religion:
India is a secular nation where people
of all religious faiths can practice their
respective systems of faith. Noida and Delhi
is a host to a number of Churches, Mosques,
Temples and Gurudwaras, where any one has
the freedom to go and pray without any restrictions. |
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DRIVING IN INDIA |
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India is a right hand drive
country and a valid driving license is a must
before you are allowed to take an automated
vehicle on the road. Plus the driver also
has to be above 18. |
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FESTIVALS OF INDIA |
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India is
a land of diversity. Besides its three national
festivals of our Republic Day (Jan 26), Independence
Day (15th Aug) and the 2nd Oct (Birth anniversary
of Mahatma Gandhi; the father of the nation),
amongst its other most commonly and lavishly
celebrated festivals are Diwali, Dussehra,
Holi and those dedicated to the birth anniversaries
of Lord Rama, Shiva, Krishna and the birth
and the martyrdom days of the Sikh Gurus.
Id Ul Fitter and Id Ul Zuha are also very
widely celebrated in India and communities
of all shades join the others on all such
days. |
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DOMESTIC/OVERSEAS TRAVELLING
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Students are advised to plan
their travel arrangements in advance and to
book their reservations in advance to avoid
last minute inconveniences. A wide variety
of domestic airlines, overseas airlines, train,
buses (both State run as well as private)
and registered taxi service providers are
available.
Authorized travel agents and houses are easily
available and in tie up arrangements with
the university. |
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It would be my proud privilege to recommend AAFT not only to the people of Uganda but to all other Africans .
