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UNAIR NEWS – Deanita Nurkhalisa is one of ������ students that has received the International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA). The award allows her to experience studying overseas at the University of Sussex, England, from September 2022 to January 2023.

The International Relations student had made a lot preparations for the 2022 IISMA selection, one of them was the English proficiency test that tested her writing, reading, listening, speaking, and grammatical skills.

“The most challenging parts for me were the essay [writing] and interview stage,” said the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences student.

Learning challenges

Different countries present different vibes. That sums up Deanita’s experience during her stay in the UK. She had to adapt to the European country with its distinctive culture and atmosphere.

“Living together with the locals challenges me. For instance, the different time of sunrise and sunset [to Indonesia]. Here, the sun rises at 7.30 am and sets by 7 pm,” she said.

Another challenge was when she was about to go somewhere. She had to know the exact destination, directions, transport, and which stops to get off.

“I have to know the streets I take from my place to the destination. For a newcomer, it’s a personal challenge to travel without getting lost and know how to get home,” she added.

Besides, time management and financial management are also important. Deanita had to adapt to the different environment and local culture.

“Sometimes, communicating with the locals isn’t always smooth. It can be prevented with continuous practice, though. As long as we’re used to hearing their accents and we tell them our needs, it will work out well eventually,” she said.

Promoting Indonesia culture

IISMA is beyond student exchanges. Through the program, the government hoped that the young generations would promote Indonesia to the world. That is what Deanita and her IISMA fellows always do.

“I think the reputation of IISMA and Indonesia has shown the world that our students have an international learning community. Every Indonesian diaspora student has represented their culture in any kind of way, for example, the food, batik, Indonesian language, etc.,” she said.

For Deanita, being a part of IISMA was an achievement. It allows her to get more knowledge, collaborate, and build an international network. Hopefully, the knowledge she got will help develop the nation.

“Thanks to IISMA, we get to learn knowledge that will help build Indonesia. For instance, the development. I can connect the development cases in Indonesia, analyze the impacts, and consider reorientation. It will help straighten the developments towards sustainability,” she ended.

Author: Monika Astria Br Gultom 

Editor: Feri Fenoria