SHORT-TERM OVERSEAS TRAINING EXPERIENCE FOR SCHOLARSHIP HUNTERS

SHORT-TERM OVERSEAS TRAINING EXPERIENCE

FOR SCHOLARSHIP HUNTERS

by

Esti Junining*

*A Lecturer at the University of Brawijaya (UB)

e-mail: ejunining@ub.ac.id

The short-term overseas training experience in this paper is divided into three different destinies. Firstly, the short-term visit in the United Kingdom (2007), followed by degree training in Singapore (2011) and finally, accomplishing dissertation draft in the United States of America (2012).

The scholarship hunting begins when the TPSDP project provides opportunities for the Language Service Unit (LSU) of the University of Brawijaya (UB) academic staff to participate in Overseas Non Degree Training (ONDT) in School of Education, Leeds University, UK in 2007. At that time, the Asian Development Bank granted four academic staff of LSU, UB to be actively involved in attachment program organized by the School of Education in Leeds University. One and a half months staying in UK was able to equip the writer with the culture of studying English in summer, joining classroom seminars, consulting the scientific paper to the advisor, searching books in the library and self browsing in the university computer. Things to remember related to the culture of British are that they like to say “thank you” for any favors made by people and “sorry” for any inconvenience done by people around.

Different from British culture, a rush education system embellishes the tiny country in South East Asia, Singapore. A four-month participation in Overseas Degree Training (ODT) program in pursuing Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Linguistics in 2011 organized by RELC, SEAMEO Singapore, enables the writer to learn other Asian people life style in pursuing study. The academic atmosphere in Singapore mostly focuses on independent and more contextual learning. Whereas the non academic culture, the language and life style of most Singaporean are covered with Chinese way of life besides some India and Malay heredities.

Different from the two separable cultures, living in the United States of America is much more challenging than the other two. The first and the most challenging thing experienced by the writer was visa arrangement. Compared with looking for visa in Britain, getting visa from the US was more complicated in terms of the procedures as well as the interview. If someone is registered as scholarship hunters in the US, the coordination among the three parties, from the US University, from US embassy and sponsorship guarantee must be made clear, otherwise the expected visa could not be processed easily.

In terms of academic life, the academic atmosphere in the US schools is somewhat similar to the other progressive countries, mainly emphasize on independent learning and creativity. Regarding the non-academic life-style, the culture, the life of Jewish and other non-Muslim life-style must be anticipated by Indonesian scholars. Yet, as scholars we need to filter the good and more beneficial life style and reduce the inappropriate way of life during our staying overseas.

Some tips to be able to win the scholarship to study overseas is preparing a good proposal (language, motivation, benefits after finishing study), improving curriculum vitae and using all of the opportunities openly. Besides, anticipating culture differences such as different weather, language, life-style, academic atmosphere and non academic ones need to be prepared and considered appropriately. The one and the most important thing in scholarship hunting are to keep trying and never give up.

---good luck---