Nurzahara Amalia (Zahara) of Banten was an 2013-14 Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP) participant, and here shares a reflection on the ups and downs of experiencing life in Australia.

I was born to a simple family in a small town in Pandeglang, the furthest West part of Java Island. My mother is a housewife and my father was a teacher. When I was in junior high school, I dreamt of going abroad. I thought this might never be possible as my family wasn’t a rich family and you need a lot of money to travel overseas. At that time, I thought it was just a dream. I never thought that it would happen.

But then I had a chance to make this dream come through, by applying for the Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program. I applied in 2012 but I failed. Was I upset? Yes! Did I give up? No! The next year, I tried again. I practiced so hard, even taking an English course to better prepare. When preparation meets opportunity, it’s called success. I cannot tell you how great the feeling was when I set foot at the Sydney airport for the first time, it was indescribable!

Zahara interning at SBS Radio Indonesia. Photo: Nurzahara Amalia

I joined AIYEP as a representative from my province of Banten. The program has two phases: the first in Australia and the second in Indonesia. During my stay in Australia, I had so many new experiences. It was the first time I had lived with foreigners. Experiencing a new life requires you to adapt quickly and be flexible. It was particularly difficult for me to adapt to the food. I had heartburn and a stomach ache in my first week. I wasn’t eating rice and I even threw up when I tried Vegemite. But my favourite food is fish and chips. It’s delicious!

The Australian phase had many activities including cultural performances and an internship. As part of the first phase, every Monday my friends from the program and I went to schools to perform Indonesian professional dances. I was so happy seeing the audience looking so excited. I felt so proud of my own country because of its diversity. We interacted with students after our performances, which enabled me to learn more about Australian culture.

The dance crew post-performance. Photo: Nurzahara Amalia

The second part of the Australian phase was an internship. I interned at SBS Radio Australia, working every Tuesday until Friday. I had a really kind supervisor and enjoyed my time there. I learnt how to produce news and how the broadcast system in Australia works. I learnt about discipline and punctuality. I remember one time when I woke up late so I missed the train. I felt so ashamed to come late because I was worried that they believed all Indonesians were always late. I learnt from that experience to always wake up early.

I also learnt about the Australian people. They are nice, speak with an open mind and quite bluntly, and are helpful and hospitable. The country is clean and orderly. I miss my time in Australia, and I miss the fish and chips. I miss the program and the people and am grateful for my opportunity through AIYEP.

This article is one of a series of reflections from alumni of Australia-Indonesia student exchange programs. Read the experiences of other AIYEP participants here. The editors of the AIYA Blog would also like to thank Samantha Howard for her assistance in commissioning and editing these articles. You can find her solo and collaborative blog and journal writing here and here.

Simak cerita seorang perempuan dari Bali bernama Komang Santi yang pernah dapat sukses dalam kehidupannya melalui berniat yang kuat dan mencoba sebanyak-banyaknya untuk berkembang secara profesional dan pribadi.

Saya lahir di Karangasem di Kabupaten Kubu, daerah pergunungan. Tanggal lahir saya sebenarnya 10 Juli 1992 tetapi beda kalau di KTP. Ibu melahirkan saya di rumah dengan cara tradisional. Sebenarnya dulu melahirkan di rumah itu malahan lebih bagus daripada di rumah sakit karena ada dukun bayi.

Komang Santi di tempat kerja. Foto: Komang Santi

Karena desa saya ada di atas gunung, dulu motor tak bisa naik, apalagi mobil dan kita harus jalan kaki. Di sana cuacanya kering sekali dan susah nyari air. Dari kecil saya diajak oleh ibu untuk ikut jualan di Badung. Awalnya, kita menjual garam, kadang-kadang kita nukar sama beras. Kita keliling sampai Nusa Dua. Biasanya kita membawa dua karung, dan kalau habis, kita pulang. Setelah itu, karena sudah terlalu banyak orang lain yang ikut jualan, kita memilih untuk pindah ke Kuta. Saya pernah ngamen. Ngamen di lampu merah Jimbaran sama ibu. Botol kosong itu saya kasih batu dan nyanyi-nyanyi. Malu ya kita… but it’s okay.

Sorenya saya ke Tuban. Kita ngelapin motor di sebuah mini market di sana. Paginya kita ke pasar Kuta dan bantu untuk ngangkat-ngangkat belanjaan orang. Karena ada Bom Bali pada tahun 2001, kita nggak bebas lagi. Kalau ngamen gak dibolehin, ditangkap. Akhirnya ibu memutuskan untuk saya jualan jagung dan kita pindah ke Jalan Legian. Setiap hari, itu dua kali saya jualan. Paginya saya bawa 50 biji jagung rebus di kepala dalam keranjang, dan itu kadang-kadang panas sekali karena plastiknya bocor dan air itu netes di badan saya. Saya jalan kaki, jualan bolak-balik di pantai. Itu 50 biji jagung harus habis. Kenapa saya sangat beda dengan kakak saya yang tinggi-tinggi tapi saya pendek sendiri? Mungkin itu karena dulu saya jualan jagung itu (haha).

Setelah itu, jualan jagung nggak dibolehin sama pemerintah. Sometimes kita berpikir ini nggak boleh, itu nggak boleh, bikin stress. Akhirnya, saya mulai berjualan gelang-gelang kecil-kecil di pantai. Sebenarnya itu juga tidak diperbolehkan karena kita masih kecil. Kadang ditangkap, dimasukin ke asrama gitu, tapi kita kabur (haha).

Bersama keluarga angkat. Foto: Komang Santi

Saya umur sebelas tahun waktu ketemu sama bapak angkat saya. Masih ingat sekali. Waktu itu saya lagi marah sama ibu karena nggak dapat hasil dari jualan, dikira main. Saya kabur tiga hari ke Jalan Legian. Karena sudah terbiasa hidup di jalan, saya merasa tidak masalah. Saya ambil kardus kosong dan tidur di emperan jalan. Karena hujan, saya pindah ke papan berbentuk V, dan diam di dalamnya. Nah, dilihatlah sama babak angkat saya. Saya diajak makan. Dibeliin pizza. Wow! I really love pizza! Itu pertama kali saya makan pizza. Setelah makan, dikasih 50 dolar untuk bekal, jadi saya bisa pulang. Saya kasih uang itu ke ibu dan ibu bisa masak untuk keluarga. Seminggu lagi, bapak angkat datang untuk ketemu sama orang tua saya dan mintalah untuk saya diangkat jadi anak mereka karena istrinya belum bisa punya anak. Saya pindah ke rumah mereka dan disekolahkan.

Di sekolahan itu, walau umur saya sudah sekitar dua belas tahun, saya masih bergabung sama anak-anak TK karena saya sama sekali nggak tahu huruf. Dari kelas satu sampai kelas tiga… Saya kadang-kadang pakai seragam sekolah. Akhirnya selama tiga tahun, saya bisa baca, bisa nulis sedikit, saya dicariin paket kayak SMP atau SMA tapi saya menolak. Karena saya harus membantu keluarga asli saya, akhirnya saya berhenti sekolah. Sambil bersekolah, saya belajar training spa di tempat kakak sepupu saya. Pulang sekolah, saya ke sana dan bisa melihat caranya massage. Karena kebetulan ada terapis cuma satu, saya ditawarin untuk mengambil lagi satunya. Pulang sekolah, kerja di sana dan dapat uang kalau ada tamu. Waktu itu saya ingin sekali bisa hidup mandiri. Akhirnya saya kumpul cukup uang untuk ngekos. Tapi kosnya masih sangat sederhana. Waktu ibu angkat saya mencari saya, dia kaget melihat kamar saya, tidur di lantai, pakai kardus.

Dengan seragam baru setelah lulus masa percobaan di tempat kerja. Foto: Komang Santi

Saya ingin mencari pekerjaan yang lebih yakin dan saya mulai melamar di daerah Legian. Waktu itu saya hanya bisa satu treatment, yaitu Balinese massage. Akhirnya, lamaran saya diterima dan saya dapat training beberapa treatment lagi. Akhrinya saya menikah. Setelah menikah dan melahirkan anak pertama saya, saya mulai bekerja di villa. Di sana saya mendapatkan banyak pelajaran profesional. Itu membantu saya menutupi kekurangan saya karena tidak sekolah.

Karena mereka melihat niat saya untuk belajar, saya dicalonkan untuk pindah ke suatu tempat dengan pendapatan yang sedikit lebih tinggi. Waktu saya ikut interview, saya menceritakan kekurangan saya. Syukurlah beliau mengerti keadaan saya. Sekarang saya kerja dengan orang yang sudah kuliah. Kadang-kadang saya sadar bahwa ternyata pola pikir saya dengan orang yang kuliah S1 itu hampir sama. Kadang-kadang di sekitar saya ada yang mengeluh dengan apa yang dia punya tetapi sebenarynya, kalau diceritakan, pengalaman saya jauh lebih buruk daripada mereka. Cerita saya membuat motivasi mereka: “Wah, ternyata ada orang dari latar belakang yang jauh lebih buruk daripada saya tapi dia bisa menutupinya.”

Jadi saya selalu punya pikiran seperti ini: kesuksekan seseorang bukan dari seberapa tinggi pendidikan mereka, tapi seberapa tinggi usaha mereka, seberapa tinggi niatya mereka, seberapa tinggi cita-citanya mereka.

AIYA Blog mengucapkan terima kasih banyak kepada Jane Ahlstrand atas bantuannya menceritakan kehidupan sulit para pemuda di Indonesia yang kemudian dapat sukses dan kebahagiaan. Artikel-artikel yang lainnya dari Jane dapat dibaca di sini.

Katrina Steedman shares her fascinating perspectives on living through a volcanic eruption (“with ash like falling snow”), learning the importance of mutual aid and cooperation in local communities (“the Indonesian spirit of gotong royong shone through”), and sharing the enjoyment of the Weetbix challenge.

In 2010, I had been learning Indonesian for two years at the University of Sydney when I decided to do a semester at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta with the Australia Consortium for In-Country Indonesian Studies (ACICIS). My only knowledge of Yogyakarta was from a whirlwind two-day trip in 2009 when I ticked off visiting the major sites: Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple, walking down the busy street of Jalan Malioboro and eating Yogya’s famed dish, nasi gudeg. So really, I had no idea what to expect about living in Yogyakarta but I was ready to call it home for six months.

Volcanic ash coating car bonnets in Yogyakarta. Photo: Katrina Steedman

Living in Yogyakarta was an incredibly exciting chapter in my life. It was filled with trying delicious new food, making new friends, travelling to new parts of the archipelago and learning to speak Indonesian. 2010 was also a significant year for Yogyakarta and the Sleman area as there were two volcanic eruptions of Gunung Merapi, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes. After the first eruption of Gunung Merapi on the 26th October 2010, the volcanic ash reached as far as 38km from the epicentre. For us based in Yogyakarta, the volcanic ash was like falling snow – except it was so dirty and sooty and whenever you went outdoors you needed to wear a facemask. I will let you imagine the selfies.

During Gunung Merapi’s inactive periods, her slopes are home to fertile and lush green farmland and forests. After the volcano’s eruption of hot ash, gas, molten mud and rock, the area was unrecognizable, forcing those living on the slopes to evacuate their homes. Despite the difficult circumstances, the Indonesian spirit of gotong royong [mutual aid, community development] shone through as the local community had already begun working together to distribute aid to those living in temporary shelters and doing whatever they could to assist the displaced communities.

We ACICIS students were also compelled to help our new community. The opportunity to fundraise emerged at our university’s annual GamaFest, an international food and culture celebration. I managed to rope my fellow Aussies into showcasing Australian culture through singing ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and inviting three brave Indonesians to partake in the Weetbix challenge on the festival’s opening night. (For those unfamiliar, imagine eating as many DRY Weetbix as you can within 90 seconds.) Despite the simplicity of our thrown-together performance, the crowd loved our strange food culture and our zinc-covered faces belting out the famous Aussie tune. We Australians were as equally entertained by our fellow Indonesian students’ eagerness to do the Weetbix challenge and watching them gag on dry Weetbix.

Our memorable performance meant that our Aussie Food stall was a hit with the local and international students. We decorated our Aussie stall with the usual fare of flags and little koalas, and sold our mediocre Aussie tucker of Vegemite sandwiches and damper. These treats were strangely well received considering we were competing against German, French and Japanese stalls with far more appealing cuisines. We fundraised 320,000 IDR (around $32 AUD) which sounds like a meager amount, but considering a decent Indonesian meal can be bought for $1 AUD – a little goes a long way!

The displaced community following Gunung Merapi’s eruption. Photo: Katrina Steedman

The funds raised at GamaFest were boosted by the funds raised a fundraising appeal kick-started by my fellow ACICIS students, Hari Lodwick and Lana Idrus. With the help of friends and family, the fundraising appeal raised a total of 10,000,000 IDR (~$1000 AUD), which went towards buying supplies like bottled water, rice, medicines, toys, baby clothes and supplies, soap and other things to immediately assist the community of Kinaharjo. When we visited the Kinaharjo village to distribute the supplies, we were greeted with smiles and gratitude for helping out in a small way. This was how we, as ACICIS students, learnt the true meaning of gotong royong as we banded together and worked towards the common goal of helping the community of our second home during one of its darker hours.

For some, the experience of living in Indonesia during a volcanic eruption would be enough to call it quits but not for me. It is these very experiences and my subsequent trips to Indonesia that have made my life richer and certainly more interesting. I have learnt the Indonesian way of laughing and finding the good even in the most trying of circumstances. I also learned the importance of community, to come together during times of difficulty, and that we all have the ability to help, even in a small way.

I would encourage all Australians to take the time to learn some Indonesian and explore Indonesia beyond Bali, whether this is as a traveller or my experiencing living in Indonesia on one of the many ACICIS in-country study programs. If you can take the first step to travel to Indonesia and immerse yourself in our neighbour’s country, I am sure you will find yourself returning again and again just like I have.

Australian students can read more about and apply for the many varied study and internship opportunities available from ACICIS on their website.