Before 2023 ends, I will share my experience when I was accepted into the Short Cultural & Academic Immersion Program 2023 at West Visayas State University, Philippines.
"If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you”
That quote was my main motivation for applying to the program. My lack of confidence was an obstacle in applying to this program. However, I remembered "it is better to be sad for failing than regret for not trying". This led me to give this opportunity a try. The selection process took place quickly. With a fairly tight preparation, Alhamdulillah I passed and could participate in this short program.
Long story short, on the day of departure, I finally met the other two. Our journey to the Philippines was a time for us to get to know each other better. When we landed in the Philippines, we were picked up by WVSU.
On the first day, we met the department heads and staff at WVSU. We were also introduced to our buddies who will accompany us for the next two weeks. We were taken on a tour of WVSU to get a better idea of the atmosphere there.
In this first week, we mostly participated in sightseeing activities in Iloilo city to learn more about the culture and tourist attractions such as visiting to meet the Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, trying chocolate products at Camiña Balay nga Bato, wandering around at the Festive Walk, learning the history of Miagao Church, and Garinfarm.
Then in the second week, we also focused on attending academic classes. Here, I joined the College of Business Management (CBM) with courses in Business Law, Financial Management, and Income Taxation. From this, I learned that the learning system there is more focused on self-study for students. Not only that, we also attended a language class known as Hiligaynon. Surprisingly, there are many similarities in vocabulary between Indonesian and Hiligaynon.
Besides that, we also attended the ATHI NAGPANA Community Extension Program. Where WVSU provides assistance to indigenous Filipinos in the Barotac Viejo area such as training local human resources in running a nature tourism business.
The two weeks went by quickly. We were invited to the International Students Day event which presented performances related to typical Filipino culture such as regional dances and traditional games. Then on the last day it was closed with a farewell to WVSU for the cultural immersion program. During the closing ceremony, I held back my sadness because of the hospitality of those who had helped me during these two weeks in Iloilo City. Especially for my buddies who I already consider as my friends.
Thank you for the opportunity that Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) and West Visayas State University have given me to join this Short Program. I learned and got to know many things especially in Iloilo City, hopefully I will be given the opportunity to return to this city and meet you again.
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