Ellen Butterworth, a UNSW Australia student, undertook the Flexible Language Immersion Program in Semester 1, 2017.
Ellen studied in Indonesia with the support of a $5,000 New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant.
Why did you decide to undertake the ACICIS program?
I decided to undertake the ACICIS program because I wanted to become fluent in Indonesian language, live, study and travel in Indonesia.
What classes/units are you currently enrolled in?
- Kosakata – vocabulary
- Peace-Building – explores the peace-building process, using mostly Indonesian case studies.
- Managing Conflict in Public Policy – explores conflict management in public policy, using many
- Indonesian and international case studies.
- Perubahan Sosial di Indonesia – a sociology course that explores social transformation in Indonesia.
- Sinematografi – our project for this semester is to make a short, non-fiction film.
Are you involved in any clubs/societies at the university?
UGM Buddy Club – I went on a field-trip to Ullen Selatu museum of Javanese Culture and History, and to Giriloyo, a village renowned for it’s batik, where I got the opportunity to make my own batik. This club has also helped me meet and make friends with Indonesian students at UGM.
How will your proficiency in Indonesian Language gained through the Flexible Language Immersion Program influence your future career or study?
Indonesian language proficiency will open up a range of opportunities for future career and study. It will be a useful compliment to my Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of International Studies degrees and many careers in those fields..
How different is in-country Indonesian language learning to your previous experiences in an Australian classroom environment?
In-country learning isn’t restricted to the classroom, all day you’re learning by fully immersing yourself in the language and culture. So much I learn comes from interactions and conversations in daily life, and going to the extra effort to learn in daily life will give your classroom learning a huge boost.
What do you like to do in your spare time in Yogyakarta?
Try out new restaurants, cafes and warungs with friends, jalan-jalan, take photos, tutoring at Wisma Bahasa, go to the gym, swimming pool, markets, movies, mall, just explore!
Favourite Indonesian food/ Favourite place to eat:
Tempe- it’s the vegetarian lifeblood! I also eat the gado-gado from the FISIPOL foodcourt pretty much every day I’m at uni.
Favourite Indonesian word/phrase:
Tidak apa-apa/gak papa because I say ‘no worries’ a lot in English, or maybe sedikit pedas because you never know what you’re going to get.
What places in Indonesia have you visited during your Semester so far?
Lombok & Gili Air
Salatiga
Bali
Hiked Gunung Merbabu
Gungung Merapi
Borobudur
Prambanan