18 Youths Left Their Heart in Brisbane

On 23 October 2010, their arrival was welcomed by blooming Jacaranda Trees. What remains from 18 youths now are their hearts left in a place that fall together with purple leaves at the end of its encounter.

A program such as AIYEP (Australia Indonesia Youth Exchange Program) is one way to gain an understanding of cultural differences among countries. The program has been held since 1981 under the cooperation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in Australia and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport in Indonesia. Each year the Indonesian contingent visit Australia in the state that has been chosen before. This year Indonesian contingent is hosted in Queensland by taking the two phases of activity. That is capital city of Brisbane and regional town of Roma.

One month they have undergone activities in Brisbane that has provided a lot of stories in each day. In the first week they were given orientation activities. Aim to give the introduction of an urban environment and also program guiding during the phase of Brisbane. They did riverside walk to Southbank, enjoying views of the city from a height in the Wheel of Brisbane, bicycle tour to the Botanical Garden and barbecues on the hostel roof terrace.

Still in the orientation week, they also met with the Brisbane high school students who study Indonesian language. In that forum, they discussed the Indonesian life, culture, career pathways, practiced speaking some Indonesian and also provided cultural training performance. On another occasion, they also made a courtesy call to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to discuss with the DFAT Queensland Director, Mr. John Michell and the Australia Indonesia Institute (AII) Board Members in Brisbane.

A bilateral relation between countries is not always through government to government contact only, but also with people to people contact. Therefore, in the second week until the fourth week, 18 youths from Indonesia were engaged in a homestay and work placement.

There are 14 host families who opened their homes for homestaying activities. They all come from many backgrounds, like teacher, public servant, paramedic, senior policy officer to the business analyst. 18 youths were staying with them to feel the differences life style than their place of origin. From conversations every night at the dinner, from the outing together on the weekends and from all the togetherness that exists, there is an understanding lies within their perspective. So the differences that exist, can be a canvas of many colours.

Most of days, 18 youths do internships at various companies related to its educational background. Some participants having internship in school as an assistant teacher, in radio station as a reporter, in NGO as a volunteer, in Brisbane City Council as an accountant and international relation and there are also interns in the energy and mining contractor as marketing, engineer and business analyst.

Not only that, in addition to work placement and homestay, there is also the cultural performances held in every Monday. While in Brisbane, they have been performing at school such as in Harristown SHS, Browns Plains SHS, St. Patrick’s College, Park Ridge SHS and Boronia Heights SS. Wide range of performances was shown from singing, dancing until playing traditional musical instruments with a duration of one hour. To get the maximum performance, three times a week they practice in a city park as in Southbank, Parklands and also in Jagera Arts Center. With its ability to show, they some times do street performances and engage in fund raising activities organized by community organizations.

One month in Brisbane would not be enough. With the atmosphere of the town that is so pretty and graceful, it is hard to leave the city in the last seconds. But one thing that still adrift from all of that is the remaining heart. They already left it in every street, every sunset reflected in the river and in every building that became witnesses for time to time. In Brisbane, 18 youths left their heart for the memories contained therein.  

Arozak Salam//West Java Delegation for AIYEP 2010/2011