On 7 August 2016, ACICIS welcomed 35 new students to the beautiful Yogyakarta for Semester 43. This cohort consists of students undertaking our Flexible Language Immersion Program (FLIP) and Development Studies Immersion Program (DSIP) at Universitas Gadjah Mada, as well as the Indonesian Business, Law and Society (IBLS) at the Universitas Islam Indonesia. 25 of these students have received New Colombo Plan Mobility Grants to support their participation in ACICIS programs, and 3 students are New Colombo Plan Scholars.
To help the students settle in their new home for the next six months, ACICIS ran a four-day orientation at the University Club Hotel of Universitas Gadjah Mada. The orientation sessions included administration matters such as immigration and police registrations, a health and security, and cultural information about Yogyakarta to help them settle in and understand the local norms and customs. Alongside these sessions, students were also busy hunting for accommodation – or kost – with their pendamping (student buddy). ACICIS pendampings know the city in and out, they are experts in helping the students find accommodation and the best nongkrong (hanging out) spots in town. The adventures with their pendamping could be the start of a lifelong friendship!
To wrap up the orientation, ACICIS held an NGO Fair at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences of Universitas Gadjah Mada. With over thirty fantastic NGOs present, the students were able to speak with them regarding opportunities to volunteer and intern during their semester in Yogyakarta, which is a great opportunity for full immersion.
