  |  It is the kind of place archaeologists would get very excited about. Bare stone walls, columns, narrow passages and wide spaces. If Bangalore should ever happen to get deserted, IIMB would remain as a monstrous palace of cement and stone, a place for future tourists to walk through and wonder how past generations used to live and work. But today the campus is very much alive. Within the stone walls some of the most renowned professors of India give lectures to 725 students. For everyone aspiring a career in business getting into this school is both the ultimate goal and a nearly impossible undertaking. Each year the school receives up to 280.000 applications so that 380 students compete for one seat. The lucky ones have two years of intense studying ahead of them and not a single one will leave the campus without a job-offer. It is a straighforward calculation: Take a loan for the tuition fees, study hard and become part of the country´s elite. The first words of our welcome speech are telling: "We are not a ceremonial institution, we like the functional approach. Therefore we are only here to provide you with the necessary information." But that is just one part of the truth. The other part are the students. Those crazy Indians which I have only just begun to understand. They seem to never sleep, have group meetings in the middle of the night or party and play loud music whenever they like. They know very well how to make the best out of their time during the short semesters. |
  |  And than there is the exchange crowd! 75 in total, mostly French or German, but also Belgian, Italian or American. Even the Scandinavian states have sent some lost delegates. |
We live on campus in hostel blocks among the local students. By now most of us have gotten accostumed to the small stone rooms, which at first sight rather evoked the association with (luxurious) prison cells. Living on campus among the other students means forgetting about old sleeping habits. Events take place whenever there is time, prefferably at night. Free food is served at least four times a day and little shops are open around the clock. If you feel like having a cheese sandwich or a cone of ice cream at 3am you might need to wake up the shop keeper but you are sure to get what you asked for. How people here manage to give up every distinction between day and night and still attend all lectures, I have not yet figured out. All I know is that I need some sleep now. It is going to be a great semester!