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Jane SENSERRICK
Student of Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
Exchange to Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
My first taste of Indonesia was in July 2017 when I joined a small group of students from Swinburne Law School for its inaugural Indonesian study tour. The bustle of Jakarta had me immediately engaged and the cultural hub of Yogyakarta was easy to settle into. I was surprised by how easy the decision was to return on exchange the following year. Six months later and I was in Yogyakarta again, studying at Universitas Gadjah Mada ("UGM"). University life in Indonesia took a bit of time to get used to. Whether it be figuring out a subject group chat (the only way to find out about class changes or assignments), or the unwritten rule of "wait for 30 minutes if the lecturer doesn't show up". While it was the exchange programme that took me to Indonesia, the experience outside the university proved to be the most memorable.
My friends and I spent weekends exploring the beaches or waterfalls surrounding Yogya and were excited to find a sports bar that gave us our weekly hit of Australian Football League. We also regularly visited an Islamic boarding school not far from the city where we helped teaching the students English and football game. Now, I am still keeping in touch with some of the students there and plan to visit them again.
Being attentive to my clothing became my second habit. I was acutely aware Indonesians generally valued modesty in outfit as a Muslim dominant country. It was a small adjustment but important as a representative of an Australian university. UGM also had a dress code, long pants on 30-degree days was the norm.
I think the most striking thing to me about Indonesia is its people and how they interact with each other. I absolutely believe the roads would stop entirely if there were not men – rarely women directing traffic by oral instructions or hand gestures while they were standing in busy intersections making loose change. This seemingly trivial feature of Indonesian life and livelihood is integral to the day-to-day activities of the country.
The Endeavour Award enabled me to take the opportunity to experience Indonesia. I was able to stay in Jakarta subsequent to the exchange and completed internships that gave me invaluable insight. My time in Indonesia has put me on a path I could not have previously envisioned, and that motivated me to pursue a career in international affairs.
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