Vivien Deng is a recipient from The Australian National University. Vivien undertook the Virtual Indonesian Language Short Course in July 2022.
Q: Why did you decide to undertake ILSC?
I did Level 1 & Level 2 during the summer holidays and I wanted to continue improving my Indonesian. ILSC was the best option for me because it fit around my university semesters.
Q: What did you find to be the most rewarding part of this virtual experience?
The immense improvement. During the course, I get very caught up trying to learn the content because everything is so fast-paced but it’s so rewarding when I look back at how much I’ve learned. Every day, I’m learning to say things that I couldn’t say the day before, and I can feel my progress as I use less and less English in class.
Q: What do you find to be the most challenging about the ILSC?
The intensity. The short duration of the program also means less time to complete tasks. I would spend each day after class brushing up on that day’s content, preparing for the next day’s class, finishing homework and doing assignments. After a few days, it does become quite draining since there is so much to do and learn, but it’s super worth it for the final outcome!
Q: Have you had previous experience learning Indonesian in Australia? If yes, how different was the Virtual ILSC to your previous experiences?
Nope, only through Virtual ILSC
Q: Were you able to learn about the Indonesian culture from this virtual program? If yes, how was this achieved?
We learnt about Indonesian slang through the seminar & culture sharing sessions. Our teachers also often mentioned interesting sidenotes on culture during classes.
Q: How will your proficiency in Indonesian Language gained through the ILSC influence your future career or study?
It’s definitely expanded my career visions to include Indonesia, now that it doesn’t seem so daunting anymore (working in a country where you don’t know the language is scary!). Being able to speak Bahasa Indonesia will greatly increase my employability as an international security student seeking to work beyond Australia. I can also combine my Bahasa Indonesia and Chinese skills to work in other areas of Southeast Asia. In all, proficiency in Indonesian Language has opened many new doors and opportunities from which I can choose.
Q: Would you recommend this virtual program to your friends?
Without a doubt!
Q: Favourite Indonesian word/phrase:
Ngomong-ngomong, which means ‘by the way’. It’s such a fun word to pronounce!
Q: Describe your experience of the Virtual ILSC in three words:
Wonderful Indonesian journey