Joining The 22nd Tri-University Joint Seminar and Symposium is the GIFT in my life

 
Being a student in one of the top university in Indonesia is a great thing in my life. I’m the one who come from the very humbling family, was struggling when entered study in Bogor Agricultural University (IPB). My family, that time, had cheated by irresponsible people and made us suffering in financial crisis. Nearly, I would have withdrawn from my acceptance in IPB because my parents did not able to pay registration fee and monthly cost during study for 4 years. I was peace off that moment and I gave up to myself but one of the lecture in that table said, “Dear Ibu, please don’t give up to your daughter, she is talented and she has been accepted in top department in IPB. On top of that, people will might pay over 60 million for entering food science and technology department. How can Ibu just give up on that? Don’t worry too much; there’ll be many scholarship offers in IPB.”

First one year in IPB was not easy journey to me. My parents was struggling to borrow money from friends and me also, I tried to borrow money from one of my lecture. Even until today, that kind of experience is still being a nightmare for me. Almost every day I came to my lecture’s room and got blaming, insulting, and then I cried in front of her. I could not hold that anymore then cried to my mom, “Mom, I don’t want to borrow money from her again, she was so scary.”

But, life is like a wheel, and God gave me bless when finally I’ve been accepted as Tanoto Scholarship grantee. My life in university have been running more interesting day by day, I have a lot nice friends and also experiences. I have been more happy.

Start from July in 2014, I got new experiences to travel many countries in the world (Malaysia-July 2014, Australia-August 2014, Singapore-August 2014, and Thailand-September 2014). More I had experiences to go abroad, more I realized that I should be more humble and more keep hard work.

Once more, I got experiences to go abroad to be Indonesian delegate in The 22^nd Tri-University Joint Seminar and Symposium in China from October 17^th-24^th. Together with other 14 delegates from IPB, we have been selected from over 100 applicants through abstract selection (1^st stage) and presentation selection (2^nd stage). I brought my research about application of Carboxymethyl cellulose as edible coating to preserve tomato during storage.

We were selected on May 2015 but the real selection was when we’ve been training with three Tri-U advisors in IPB. From June until September 2015, we got such a precious training, include how to make good abstract, how to write paper and most important is how to communicate your research through presentation.

I realized that I was lacking on present something in front of people, thus my English ability also not fluent enough. But it used to. Because those training taught me a lot and I’m getting better and better to make presentation, speak in front of people, make poster and be confident to answer questions. Maybe now I cannot say I’m really good on that but I can guarantee it’s much better than before. Not finished on that, for having 4 months training together with other 14 delegates is equal with create a new family. We met once per week, learn together, have problem and solved it together. Personally, I learnt to be more wisely, mature and understand people better. That’s true, that experience teach me how to work with other people.

Honestly joined training with tight schedule for 4 months was not easy because it means I should invest more time, mind, and effort on that. Tri-U training taught me to be able manage time well in the middle of other business, has high motivation, and be consistent with the commitment. Moreover, even thought my campus help the financial need for our departures but there’s still a part of expense we should invest by ourselves such us to buy departure ticket and visa. For me, that amount is not small, because my parents also have financial problem in the home and it’s impossible to ask from them. So 4 months I tried to find support finding from DIKTI, food industries, and local government. All of food industries and my local government rejected my proposal but fortunately my scholarship support my expense to buy departure ticket and arranged visa.

 

Picture 1. After presentation

Moreover, experiences when joining 1 week Tri-U program in Shanghai and Jiangsu is truly incredible. I met hundred friends from Thailand, Japan, China, and Russia. We shared opinion and memory together. First experience was when we had together party in the very beginning program where we shared moment together with our rector and IPB’s director to represent our country by introducing Kebaya as Indonesian Women traditional cloth and entertaining by Indonesian Dangdut song. For the first time, other delegates were amazed with our cloth and performance. That next day, in the middle of my nervousness, I should present my presentation that has been practiced 4 times since 4 months ago, in first turn from other participants. Even though in the next couple day, I didn’t been chosen as best presenter (evaluated from PPT and way to present) but I truly have done my best and if I could compare with other delegates from other countries, Indonesian delegates evaluated my presentation can be categorized as the good presentation.

Picture 2. Group 7 in front of mechanical laboratoy, Jiangsu Univ

In that evening, I got opportunity to look around lab room in Jiangsu University and felt amazed because they have advance technology on engineering. Good for me, because I’m in the group who has many engineering students so they can explain more to me. That night, we were been frozen because amazing performances from the committee and that’s truly beautiful Chinese performance. Next day, after supported other Indonesian delegates present their paper, my workshop group met together and discussed our mission: Create innovation that can be helpful for people and environment. It’s really amazing time to discuss from various language and background. We were varying from agriculture, machine and engineering, food technology, forestry, economic and finance background. All of my friends come from Thailand, Japan, China, and also Indonesia has amazing idea and it was difficult to determine the best idea. On that time, my idea was not chosen because seems too impossible so my friend’s idea come out as ours.

 Picture 3. Full team of IPB delegation

Next tomorrow after that day, we had experiences to explore Jurong Tea Park Exploration in Jiangsu province and visited agricultural museum. I was amazed with how Chinese people valued their ancestor to make tea and farm many agricultural crops. Arriving in hostel, together with workshop team we discussed again our idea but suddenly our idea was changed and they decided to use my idea. On that time, I was challenged to be leader but I’m so excited because all of them are brilliant and creative. Even though my English is not fluent enough but I force myself to spare the job description to everyone so I can guarantee that every member knows what his/her should do. In the middle of our job deadline to prepare workshop tomorrow, we still had fun together through karaoke and dinner together. I was so happy to have new friends like them.

 

Picture 4. When Proud-7 feeling proud :D

The day when we should present our innovation came. In the morning, we gathered together to finished everything. I direct my team for doing the job based on their background; my Thai friends did great to design the model, my Japanese friends with their environment analysis, and my Chinese friends did great job to analyze economic aspect. I had responsibility to arrange background, basic innovation and compile their entire job. Twenty minutes before presentation start, we practiced effectively to our presentation and because my team members are really creative, we really made something different from other groups. And that’s really works! We won the innovation workshop project competition with our idea (Proud 7-Printed and Removed Optimized Utilized Device-7) by getting highest score (95 from 100 point). When got awarding ceremony, I’m really happy and said to myself; well done! From those kinds of experience I learn that although we came from different countries with different language, culture, and background study but if we have same vision and hard work, we can make something happened. 

Picture 5. Yeay, we finally performed well!

With the time goes by, we came to the last day in Tri-U event. As Indonesian delegate, we present amazing traditional performance including angklung, jaipong dance, galuak dance, gopala dance and sajojo dance. Well, our practice for 4 months was paid on that night because every audience was amazed with that. Yup, that’s true who say result never betray effort.

As a summarized of my personal story, I just want to highlight that never give up without a fight will really bring you to the successful story. One more thing, just be confident on your ability and show the other people that you can do your best but don’t forget to be respectful with people around you. The last but not least, I’m really thankful for everyone who have supported me and Indonesian delegates to keep shining in that prestigious International event. Thank you for supporting me that far and make me grow well better and better every day! :)