Enjoying The Utmost Academic Journey Abroad

There are several key takeaways I learned:

• When you are abroad, you have the privilege to learn from others and meet people from around the world, which you will always feel thankful for. In my case, I lived with a local landlady who was super friendly and helpful. Sometimes we had breakfast and dinner together. Our breakfast time became a ritual that I grew to cherish. I loved listening to the tales and adventures of her youth over morning coffee. She often invited me to dinners and introduced me to her friends and families. Besides that, I also had a chance to meet my classmates who have similar professional backgrounds. We shared the challenges and struggles and how we can learn from each other.
• I also loved to introduce my background. I took pride in where you're from and being a good representative of Indonesia. I introduced my friends to many cultural things in Indonesia and I taught them some basic conversation in Bahasa Indonesia. In addition, I invited some of my classmates and cooked them Indonesian food. Well, I can call it gastro diplomacy.  
• One thing I learned from people I met in the UK is how they maintain a good quality of social interaction. They show respect to other people, and they know boundaries. They'll never ask about your weight, marital status, etc. Even if they do so, they will do it respectfully.

When the study ends...

One year passed and my study has come to an end. Finishing the degree does not necessarily mean the learning process is also stopped. I do believe that developing learning muscles is not limited to when we study inside the classroom. The more you learn, the more you realize you didn't know that much. My worldview has been expanded. 

Living in the UK for a year has been a transformative journey.  It is both a rewarding and humbling experience. The improvement I have felt is not only cognitive aspect but also emotional.  At least there is one thing I can be proud of:  spending my youth well, which I will never regret for the rest of my life. As I reflect on my study, I am filled with gratitude for the memories created and the invaluable experiences that have shaped me. My chapter as a student in the UK may be closing, but the stories and friendships I have gained will forever live on.