The experiences and journey abroad - #DefinitelyPTE

Most of us know from experiences of friends, families, social media platforms, movies, etc  that traveling is never a flawless art, especially for students going abroad.

No matter how on top of things an individual may believe oneself to be, students are still eligible for curve balls when studying abroad in a foreign land with vastly varying forms and norms of culture, languages, and ways of life.

If one encounters a problem while on the study abroad trip, one should not panic as these things happen to nearly everyone at some point, should they venture out into a country with which they are unfamiliar.

Here are some of the most common study abroad problems one may face - 

a) Language and communication issues - 
One might have studied Spanish for 6 years, but one finds that once the individual steps off the plane in Barcelona that one can’t understand anyone around oneself. This is likely because there’s no real way to teach someone a language such that they can understand every idiom and every element of regional slang that native speakers are used to using. And this might stress the individual considerably, seeing that communication is imperative when one is on their own in an entirely new environment far from what one knows.

b) Fear of being left out and missing - 
When one is meandering around the new city struggling just to find a good breakfast place, it’s easy to feel like an outsider. One must not let the fact that one is new to the country get spirits down if basic tasks become much harder in the new environment. It’s understandable that one will need time to adjust to such a different environment than one usually operates in.

c) Currency issues - 
If an individual has never left the country before, using a new form of money can be really odd at first. One starts wondering how the usual currency translates into the new currency, how to use a new type of currency, and most importantly, if one will have enough money to last the whole trip.

d) Home-sickness - 
For many students who embark on a study abroad trip, it’s their first time going somewhere far away on their own, and it’s their first time being so far from their closest friends and family. Anxiety can become a huge problem abroad if one feels less than confident about taking care of oneself in a brand new place especially when the usual support group cannot come over to comfort overseas.

e) Managing finances - 
Like all students, one will find it hard to stay on top of the finances from time to time. When one is living abroad, it can be harder as one is often juggling one's living expenses on top of study expenses. Worries about the finances can really drag a person down, and make one feel alone or stressed.

Thus, we can see that growing up is a tough process and being on our own during such a sensitive period is another inevitable milestone one has to reach. Sometimes, being a student’s feels like this never-ending experiment some prodigy has invented, and enjoys piloting over our life. Once a person gets a grip on that joystick, one will face and beat all of the challenges that one won’t be able to avoid once one steps foot on this foreign land of opportunities.

PTE Academic is the world's leading computer-based English Language test of English for studying abroad and immigration.

• Fast - PTE Academic typically delivers results in five business days, so the test taker does not need to worry about waiting for results.

• Flexible Test Dates - The test is run into sessions 360 days of the year, at one of over 200 locations worldwide, so one can choose a time and place that suits the individual.

• Approved - Approved by the Australian and New Zealand governments for visa applications and accepted by thousands of institutions in the UK, Australia, USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland, including Harvard University, Yale University and INSEAD.

• Secure - Enhanced Security measure at PTE Academic including palm-vein scanning, randomised test forms and data forensics – give universities confidence that the scores can be trusted.

• Unlimited score referrals - Candidates can send their scores to an unlimited number of institutions without additional fees via their secure online account.

• No bias - The test is scored by computer so it doesn’t matter where test takers come from or what they look like, PTE Academic only tests their English skills.

The structure of the test is - 
PTE Academic consists of three main parts and there are 20 different question types. The test is an integrated skills test, each question type assessing one language skill or a combination of language skills. Question types are task-based, representing the range of functions and situations that students will encounter in an English speaking environment.

The Scoring Pattern/Evaluation - 
PTE Academic is scored against the Global Scale of English, a granular scale from 10-90. The PTE Academic Score Report includes the test taker’s overall score, communicative skills scores and enabling skills scores.

Preparation - 
Like any test, test takers should prepare by becoming familiar with the test format and learn how to tackle questions correctly. Pearson offers test takers a range of resources designed to help maximize their scores online: pearsonpte.com/prepare.

The above points make it imperative for an individual to chose #DefinitelyPTE.

The foundation lays in the initial steps! Water is life.

Life without water is next to impossible. Without fresh water we will die in just a few days.  Plain and simple, no sugar coating, it is a simple morbid fact that helps drive the point across, water equals life.  Most of us learn this along the way, so why are we complacent when we see fertilizers, oil and other pollutants pour into rivers and streams each time it rains?  Would we like to eat a fish with some weed killer marinade, or drink water with a nice motor oil sheen on top?

• Using less water keeps money safely inside our pocket.  By utilizing basic water conservation techniques we are able to save thousands of gallons of water each year.  We can do the math, use less water and the water company charges us less money.  That sounds like a good deal all around. Also the initiatives by brands such LIVPURE go a long way in creating awareness and awaken people about the importance of conservation measures.

"Thousands lived without love, but not without water.
Thus it becomes even more imperative to save water!"

• Using simple water conservation techniques can help cut our water usage by more than half.  If we commit just a little extra effort each day you alone can make a difference.  Whether we try our hand to use a low flow shower head we can see reduced water bills within the first month.  Do the planet and our future generations a favour, conserve water and stay thirsty for more savings every day.

"One doesn't have idea about how much water one wastes,

the reservoirs do!"

• Protecting our natural eco-systems from further damage is critical, especially for the survival of some endangered species.  The oceans, streams and lakes that are the lifeblood of so many local eco-systems are used as dumping grounds, hurting everything that relies on these water sources.  The great pacific garbage patch is a great example of the worst side of our wasteful practices.

"The health of our waters is simply 

the measure of how we live on land."

• Conserving water can also save largely on the energy grounds.  In order to pump the water from a central facility into our home or office, energy is required to run that equipment. So saving water means using less energy which reduces your carbon footprint and helps the country become more energy independent.

"Water is life's mater, matrix and medium."

• Water conservation can also actually help in reducing the occurrence of sinkholes.  When the natural aquifers run low, it leaves a gap where water once was.  Simple gravity pushes the ground downward since there is now a void and voila, we see a sinkhole.

"Conserving water is conserving life."

Easy and simple steps go a long way in making life changing discoveries. It is important that we bring a change in our behaviour and lifestyles which would help in making mind-boggling changes within the nature which would benefit and sustain the life on this blue planet, Earth.

#CuttingPaani brings up some of the easy and amazing ways to prevent wastage of water and make its efficient use. To be a part of the petition, sign the petition 

Nature is a blessing, and let's make our best efforts to seek those blessings in the rightful manner, by avoiding misuse and wastage of the resources at our bay.

LIVPURE

The Diwali Clearance at Home!

#CleanUpCashOut

Festivities times such as Diwali and Dusshera, springs in us humans the joys of shopping and spending the year's savings on our favourite delights. But in order to make space for the new ones, it is important that we make the "way out" for the old ones, to have a "way in" for our new desired gadgets. It is important that to have space both ways, as piling up would serve no good to anyone.

So this time I ordered everyone at home, to clean their rooms and sort out the undesired, and unwanted items to collect at a common place, so that we can decide what to replace and prepare a list of things to be purchased. The shopping mission would start only when the old ones are being ordered and sorted out in a proper manner. So abiding by the instructions, especially the kids set on to a healthy mission of cleaning their rooms properly so that they could hands on the new ones. There started the Swacchta Abhiyan at home and a lot of things started coming out which are no longer in use by anyone and are simply lying as a waste.

I had recently gotten to know about the android app Cashify from one of my friend who had a user- friendly and hassle free experience of selling off his old phone on the mobile application, so I had it in mind as to where to send and sale off those unused and unwanted items. After a handful cleaning for 2 days, there came 2 unused sony phones, hp desktop computer, samsung tablet. Also, there came the demand of replacement of their old phones with the new ones. Replacement was a later concern, first one was to get away with the old gadgets lying uselessly in home, which would further degrade and be there as a waste in the house.

One by one, I uploaded the details about the products and proceeded step by step entering the details on the app, having nothing much to do and worry about, as it asked simple questions about the configurations in a user- friendly manner. It was very easy to provide the input, and there I got a calculated amount at the end of easy 3-4 steps of providing the inputs. As I completed providing the details and confirmed the pick up, the agent from Cashify came at the door, checked the product for specifications, handed over the Cash, and left. It was this easy to get away with the old gadgets. This not only helped in cleaning the house, but also aided in a clear picture as to what were the new demands on the table. Also, there was the inflow of cash without having to let the brain muscles work on other random sites by answering and taking up the requests.

Cashify came as a handy and helpful app for me and my family where I could get all kind of services appropriately. The experience was totally hassle free and created no issues at any step. The whole process was very convenient. Though I had heard earlier about it, but after having my own personal experience with the app, I shall further recommend it to everyone who is looking forward to sell their old gadgets in a hassle free and user friendly manner. The price quotations and the instant cash delivery is a very bright and unique feature of the app., which would just take few minutes from the schedule. Must say, it saves in a lot of energy and time too.

What more would one want from the old gadget taking the flight off from your home?

For my readers to have your own experience, there is a delight for you. Use coupon code CLEANCASH and get an additional Rs. 250 on the sale of your gadgets.

To know about the details of the website, click on https://www.cashify.in/

Also, with the video below, find how gabber got off with his old gadget in a style.

The fun with story telling!

Unlocking the imagination of the children these days with lots of ideas running inside them with the advent of the movies, plays, dramas, cartoons, smartphones, tabs, televisions around has become quite interesting. Parents have to run into a lot of new creative ways to keep their child geared up and keeping them in high spirits and excitement has become quite important in the challenges of day to day life which would sharpen their ways of thinking, and analysing things in a better manner. 

Unleashing what is hidden within the children, they are to be provided different creative ways in which they can flourish with the most amazing ideas and keep themselves active in day to day life and associate themselves with the learning process. 

"Colgate strong teeth packs"make a good entry into these unlocking of imagination of children in a wonderful way by coming up with packs of wonderful sea creatures which would catch up child's imagination hiding into its characters loads of untold stories.

My younger child jumped into excitement on receiving and unveiling the packs of the interesting pictures and cutting activity that followed on receiving the packs. With the help of his mother he cut down them from the packs and started arranging them randomly in his interesting ways and with the arrangements he went on to narrate several stories which caught our attention and we all delved into the story making from the amazing sea creatures. It was getting amazing with each passing moment and it became a great way to teach and engage children into learning process. 

Story telling is a great way to unleash the creativities that hides in the kids. It is important to develop the creative ability of the children as it will help them a lot in the later lives where life will put them into testing and decision making situations. 

The striking story of the evening was when the little one could link the dirty water and pollution related problems with the sea world characters and creatures and the problems that could arise as a result that would result into the depletion of the sea world characters and we will have to live without them. I could not believe the imagination that these characters on the colgate strong teeth packs brought into the mind of the child. It was amazing to see. Also, several other stories came of the treasure hunts, and mermaid related stories which I think enriched the creative skills of the child to a large extent. 

Also, the family had a great time and brought everyone together into spending the quality time with the laughter and happiness. The memories that are framed as a result of this lasts for quite a long time and are etched into the life for forever. It is an amazing way to teach children the important lessons of life in a captivating manner and making things interesting for the children to learn. The story telling is an exciting and fun-filled way to run the child's imagination to great levels.

For more details, log on to : http://www.colgate.co.in/en/in/oc

The best of the motor world! REDI-GO!!

The best in the world comes up in the world of motor vehicles when we get the blend of the compact crossover and urban hatchback and NISSAN did it graciously with its DATSUN REDI-GO in this segment, which would definitely make it one of the preferred choice with the set of features that it is offering to the one's looking for a new addition into their garage. This is a wonderful break through in the market with a classic design in the exterior as well as interior, promising comfort level.

The features that appeal to me the most in Redi-go and take it out for a spin are plenty as it has best in almost all the segments and gives a tough fight to the best in the market. The three of the best features that satisfy me are the safety features, smart and efficient performance and the interiors of the car.

Going by the safety features that the car offers is that it has performance augmented brakes which gives the shortest braking distance which keeps driver at ease and also would prevent any kind of mishappening in tough and difficult times. Also, the car promises to have reinforced crash protection shell which ensures high passenger safety. No compromise on the safety parameters has been in the REDI-GO and thus quality safety for all the passengers. The best is the frontal offset crash performance which makes it even more reliable as it offers torsional rigidity and stiffness in the body of the car. Another important point to be taken into consideration is that it is UN94 crash performance compliant. Having met an accident earlier, I would love to keep safety features in mind while making a choice of a car, and this car deserves a promising shot.

The second feature that appeals to me is its smart and efficient performance features on the cart. The i-sat engine provided in the car automatically adjusts itself and this results in knock-free and smooth drive throughout the route. The engine of the car which is 799cc seems to be a promising one giving an average of approx 25 km/l gives a good excuse to owe the car and stay out for longer and for the long drives, making it fuel efficient and pocket friendly for the owner. This increases the efficiency of the user as well as the car. Another features that adds on to its smartness is the small turning radius of the car which would come as handy in the parking areas and tight zones. 

Thirdly, the car has amazing interiors which great seat patterns giving it a sporty look on the inside, with greatly placed dashboard equipped with modern touch. The audio system is another promising add-on in the car with spacious interiors making enough room for everyone. The drive computer giving all the upto date information about the fuel, average mileage, distance to empty fuel right in front of the eyes. The air-conditioning system of the car is optimised according to the Indian weather conditions which would give a comfortable long journey travels in the car. 

In India, I would like to test by making a drive Jaipur from Delhi, which would give a proper indication of the parameters that the car promises on the comfort and efficiency levels. Since safety and efficiency are the main concerns for me while looking for a car, I would test them for these features. 

Living in the urban areas, urban driving blues is major issue, and this can be sorted with the Redi-Go as it gives small turning radius, efficient air conditioning, and good mileage. 

Fun. Freedom. Confidence. The ultimate Urban Cross - Datsun redi-GO - the capability of a crossover with the convenience of a hatchback.

Waking up to gold mornings!

Well, the truth is, mornings will come each day and it has no choice. The choice resides with us, whether to keep them a dull one or make efforts to turn our mornings into the gold mornings. To make the mornings as the gold mornings is solely our responsibility and depends on us as to how we start our day.

 

I begin my day with the Colgate 360 Charcoal Gold toothbrush for the #Colgate360GoldMornings on a healthy note; and thereafter by waking up myself to a caffeine shot and begin my workout at the gym that I have at the basement of our apartment. It is a beautiful way to begin the day as it keeps me fresh and active for the rest of the day, which is the beauty that every morning grants me and thus, I lovingly call them as gold mornings instead of good mornings.

 

I love to wake up to the beauty of the dawn and begin my day on a healthy note and this marks a wonderful start to my new day. It is important that we mark the beginning of the day on a healthy note as this would keep the spark alive to keep oneself going for the challenges of the rest of the day. It is important that we keep ourselves fit and healthy so that we can carry the tasks in a appropriate manner and live the day in a gracious manner. This would lead to a satisfactory end to the day and shall grant inner peace and strength to sleep and begin other day on a positive note. 

 

To convert the good mornings into gold mornings lays into one's domain and how one plans out one's  day to day activities and the schedule. It should be planned in such a manner that it leads to a healthy way of living and keeps one fresh throughout the day. On the days, when I am unable to turn up for my workout at the gym, I usually go out for a walk in the park and take up little jogging. This is another way I usually go around with myself in the morning when I am under time crunch or have a busy schedule to follow. 

 

Mornings are a beautiful realisation of our healthy being and we must make the best efforts in order to take care of our health. My morning workout at the gym is my favourite way of starting the day, as it settles the nerves so that they do not later fray and keep me afresh throughout the day.

Jaipur #MadeOfGreat - Drive-Design-Connect!

Growing up in this beautiful city has been a wonderful and amazing experience altogether. A good and peaceful city that has a lot within the circumference of the city is an ultimate bliss. It is great to have known and being connected to this city. The city that has caught me for lifetime is this city of Jaipur. I love it and love cherishing my time in this city. I have come to realize all this after having travelled to different parts of the country and world. 

DESIGNING of the city: 
The city of Japiur being the capital of the largest state Rajasthan is known for its historical and archaeological significances. The city has lot of traditions being followed since the ancient times. The city is popularly known the Pink City of India and most of the walls of the city are painted pink. The city also has Vastu Shastra linked to it with its three gates facing east, west and north gates. The city is quite unusual among the pre-modern Indian cities in the regularity of its streets. The urban quarters in the city divided by networks of gridded streets. Five quarters wrap around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter, with a sixth quarter immediately to the east. The Palace quarter encloses the Hawa Mahal palace complex, formal gardens, and a small lake. The Nahargarh Fort, which was the residence of the King Sawai Jai Singh II, crowns the hill in the northwest corner of the old city.

DRIVING through the city: 
The traffic of the city is smooth flowing and the national highways do not pose halts and jams on the roads. The roads are well constructed and taken care. The driving through the city is not a hectic experience. The boards guide and give the directions. Also, the people in the city are humble and help anyone in need of the directions or guidance. 

CONNECTIVITY of the city: 
The city is very well connected to different parts of the country through roadways, railways and airways. The road connectivity is well developed and connects through cars, buses, cabs. The national railways have several express trains connecting several parts of the country. Also, the city has an airport that presents the opportunity of quick connectivity to other places in the country and abroad. Within the city, local autos, cabs, vans are available for the tourists to move from one place to another. The hotels are available at all the prices depending upon the comfort of the tourist. There are lot of sight seeing places in the city which have been connected very well. The local residents are humble and help the individuals from the other towns and states. The city has lot of handicrafts, toys, jewellery related stuff which brings people to the city for shopping purposes. There are camel and elephant rides offered throughout the city. The city has Jantar Mantar, Hawal Mahal, Jal Mahal, several ancient forts and museums, amongst the several places to offered to visit to the tourists. The food availability is quite varied, Rajasthani special being offered at all the places. 

The place which experiences a happening social life and fun- filled weekend getaways to peaceful and serene places across the city.

http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/