Yan, could you tell your story on being a part in  japan student exchange programme ?

YEAAAHH,  it’s here, my first posting. Well, I feel jubilant launching my first posting about my experience being a part in japan student exchange programme, beside of completing it as a task, I’ve just thought that writing our story of live in a blog, wordpress, or others, has a lot of benefits in it. One of them is that when we’ve been growing old and of course, forgetting our own beautiful life story, don’t need to be worry oppa, just open the blog and scroll down, every life’s moment that you wrote will be screened on you. Beside that, we may also share the information or new things that we’ve found.

Today is the second month I’ve been lived in japan, perform an outstanding task, study in japan for about six months, besides learning and playing, writing a blog also one of the task that I have. Eventhough, I’ve just try making it this time, but it’s better than not having it at all. Firstly, I feel confused what to write, I feel not confidence, I’m afraid that it will not be an interested writing. But finally, I’ve thought to make the story about my life experience on being a part in japan student exchange programme first, in order to make the story in series.

Well, the story starts when I heard that there is a student exchange program in japan, wiiiiii... my brain automatically shows a lot of image about Japanese, such as cherry blossom, greatest castles and… shinkansen.

The one who told me about this programme is my own classmate, I feel so curious and wanted to know more. Finally, I’ve got a couple of information that actually this programme was brought by my lecturer Madam Dr. Eng. Beta Paramita, she has just finished her doctor programme study in japan. UK-SERP (University of kitakyushu-student exchange and research programme) was the name of this programme, consists of six months and two weeks programme for workshop. This programme was also participated by JASSO (japan association service organization) that giving monthly scholarships. But JASSO doesn’t give the scholarship for the flights tickets, that means i need to use my own money to go to japan. Huaaaa*

A few days later when I’ve got a lot of information about this programme, “ah moal mungkin bisa ngiluan yan, bahasa inggris ge kamana wae komo bahasa jepang. Pasti kudu boga duit loba oge walaupun beasiswa !” that means…. “it’s impossible to be a part on this programme,  my English skills needs a lot of improvement especially my Japanese skills. And for sure, need to have a lot of money eventhough it is a scholarship!” Those words keep yelling inside my deepest heart. Heeee* I’ve been thinking that way because on that day I’m in the 5th semesters that have a lot of beloved architecture’s tasks. But never mind, in the end I decided not to think anymore about being a part on this programme cause those reasons that I’ve thought before. Times goes by, and I’ve heard from my friends that treza and ochi are the chosen one for six months programme, and there are 6 others that chosen for 2 weeks programme for workshop. They are such a very lucky person.

Once, there was a conversation that arouse my desire to be a part in this student exchange programme again for next year, UK-SERP 2016. On that day,  when I’m helping Madam Beta (my lecturer in tropical architecture subject) to brought down a tools, seems like wind tools or solar radiation tools because of the full moon, I don’t really know cause I forgot about it. After I’ve brought down the tools from the rooftop of PKM (Student Activity Center) building, then we went back to FPTK (Faculty of Technology and Vocational Education). On our way back, Madam Beta giving me a sudden question “yan, are you joining the student exchange programme ?” owww…* finally she asked me. Then, I’ve just answered her question “No Ma’am, I don’t have much money for the flights ticket, I’ve asked to treza that I need to have 4 million rupiahs for the flights”, Madam Beta replied spontaniously “just try it first, don’t think about money cause it could be sought after” taraa..* In the end, we make another appointment to talked more about it.

After having some discussions, finally I knew this programme well. But, I felt sad cause unfortunately I can’t join in the six months programme, Madam Beta said to me that the six months programme only for the most oustanding student in architecture engineering department of education. Ok nonetheless, I still have a desire to go to japan and eventually I decided to apply for 2 weeks programme selection.

Ever since that day, I’ve thought every single thing on how the way to join and being accepted, everything has to be prepared before the selection process and interviews. Started a struggle to learn English, Japanese, collected and compiled my portfolio, thinking out loud on how to collect a lot of money and one thing that makes me happy is that having some friends which is keep supporting me, thanks ai and lidhia fairuz harly whose always accompanied and did all the requirements together.

After a struggle staying up for work on motivation letter and others, finally it’s time for interview. I forgot what day was on that day, but certainly there are 15 people whose join in the selection, and I’ve just knew on that day who are  the students that taking a part in that selection. Oh my God, Those who join in this programme selection are all the great students, to be honest, I feel not confidence to be matched with them, whatever with the results, at least I’ve tried my best and get rid of my curious feeling.

One by one our name was called to be interviewed, Owww my body was trembling. Finally, my name was being called and I feel happy to know that Mrs Tutin the one who interviewed me, Mrs. Tutin is one of the lecturer who had always helping me to improve my English skill, a good one and my favorite teacher. I can’t thank you enough for your help ma'am. At that time, Mrs Tutin asking a couple of questions in English, aaa... lucky me that I understand what she is asking and for sure I answered it with a little nervous. Then, the next question was surprised me, Madam Tutin asked "Rian, are you ready if we choose you to participate in the SIX MONTHS programme ?”. I was so surprised to be given such a question because I was not applied for 6 months programme, and now I have been given a chance, automatically I answered "yes ma'am I am ready for it, and I'll always ready to face my future!" I feel jubilant on seeing her smile at that time. Thanks God for making me able to answered all the question in the interview selection, even though the questions are not as much and as hard as I imagined before and I feel so relieved after going out of the lecturer’s room.

Awaiting for the selections result is the most stressful phase. For almost a week or so, I feel not good to do anything, can’t sleep well, eating tasted unpalatable, that’s all happen cause waiting for a certainty... haha. After all, D day is coming, I got a message in the early morning and taraaaa delighted message coming from a great lecturer, Mrs. Trias. The message was telling that I’ll go to japan, but she has not told me which programme that I’ll got. Doesn’t matter which program would it be, I feel so grateful on hearing can be a part in this programme. Alhamdulillah....

 The text that made me cried

It was at 11 noon, all of the selected student must be gathered in the department’s room. All of us as the chosen one felt nervous on hearing the announcement of who are the luckiest students that will get six-months programme. Madam Beta comes to the room, sat down and expressed the slightest opening, then Surprised ... Madam Beta called my name and my best friend faris to be a part in six months programme. Happy, surprised, all feeling was jumbled. I can’t believe what is happening to me, at that time, I was registered for two weeks programme, because I thought that it was impossible to get the six months programme, but now I realized, when we are sincerely into something, pray and ask for prayers from everyone, especially from our parents, it’s a must, Inshaa Allah all the best result is given to us. At the end of the meeting, Madam Beta described about this selection’s result, it is not only determined and scored by Madam Beta, but also by some lecturers who participated in it as well. Waaa I feel so happy ....

Since that day, I've become a snob busy, felt there was no time to relax cause everything must be prepared so well. Anyway, I am very grateful and thanks to all those who has helped and supported me. Thanks to my parents and my family, thanks to all lecturers who has chosen me, thanks a lot Dwiki who had accompanied me to go to ciparay just for taking a family card, thanks ari for giving your earn of project for my trip to japan. Thanks a lot Lidhia, Ai Neni and all people who has helped me. May Allah repay it all. Aamiin

One of another reasons why I write this story, firstly because some of my friends was asking me about what is the reason behind my decision to be a part in this programme, he knew that I don’t have a desire and I didn’t even once have in my mind to study abroad or study in Japan. I was thought that Japanese is very difficult... I was thought that everything is impossible. Everythings that happened in my life sometimes accordance with these words "God gives me what i need, not what i want". I choose to be apart in two-weeks programme, but I was selected to be in six-months programme. Feel being the luckiest person. There’s no a coincidence, Allah SWT. had it all planned. People are judging us, assess our efforts and what have we done. "Good Personality and Good Attitude should be an important modality in our daily life". These words are the message from my beloved lecturer. Strives from childhood up until now for making my parents proud of me, Alhamdulilah, now is one of the time. An ordinary boy from a little family, originally comes from the village, who is struggling to make his parents proud and happy, I think this is the suitable tittle for my first posting .... haha.

See you on next posting, next I’ll write about UK-SERP 2016 and the programs in it. Ja mata nee…

Faculty of Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu, Japan

Gimana ceritanya yan, ko bisa ikutan student exchange ke jepang ?
YEAAAHH, postingan pertama niih. Well, bahagia pake bangetlah postingan pertama bahas tentang ini, selain tugas dari dosen, ternyata baru ngeuh juga kalo cerita pengalaman hidup di blog, wordpress dan sebagainya itu manfaatnya banyak banget. Salah satu manfaat yang keren itu ntar pas udah tua pasti otomatis lupa tuh semua cerita indah di masa muda, ndak usah bingung opaa, tinggal buka blog terus scroll down langsung dah keluar semua cerita-cerita indahmu. Selain itu, kita juga dapat berbagi informasi mengenai hal-hal baru yang kita temui.

 

Hari ini pas banget udah 2 bulan tinggal di jepang, menjalankan tugas yang luar biasa, belajar selama 6 bulan. selain belajar dan bermain, bikin blog juga salah satu tugas yang saya terima. Ya walaupun baru bikin sekarang, tapi tak apa mending telat dari pada tidak sama sekali. Awalnya bingung postingan pertama mau cerita apaan, takut salah plus tak nyambung, tapi akhirnya kepikiranlah cerita tentang ini dulu biar ntar runtutan ceritanya pas.

Jadi ceritanya kayak gini, dulu Ketika pertama kali denger ada program pertukaran pelajar (student exchange) dan tempatnya di jepang, weiissss otakpun secara otomatis menampilkan bayangan tentang orang jepang, bunga sakura, kastil-kastil yang keren, plus… shinkansen.

Dulu  temen sekelas yang ngasih tau kalau ada program pertukaran pelajar ke jepang, pertama sih kepo banget, ujung-ujungnya dicari taulah itu program. Akhirnya dapet sedikit informasi, ternyata program ini dibawa oleh dosen saya Ibu Dr. Eng. Beta Paramita, beliau baru menyelesaikan studi doktornya di jepang saat itu. UK-SERP (University Of Kitakyushu-Student Exchange and Research Program) adalah nama program ini, terdiri dari program pertukaran 6 bulan dan 2 minggu untuk workshop. Program ini juga berpartisipasi dengan JASSO (japan association service organization) yang memberikan beasiswa setiap bulannya. Tapi JASSO ternyata tidak memberikan beasiswa buat tiket pesawat, yang berarti harus pake uang sendiri buat ongkos ke jepangnya. Huaaa*

Beberapa hari kemudian, setelah mencari tahu lebih banyak tentang program itu, “ah moal mungkin bisa ngiluan yan, bahasa inggris ge kamana wae komo bahasa jepang. Pasti kudu boga duit loba oge walaupun beasiswa !”  yang artinya…. “gak mungkin bisa ikutan yan, bahasa inggris masih acak-acakan apalagi bahasa jepang. Pasti harus punya uang banyak juga walaupun itu beasiswa !”,  kata-kata itu yang diucapkan pertama kali di dalam lubuk hati yang paling dalam. Heee* Maklum, waktu itu masih semester 5 yang lagi padet-padetnya sama tugas tercintah. Tapi sudahlah, pada akhirnya enggak kepikiran lagi tentang program pertukaran pelajar itu. Setelah beberapa minggu kemudian, baru taulah dari temen sekelas ternyata yang kepilih dapet kesempatan belajar dengan program UK-SERP 2015 ternyata saudara treza dan saudari ochi, plus ada 6 orang lainnya yang dapet program 2 minggu buat workshop, beruntung bangetlah jadi mereka...

Suatu saat, terjadi sebuah percakapan yang jadi salah satu alasan saya daftar beasiswa ini, buat program selanjutnya, UK-SERP 2016. Ceritanya waktu itu lagi bantuin Bu Beta, dosen saya di mata kuliah arsitektur tropis, bantuin buat nurunin alat penghitung sesuatu, entah angin, entah radiasi matahari karena bulan purnama, entah apa saya lupa. Setelah selesai nurunin alat itu di rooftop gedung PKM (Pusat Kegiatan Mahasiswa) UPI, kami kembali ke FPTK (Fakultas Pendidikan Teknologi dan Kejuruan). Saat di mobil, tiba-tiba Bu Beta melontarkan satu pertanyaan “yan, kamu ikutan yang exchange ke jepang enggak ?” owww.. di Tanya juga ternyata, ya waktu itu kujawab dengan satu alasan, “Enggak Bu, iyan enggak punya uang buat ongkosnya. waktu itu iyan nanya ke treza, ongkos pesawat buat berangkatnya aja sekitar 4 jutaan.” Bu Beta pun spontan jawab “cobain aja dulu ikutan, jangan mikirin duit. Duit mah bisa di cari!”,taraaa..* akhirnya kita janjian buat ngobrol lebih lanjut.

Setelah diskusi beberapa kali, akhirnya saya lebih paham dengan detail program tersebut. Dan sayangnya pada saat itu, sedih enggak bisa ikut program yang 6 bulan, soalnya bu beta bilang kalo program tersebut hanya untuk mahasiswa berprestasi departemen pendidikan teknik arsitektur. Ok, tapi keinginan buat pergi ke jepang tetep ada. Akhirnya, saya tetap membulatkan tekad buat ikut seleksi program yang 2 minggu.

Sejak hari itu, saya berpikir keras gimana caranya supaya bisa ikut dan diterima, semuanya harus di persiapkan sebelum proses seleksi dan wawancara. Dari mulai perjuangan belajar bahasa inggris, bahasa jepang, ngumpulin dan nyusun portofolio, mikir keras gimana caranya supaya bisa ngumpulin duit dan yang bikin happy banget itu punya temen yang selalu ngasih semangat, makasih Ai Neni dan Lidhia Fairuz Harly yang juga udah nemenin dan  ngerjain bareng semua persyaratannya.

Setelah perjuangan bergadang buat ngerjain motivation letter dll, akhirnya waktu buat wawancarapun tiba. Saya lupa  waktu itu hari apa, tapi yang pasti ada 15 orang yang ikut seleksi, dan baru tahu di hari itu juga siapa aja yang ikut seleksi. Buseett, ternyata orang-orang hebat semua yang pada ikut, jujur minder banget pas liat mereka, entah gimana hasilnya, at least udah nyoba dululah dan bikin rasa penasarannya hilang.

Satu persatu nama kita di panggil, owww my body was trembling. Akhirnya nama sayapun dipanggil dan ternyata Bu Tutin yang mewawancarai saya, Bu Tutin adalah salah satu dosen yang sering membantu dalam proses belajar bahasa inggris saya, dosen yang baik dan dosen favorit. I can’t thank you enough for your helping Ma’am. Pada saat itu, Bu tutin melontarkan pertanyaan satu persatu dalam bahasa inggris, aaa… untung ngerti dan saya jawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan tersebut sambil gemeteran. Karena dulu saya submit dokumen buat program yang 2 minggu, nah tiba-tiba ada satu pertanyaan yang bikin saya kaget, bu tutin bertanya “rian, are you ready if we choose you to participate in the six months program?” Kira-kira seperti itulah pertanyaannya, otomatis pada saat itu saya jawab “yes ma’am I am ready for it, and I’ll always ready to face my future!” Seneng bangetlah liat ekspresi bu tutin yang tersenyum pada saat itu. Alhamdulilah saya bisa jawab semua pertanyaan dari beliau, walaupun pertanyaannya tidak sebanyak dan sesulit yang saya bayangkan dan lega banget rasanya setelah keluar dari ruangan dosen.

Menunggu hasil seleksi, ini merupakan fase yang paling menegangkan. Selama hampir kurang lebih seminggu, rasanya enggak enak ngapa-ngapain, tidur tak nyenyak makan tak enak, ya iyalah pasti orang menunggu kepastian...haha. Hari itupun tiba, pagi-pagi ada sms masuk dan taraaaa, sms menggembirakan datang dari Dosen yang hebat, Bu Trias  yang isinya itu saya bakalan berangkat ke jepang, tapi beliau belum memberitahu kami akan mendapatkan program yang mana. Tidak peduli mau dapat program yang mana, denger udah kepilih aja bersyukur banget. Alhamdulillah....

Teks yang bikin nangis seketika

Waktu menunjukkan pukul 11 siang, semua yang terpilih program ini kumpul di ruang departemen. Kami yang terpilih gugup  banget plus deg-degan mendengar pengumuman siapa yang terpilih buat program 6 bulan. Bu Betapun datang ke ruangan, duduk dan mengutarakan sedikit pembukaan, lalu Surprise….. Bu Beta sebut nama saya dan sahabat saya faris untuk mengikuti program 6 bulan. Seneng, kaget, terharu semua campur aduk. Padahal waktu itu saya daftar buat program yang 2 minggu soalnya enggak mungkin banget bisa dapet yang 6 bulan. Tapi ketika kita sungguh-sungguh dalam suatu hal, berdoa dan minta doa dari semua orang terutama dari orang tua itu harus banget, Inshaa Allah semua hasilnya yang terbaik buat kita. Di akhir pertemuan, Bu Beta menjelaskan mengenai hasil seleksi ini, ternyata hasilnya bukan ditentukan oleh Bu Beta saja, tapi oleh beberapa dosen yang ikut berpartisipasi juga. Waaa senangnya….

Sejak saat itu, saya jadi orang yang sok sibuk, serasa tak ada waktu buat bersantai lagi, soalnya semua harus dipersiapkan dengan matang. Pokoknya, saya sangat berterima kasih kepada semua pihak yang telah membantu dan mendukung. Terima kasih untuk orang tua dan keluarga, Terima kasih untuk semua Dosen yang telah memilihku, terimak kasih dwiki yang nganter pulang-pergi ke ciparay jauh-jauh huhujanan dari UPI Cuma buat ambil selembar kartu keluarga, terima kasih ari putra yang sudah mengikhlaskan bagian upah proyeknya buat nambahin uang bekelku ke jepang. Terima kash Lidhia, Ai Neni dan semua. Semoga allah bisa membalas kebaikan semuanya. Aamiin

Salah satu alasan lain buat cerita dengan judul ini, soalnya dulu teman saya bertanya hal tersebut, dia tau kalau saya enggak punya keinginan dan enggak kepikiran buat belajar di jepang. Saya rasa saya bahasa jepang sulit banget.. Pokonya semua serba enggak mungkinlah. Apa yang saya alami pada kehidupan saya terkadang sesuai dengan kata-kata ini “I do what I want, but actually I get what I need” Saya memilih program yang 2 minggu, tetapi saya terpilih mendapatkan program yang 6 bulan. Sungguh merasa sangat beruntung. Semua bukan merupakan hal yang kebetulan, Allah SWT. sudah merencanakan semuanya. Semua orang menilai kita, menilai usaha kita dan apa yang kita lakukan. “Kepribadian yang baik, sikap yang baik itu yang harus menjadi modal utama” merupakan pesan dari dosen tercinta. Usaha saya dari kecil sampai sekarang untuk membanggakan orang tua, Alhamdulilah ada hasilnya. Seorang anak laki-laki dari keluarga sederhana, berasal dari kampung, yang berjuang untuk membanggakan dan membahagiakan kedua orang tuanya, kayaknya ini judul yang paling pas buat edisi curhat kali ini.... haha.

Sampai bertemu di postingan selanjutnya, berikutnya saya akan membahas tentang UK-SERP 2016 dan program-program di dalamnya. ja mata nee..

Faculty of Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu, Japan