Sarah Del Fante was a participant in the 2017 Public Health Study Tour from The University of Adelaide.
Q: Why did you decide to undertake the ACICIS program?
I am majoring in Public Health as part of my degree, and I thought it would be an excellent experience to learn about public health in another country – especially a country that is so different to Australia in many respects.
Q: What did you find to be the most challenging about your experience on the PHST?
The most challenging part of the tour was adjusting to the food – it’s very different to the food I normally eat at home! (In saying that, lots of Indonesian food was delicious – I fell in love with bajigur (a coconut latte), their sate ayam (chicken satay) and the various fish dishes.)
Q: What public health issues in Indonesia have you become more interested in/aware of as a result of this tour?
I am now aware of so many public health issues that Indonesia faces. The most interesting to me were issues surrounding the status of women in Indonesia, dengue & malaria endemics, and poor water sanitation.
Q: What was your favourite field trip?
My favourite field trip was to the Eliminate Dengue Project. I found it incredible that a team of researchers have discovered a potential way to eliminate dengue and that Yogyakarta is one of the trial cities for the project. It was exciting to learn about and I hope that they have success in eliminating dengue!
Q: How do you think the Public Health Study Tour will influence your future careers or studies?
I am now more interested in pursuing a career in health that would include working in another county – whether this in the field of public health or in another health profession, I don’t know!
The tour also reignited my passion for public health, that had become lost sometime during the previous semester. I am now excited to finish my degree and hopefully pursue further study in the field of public health!
Q: What did you most enjoy about the seminar series?
I enjoyed the wide variety of topics that were discussed in our seminars, each were incredibly interesting. I especially loved the seminar given by Inna Hudaya, founder and director of SAMSARA an advocate for women’s rights and safe abortion. Her seminar was so inspiring and I learnt so much about women’s issues in such a short space of time.
Q: What was your favourite aspect of visiting Indonesia?
I loved Yogyakarta and all it had to offer – the food, the people and all the sights we had to see – I miss the place!