“If I could go back and do it all over again, I would!” The mobility program to Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Jogjakarta, Indonesia was a rare experience indeed. Well, you can always be a tourist and travel to Indonesia, but you rarely get a chance to be the one of their students. That is about the mobility program – it is not just a tourism trip, it goes way beyond that.
Our team spent approximately 17 days in Jogjakarta. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the students and lecturers in UGM. There was a welcoming ceremony and a tour around the campus. We started our classes on the next day. Spending time as an UGM student in the classes was a different experience for each of us. We were amazed by the proactive behaviour of the students during the classes as they were always active in asking and answering questions.
During our stay, we were given the chance to visit their pharmacy – where they implement the dispensing separation – and their hospital to get some exposures on how their pharmacy department works. We were very fortunate to be able to visit the herbal garden known as Taman Djamu. At there, we tasted the peppermint and stevia leaves as well as some others. At one time, we even combined two different herbal leaves and eventually we managed to get a ‘mentos-like’ flavour instead. Wow! What an experience!
Well, time always moves faster when we are enjoying ourselves. It certainly is. In a blink of an eye, the 17 days were up. We lived our lives as their students, went to classes every day, conducted a group presentation and enjoyed speaking in Indonesian languages. On the last day, we prepared a special homemade banquet for our friends there. It was a precious moment to be remembered.
As we know, life is not something to be wasted. Take chances, love, laugh, and enjoy it while it lasts. That is why we risked it, took the golden opportunities to explore, and it was definitely worth it. So now, it is your turn to grab the chances!
By: Safurah Khairul Fadzil
