Indonesia – Rawnaq
Student: Rawnaq
Course: Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of International Studies
Program: Trimester Exchange 2025
Did you go on any memorable trips to explore your host country or maybe a nearby country?
During my exchange, I was able to explore various areas of Indonesia, including within Java as well as other islands and other countries in Southeast Asia. One of the most memorable trips was visiting Gili Air. The Island, only a 15-minute boat from Lombok, has no motor vehicles and was so small you could walk from one end to the other in 30 minutes. We were able to see beautiful views, beaches, and visit the other neighbouring Gili islands. Here I went on my first snorkelling trip and saw the bright and stunning coral, fish and turtles.
How did you make friends and what sort of things did you do together?
The first couple of days, I was overwhelmed and worried about how my experience would turn out, but I came to realise all the exchange students were in the same boat. I found making friends was as simple as starting up a conversation and finding the people who ease the worries. I am so thankful to the people I met on my exchange. I've made a lifelong friendship because of this experience and am forever thankful. We would go out for dinner, coffee, wander the malls or just hang around each other's places after class, as well as travel to various regions in Indonesia or other countries.
How did you decide which study abroad opportunity to do?
I knew I wanted to do an exchange program as I was looking for a longer abroad experience to fully immerse myself in the culture. Asia was my top pick because I found it to be the most different to Australia and would be the best use of my abroad experience, as I found it important that I challenge myself and go outside my comfort zone. Indonesia was one of the countries recommended and is rich in culture and history, its language is one of the simplest to learn (although not easy), and had greater opportunities to explore the surrounding regions.
Was there some aspect of your trip that was different to your expectations?
Going into my exchange, I wasn't sure what to expect, but the biggest surprise was how different the study experience was. Classes required attendance and were discussion-based. Units were heavily reliant on student organisation, including questions regarding assessments. Communication was usually directly between the lecturers or the class coordinators. These differences took some adjustment, and I could see a learning structure from a new perspective.