Megan Reinwald is a participant in the 2017 Business Professional Practicum from The University of Melbourne. Megan is studying a Master of International Business.
Q: Why did you decide to undertake the ACICIS program?
I wanted to gain first-hand experience of business in Southeast Asia and ACICIS provided me with the perfect opportunity to do that. I also knew that ACICIS had a strong, established network in Indonesia and therefore would be able to set us up with great opportunities, not just in terms of internship placements but also business excursions (we went to Google and the new Australian Embassy)!
Q: How will the Professional Practicum benefit or influence your future career?
Learning some Bahasa and gaining experience of the Indonesian workplace will be of enormous benefit to my future career. This country is our closest neighbour and will be enormously influential in terms of economics, politics and development in the region throughout the coming century. Australian university students should be prepared for this regardless of their field of study!
Q: What organisation will you be interning with? (Explain your roles and responsibilities)
I’m interning with the Indonesian Stock Exchange, in the Foreign Listing Division. So far I have been proof-reading English versions of the listing regulations and preparing short presentations on Australian policy – my Indonesian colleagues have been keen to learn about how Australia achieved certain milestones.
Q: How have you found the work culture of your host organisation? How is it different to work experience in Australia?
It is very different. Work in Australia is very fast-paced but here in Indonesia, sharing ideas with your colleagues is the number one priority, as is getting to know each other. My supervisor even moved his desk out from his private room and into the hustle and bustle of the office floor, where 100 or so employees are in constant conversation!
Q: What do you like to do in your spare time in Indonesia?
We go travelling on the weekends to nearby destinations such as Bogor and Bandung… or if we’re staying in Jakarta, we go café-hopping on Go-Jeks!
Q: Would you like to return to work in Indonesia again in future?
Absolutely. Indonesia is experiencing unprecedented economic growth and development, with seven million additional people joining the middle class each year. I would love to be a part of the business world that facilitates that.
Q: Favourite Indonesian food?
Padang cuisine 🙂
Q: Favourite Indonesian word/phrase?
Tidak masalah!
Q: Favourite place to eat?
St. Ali (their first café outside of Melbourne opened in Jakarta in 2016).
Q: What places in Indonesia have you visited during your practicum so far?
All the different tourist sites around Jakarta (MONAS, the National Museum, Kota Tua, Istiqlal Mosque, Mini Indonesia) as well as Bogor, Bandung and Yogyakarta.