Studying at Syracuse University (IELSP Batch VI)

Sebenernya, ini copy-paste dari tugas yg pernah dikasi sama Ibu Irid waktu kita mau pulang ke Indonesia. Gak bagus-bagus amat, soalnya ngerjainnya kejar tayang. Dan tidak mengguanakan style artikel, tapi style essay biasa. Hohoho… Sedikit share tentang belajar di SU..

STUDYING AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

It almost 8 weeks since I arrived here, which means I will leave this city, particularly this University, very soon. Syracuse University is, indeed, a very good place to study. No wonder it is chosen as a place to study for many people from all over the world. Here, I have a lot of valued experiences that I cannot explain one by one. However, direct or indirectly, this 8-weeks-living-abroad changes me a lot; both personality and English skills.

Before I came here, I thought that to be accepted in a society was very easy, but then I realized that I was wrong. In fact, to be admitted by environment needs quiet hard efforts, especially for one who has a very bad temper like me. I used to be such person as I got angry easily. And then, one problem came and made me think that I must control my emotion unless I will lose everything. Unfortunately, I cannot tell how the problem was exactly. Maybe, that was not my fault 100%, but no need to blame on someone else. So, I admit that it was my mistake as a result that I did not control myself well. That was one of personality-changing experiences I faced here. Since that time, I am trying to improve myself.

After that, I tried to be more careful with my vicinity; in this case, people surround me. But still, I got a problem. At that time, I just realized that to be taken as the way you are by people is considerably almost impossible. I think I always take people as the way they are. That makes me, until now, cannot understand why it is so hard for people to take me as the way I am. People often misunderstand me for what I have done. For example, when I ask someone to do something, some people think that I am trying to the boss. I still do not know why. Now, I am learning to behave and to speak well.

Not only personality, this program improves my language capacity as well. I have to admit that my English is still not that good, but I know I made some improvement already; in textual, oral, and grammar. My grammar teacher always encourages me to pay attention to details. So, I am now doing my best to use grammar as detail as possible. Moreover, my oral and textual teachers always remind me to be more specific. This is kind of hard for me, because I tend to be an abstract thinker who is not really care about particular. My oral and textual teacher also force me to use logical and critical thinking which I was not accustomed to those things. Every time we write an essay or give a speech, the teachers ask us to be more critical in our work. Overall, I am sure I made a progress toward my English although it is not that significance.

Furthermore, this program has some good points. As I mentioned before, it improves my English and it gives me chances to be a better person in some aspects in terms of socialization. Not only that, this program also gives me opportunities to see the culture of American as well people from other countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan, etc as I interact with them every day in and out class. Feeling the culture shock taught me how to solve that kind of situation that involves people from other countries who most of them are non-English speaker. This is also a big chance to show them, international students, that Indonesians are also able to compete with them although we come from the 3^rd world country. Moreover, it also enables us to prove to American and other International Students that Indonesians are not that bad as they are shown on television. We do love peace, we respect people, and we are truly eastern people who are very friendly. So, this program gives us chances to make them see Indonesia as a good country.

However, there are some points that have to be improved within this program. For me, living with Indonesian mate in a room is not a bad idea, but it would be better if we lived with American because we could practice our English better. Then, as a university student, I am curious about how it feels studying in a real US University instead of merely studying in the Language Institute, not to mention the Institute is bad. So, I think it would a good idea to let the grantees feel the real US University situation by having a certain time to study in his/her major in the University.

Nonetheless, I am so thankful and proud to become a part of this prestigious program, because this program helps me to improve myself. I strongly hope I will be able to apply all what I got from here in my daily life in order to make the better vicinity. I hope in the future this program will be continuing, so that many Indonesians will improve their surroundings' quality.