Vicki Richardson, an Australian Citizen Who Loves Indonesia, Shares Inspiration with IPB University Students

A total of 25 IPB University students participated in the Sesi Ruang Bincang Inspirasi #25, which was organized as part of a collaboration between Pondok Inspirasi, Bahasa Kita, and PT Paragon Technology and Innovation. They invited Vicki Richardson, the Director of the Indonesia Institute/Australia, for the purpose of sharing stories and experiences about the struggle to introduce Indonesian culture and language in Australia.

The participants of the inspirational discussion room gained a lot of knowledge, especially in terms of Indonesian language, English language, and information about scholarships to study in Australia.

Vicki Richardson has dedicated her life as a teacher from Australia who has been residing in East Java, specifically in the city of Surabaya. "All foreigners want to go to Bali, but I love Surabaya, I love East Java," she expressed, leaving an impression.

The 72-year-old woman also mentioned that in Australia, learning Indonesian language is mandatory.

"When I first started learning Indonesian language, I had never uttered a word before, I was embarrassed. However, when I made mistakes in speaking, Indonesians did not criticize my language, instead they helped me improve my Indonesian language skills," she explained.

She also mentioned the numerous differences in teaching methods between Indonesia and Australia, such as in the high school level. In Indonesia, students are required to take all subjects in high school, while in Australia, each student is only required to take five subjects based on their interests.

"My hope is that there will be many Indonesians who are proficient in English and, conversely, many Australians who can speak Indonesian," she concluded.

Lastly, Vicki provided information regarding the abundance of scholarships available for pursuing Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Australia. She revealed that there are many opportunities for students to seize. However, to obtain a scholarship, they must achieve a high score in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). In addition to scholarships, students can also earn additional income through part-time jobs, as the wages for part-time work for students in Australia are quite high.

"Through Mrs Vicki, I have come to understand the meaning of Indonesia, not only for myself. Especially in this session, I learned more about the Australian learning style and other educational information, which has motivated me to pursue a study abroad program," expressed Mega Ainun, one of the IPB University students who participated in the event. (*/Rz) (IAAS/DSR)