From left, Grace Renata Gondowardojo, Vena Nathaniela Susilo and Ariel Alvaro Yuwono are enjoying their time at Otago, learning and experiencing new things.
To say Dunedin is somewhat of a culture shock to students from Indonesia wouldn’t be far off the mark.
But for the 2024 Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) scholarship awardees who chose to study at Otago, the differences are the draw.
Sandra French spoke to three IISMA students to talk about their experiences.
The architecture, the culture, the extracurriculars, the pies, perhaps surprisingly, the weather, and of course, the people are the highlights of Otago for an IISMA trio.
Vena Nathaniela Susilo, from Bogor, Indonesia says while Dunedin’s weather is very different from home, it’s still enjoyable.
Her main reason for choosing Otago as her study abroad university though, was the “extracurricular activities”.
“With the IISMA scholarship, there is a focus on sharing our culture while experiencing a new one. So my research on which university to choose was focused on the opportunities to do that.
“With initiatives like UniCrew and the wide range of OUSA events, Otago was a top choice.”
A student of Atma Jaya Catholic University studying English education, Vena was also attracted to the paper options, which allowed her to explore something new.
“I found I had options to choose from that were different to what I am offered back home. Exploring new subjects is very interesting to me and a great opportunity.”
The chance to do that in a city that’s very different to home is an added bonus, Vena says.
“I grew up in a major city in Indonesia where everything is tall, modern buildings and the stores are open way past five in the evening.
“Dunedin is so different and just taking a walk here, exploring the architecture on campus and in the city, is so refreshing.
“Plus, everyone here is very welcoming, especially to international students. I have very much enjoyed interacting and socialising with people.”
The 2024 IISMA cohort
Calvin Institute of Technology Biomedical Sciences student, Grace Renata Gondowardojo, wholeheartedly agrees.
“I’m enjoying my time here. Not only the nature but also the culture. People are very friendly, and the work life balance is wonderful.
“There are a lot of extracurricular activities that I have enjoyed through the OUSA clubs like tree planting, cooking classes and volunteering with Animal Aquatic Plant Ecological Society.
“I also feel very safe and supported as an international student, especially with Campus Watch and AskOtago around.”
Grace has been making the best of the facilities Otago has to offer, she says.
“As a science major, I would recommend experiencing as much of the labs as you can, particularly the world-class equipment and tools available to students.”
She has also had the opportunity to study marine science “outside of a lab”.
“In Indonesia, most of my work is in an indoor laboratory, but here students have the opportunity to travel on an Otago vessel to collect specimens like plankton for study.”
She is all praise for Otago’s lecturers too.
“I’m amazed by how friendly the lecturers are. I have spoken to a few to find research opportunities and they are very open to be approached for a discussion.”
For Swiss German University Communication Sciences student Ariel Alvaro Yuwono, the support from lecturers was vital to his learning.
“The papers I picked were not communication papers, but closely connected, like marketing and business and society, very different to what to what we’re used to.
“The lecturers here teach in a very easy manner that helps us understand things, instead of having to memorise concepts.”
That sense of support and welcome extends to his experiences with his fellow students too, he says.
“I have made many international friends, but also local friends too.
“The key is to really try your best to open up to people, which is something that we might struggle with as international students in a country very different to ours.”
While Dunedin is not new to Ariel, having been here with his family when he was younger, he’s been enjoying exploring the city, trying the local cuisine and participating in activities both on and off-campus.
“Unipol is great. It is really, really, big and there’s so much to do. It’s quite cool. I’ve also joined a choir on campus.
“I’ve ventured out of the city with the friends I’ve made and explored places like Tunnel Beach.
“Oh and the meat pies are a must. They’re basically my breakfast each morning.”
The movies have also been an experience with a difference, Ariel says.
“The cinemas here are less crowded and more spacious, and the ads you see before the movie are quite funny and cheeky.”
Another aspect he’s found to be very different is the thrifting culture.
“Thrifting is a big thing here and you can get some really cool finds for cheap. I’d recommend going to Te Oraka on campus.”
Ariel has some advice for future IISMA students considering Otago, he says.
“It can get lonely being an international student and it can feel like you are stuck in a corner mentally. You should make use of the mental health services for students at Otago, they are very good and free.
“At Otago, they want you to succeed as much as you can, not only in your physical life, not only in your studies but also mentally.”
As for the future, there’s ringing endorsement from all three on Otago being a top contender for postgraduate studies.
“I’d definitely choose to come here again. I’m quite happy with what we've experienced here so far and if I got a scholarship to come back to Otago, I’d be very pleased,” Ariel says.
Read more about the Otago - IISMA partnership.
~ Kōrero by Sandra French, Adviser, Internal Communications