Ria's life changed the moment her parents decided to send her to India. She had to break her friendship with Leela. To study and get a good rank in tests conducted online, she had to isolate herself from everyone. Her entire journey in flight was marred by a woman who wanted her son to marry her. After arriving, her money was stolen and the cab driver left her at the wrong location.
Now she sat along with Nancy in a police station of Juhu. A man jogging on the opposite side of the road had taken a picture of her throwing coconut and called the police. This man told police that she was creating a ruckus. Since the police station was nearby, the police showed up within few minutes.
As soon as the police came, they called an ambulance for the cab driver. A woman constable in a khaki-coloured sari got off from a white-coloured police car and asked them to get inside the car or else they will be forcibly taken to the police station. Nancy tried to tell them the truth
Life at Shivay Vihaar was simple. It was a small colony with several residential apartments. The apartments were simple and not luxurious. Ria's grandparents lived in the apartment closer to the main road. As a result, the noise of the vehicle's honking would keep going on throughout the entire day. Ria and her little cousin Meenakshi shared the bedroom while the rest of the family members slept in their rooms. She and her little cousin slept on the same bed and used the same table for studying. Although the room was too small, Ria didn't say anything to anyone. Her grandfather Shivraj Malhotra was a tall man with white hair. He was a maths teacher who continued to teach poor kids in a government school. Every morning, after brushing teeth and taking bath, Ria and her grandfather would go out for an early morning walk. On the way back home he would buy expensive chocolates for her and a
By the time, Ria reached her school for the exam, several students and their parents already stood in front of the school's huge black gate. The cab driver dropped them near the school and left."Grandpa, you need a place to sit until I come.""Oh, there is no need. I will just walk around.""Are you sure? The exam is three hours.""Don't worry. I have my watch with me. You see that Xerox shop in the corner, I will be there by the time you come.""Okay, take care.""I should be saying that. Take care while marking answers. Read questions two times and understand them before you mark. Don't just answer it in a hurry."
The next few days after the exam, Ria went to all the tourist spots of Mumbai along with her grandmother. They visited at least one tourist spot after every two days. Though they visited many places, three of them caught Ria's attention pretty much.At Red Carpet Wax Museum, one could see lifelike wax figures of prominent icons from various fields of science, politics, sports and cinema. Ria happily posed for pictures standing next to wax figures of Barack Obama, Michael Jackson and Harry Potter.The next tourist spot that she loved was Iskcon Temple, which was also known as Sri, Sri Radha Rasabihari Ji Temple This one place surprised Ria. Never had she expected India to have such a temple. It was located close to Juhu beach and occupied four acres of land. It was a gorgeously carved temple that was crafted with marble. Thousand o
Though Emma felt guilty about her grandfather willing to sleep on the floor with a mattress, she couldn't do anything else for him. If she hadn't played a prank on her aunt, this would have not happened. She tried her best to convince her grandfather every day but he would not change his decision.All those who had written the medical entrance exam were now looking up for enrolling in colleges. Counselling sessions were held for those who wanted governments seats. Those whose rank wasn't much but qualified for the exam could pay money and get into any university or college of their choice. Since Ria was already under the non-residential Indians quota, she would have to cough up more money even if she qualified and got a rank.To Ria's shock, she did not have the rank she thought she would. She wondered if she was going to disappoint her
Ria and her father spend the next two days checking out various medical colleges in Mumbai but in the end, her father decided to send Ria to the same medical college, from where studied MBBS. Ria's father already spoke with a person from the administrative office and got her a paid medical seat.Lakshmi Narayan Medical College was located away from central Mumbai, very close to the outskirts. Her father had already informed her that it would take two hours for them to reach college. Ria and her father had already booked a cab to travel to the college. Though Mumbai was a thickly populated city, the outskirts were filled with several trees and shrubs. As the car drove she also saw a white temple with a beautiful garden in front. Ria asked the driver to stop so that she could take pictures from her new iPhone. Although her father l
Ria filled the form for admission and gave it to her father, who submitted it along with her high school certificates to a bald man who sat outside the Dean's room.In return, the man gave him a couple of papers. On the top of one of the papers,Medical Fitness Certificatewas written. Few papers were attached to it from behind."We are taking most of the tests in this building today. You can go to the study room on the first floor. They will guide you from there for other tests. The X-ray will be taken only in the hospital." said the bald man.Ria along with the father walked used the U shaped stairs near the office to reach the floor. The study room was directly in front of them. It was a huge room with students sitting at one end and doctors examining the students
Ria managed to give her urine sample in the washrooms on the ground floor. Though she argued with her father all the way downstairs, she finally used it. Although the washroom down was stinking as well, she quickly collected her sample.For an X-ray of the chest, she had to go to the hospital. Ria and her father stood outside a room on the ground floor of the hospital. Along with students many patients too had to wait. When her turn came, she went inside the room. Ria didn't have any problem while doing this test.It was afternoon by the time they finished all the tests. Ria and her father went back to the office but most of the staff including the Dean itself were on lunch break. Ria and her father went outside to a restaurant nearby for lunch. They planned to eat and go back quickly.
Ria spend the next few days buying books for her college. While she had gone inside to give the x-ray for her chest, her father had gone to the office to get the list of books needed. In addition to this, she also had to buy aprons and a dissection box.Her aunt insisted her father to buy some traditional clothes for her as well."Your daughter doesn't look like Indian. That shirt is so short and those jeans are so tight. She is going to study in a college that is away from the city. People from villages and towns will come there. There will not look at her as a doctor. Please buy some Indian clothes for her." said Mrs Gayatri Malhotra."There is no way I will wear those uncomfortable clothes.""Ria, Gayatri is right. You must wear so