Below are the most common questions/ statements that were said by neighbours/ relatives before I came to Singapore:
1. Do you want to come back to Indonesia after your graduation?
2. Wahh, so good to go to Singapore. Then you can get PR and live happily ever after in Singapore.
3. Where are you going to study? Nanyang?
Here I am. 4.5 years after those conversations. Before I left Indonesia, I always said that I will graduate, fulfill my 3-year bond, do Master's in Clinical Psychology, and tradaaa.. go back home and serve the country (read: Indonesia). As time goes by, I have seen the complication part, firstly, it's very hard to get into Master's of Clinical Psychology program. It's hard to get in and it's hard to get sponsored. Secondly, as much as you want to go back home and serve the country, you might not be able to serve your country with a Bachelor's degree 'only' (especially for psychology), you might not be satisfied with how things are at home (it's quite frustrating that I don't know my way about at my hometown, or 1-week-'internship' experience at home made me see how some stuff were not standardized in Indonesia and things were run not like in what your lecturers taught you). Well, there is no guarantee that in Singapore things are also done according to textbook, but it's better to work in an environment that has good supervision and standard before you intend to serve or contribute to your country. Thirdly, you might have served your country more when you are at other people's country!! (surpriseeee!!!). Let me elaborate more on this point. My supervisor in my third year did a collaboration study with a researcher in Jakarta on spelling error in Bahasa Melayu vs. Bahasa Indonesia. This also gives insight on what intervention you can do back at home! I also learned more things about my country during my undergraduate study here: the untold story of Timor Leste, how to play Gamelan (and how to explain about Gamelan to foreigner), what's the difference between Javanese dance from Solo vs. Yogyakarta, and so on and so forth. I am not joking if I say that by being in other country, IF you know your country, you can be a good ambassador, more than what the posters do ;). Last but not least, sometimes you never know what happens in this foreign country and whom you will meet in this 'foreign' country >.<
Anyway, home is still the best place! And even when I read about the silly stuff that happened at home, e.g., Rhoma Irama wants to step up as president, Indonesian MOE wants to eliminate science and English subject for primary school, I still L.O.V.E my country. I'm proud to be Indonesian. I still want to do something for my country. I may not make my government proud like how my friend became international science competition winners, but when my friends listened to me recommending them good places in Indonesia, when my friends have good impression of their Indonesian friend, when telling them about the good and bad things about Indonesia and what can be learned from us, I feel happy. I've done my small parts and I'll need to continue to do other parts.
On the second point, *cough cough*, FYI, it's very hard to get PR now. It's not a happily-ever-after life when you are overseas, away from home, must move from one house to another house (or you might even only rent a room and that's your territory). It's even hard to get an Employment Pass. It's also hard to find a job if you are not a PR. And if you don't have a 'good' job, how can you be PR?
For third question, yeah...in Indo, NTU is more famous than NUS. I must keep explaining my neighbours, "Tante, I study in NUS". Anyway, it doesn't matter. I tried to apply to NUS not because of NUS rank, but because of the adventure. Indeed, I've had many many adventures :) Thank God :)
On the other hand, to Singaporeans here, I must explain that 3-year-bond doesn't mean that you're guaranteed a job :) it's really a complicated situation. Anyway, I'm trying to embrace it. The moral of this post is... wherever you are, you have to struggle :)
1. Do you want to come back to Indonesia after your graduation?
2. Wahh, so good to go to Singapore. Then you can get PR and live happily ever after in Singapore.
3. Where are you going to study? Nanyang?
Here I am. 4.5 years after those conversations. Before I left Indonesia, I always said that I will graduate, fulfill my 3-year bond, do Master's in Clinical Psychology, and tradaaa.. go back home and serve the country (read: Indonesia). As time goes by, I have seen the complication part, firstly, it's very hard to get into Master's of Clinical Psychology program. It's hard to get in and it's hard to get sponsored. Secondly, as much as you want to go back home and serve the country, you might not be able to serve your country with a Bachelor's degree 'only' (especially for psychology), you might not be satisfied with how things are at home (it's quite frustrating that I don't know my way about at my hometown, or 1-week-'internship' experience at home made me see how some stuff were not standardized in Indonesia and things were run not like in what your lecturers taught you). Well, there is no guarantee that in Singapore things are also done according to textbook, but it's better to work in an environment that has good supervision and standard before you intend to serve or contribute to your country. Thirdly, you might have served your country more when you are at other people's country!! (surpriseeee!!!). Let me elaborate more on this point. My supervisor in my third year did a collaboration study with a researcher in Jakarta on spelling error in Bahasa Melayu vs. Bahasa Indonesia. This also gives insight on what intervention you can do back at home! I also learned more things about my country during my undergraduate study here: the untold story of Timor Leste, how to play Gamelan (and how to explain about Gamelan to foreigner), what's the difference between Javanese dance from Solo vs. Yogyakarta, and so on and so forth. I am not joking if I say that by being in other country, IF you know your country, you can be a good ambassador, more than what the posters do ;). Last but not least, sometimes you never know what happens in this foreign country and whom you will meet in this 'foreign' country >.<
Anyway, home is still the best place! And even when I read about the silly stuff that happened at home, e.g., Rhoma Irama wants to step up as president, Indonesian MOE wants to eliminate science and English subject for primary school, I still L.O.V.E my country. I'm proud to be Indonesian. I still want to do something for my country. I may not make my government proud like how my friend became international science competition winners, but when my friends listened to me recommending them good places in Indonesia, when my friends have good impression of their Indonesian friend, when telling them about the good and bad things about Indonesia and what can be learned from us, I feel happy. I've done my small parts and I'll need to continue to do other parts.
On the second point, *cough cough*, FYI, it's very hard to get PR now. It's not a happily-ever-after life when you are overseas, away from home, must move from one house to another house (or you might even only rent a room and that's your territory). It's even hard to get an Employment Pass. It's also hard to find a job if you are not a PR. And if you don't have a 'good' job, how can you be PR?
For third question, yeah...in Indo, NTU is more famous than NUS. I must keep explaining my neighbours, "Tante, I study in NUS". Anyway, it doesn't matter. I tried to apply to NUS not because of NUS rank, but because of the adventure. Indeed, I've had many many adventures :) Thank God :)
On the other hand, to Singaporeans here, I must explain that 3-year-bond doesn't mean that you're guaranteed a job :) it's really a complicated situation. Anyway, I'm trying to embrace it. The moral of this post is... wherever you are, you have to struggle :)
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