OQEANOUS Plus ProgramOversea Quality-assured Education in Asian Nations
for Ocean University Students Plus

OQEANOUS Plus-IJP Report (IPB R4.11-R5.4)

2023.10.20

Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology
Course of Marine Resources and Environment
First Year of Master's Program
R. O.

[Motivation for joining IJP]
  I had an interest in studying abroad when from entered my university, but I hadn't thought about what I wanted to do specifically or what country I wanted to go to. Especially during my second and third years of undergraduate, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I didn't think studying abroad was realistic because I couldn't even go to my own university. However, after entering a lab and hearing about other people's experiences studying abroad, as well as spending a week in Thailand through a Short-Term Program in the same year, I wanted to try to study abroad. And I thought considering my upcoming graduation thesis and job findings, there was no better time than now. That's why I applied for the IJP program. my choices were two universities at that time: IPB University in Indonesia and KMOU in South Korea. Since a senior in my lab had studied abroad at KMOU in the same IJP program the last year, I could hear about their experience firsthand. However, I was more interested in Indonesia, a country with a different culture than Korea, so I chose IPB University.
My aims for studying in Indonesia are as follows:
・To study marine environment study at IPB University.
・To experience diversity in a multi-ethnic country.

[Preparation before departure]
 In Indonesia, the semester starts in January. But I had my graduation thesis. However, with the help of my professors, friends, and support staff at my university, I could submit my senior thesis in February before departing. and I could give the presentation in Indonesia online. Until I arrived in Indonesia, I had no idea about what the country was like, whether English could be spoken, what my daily life would be like, and so on. Surprisingly, I wasn't anxious, perhaps due to being occupied with my senior thesis.

[Life]
  IPB University's main campus is located a little bit far from the center of Bogor which is about 1.5 hours by train from the capital city, Jakarta. The campus has cafeterias, convenience stores, and cafes for students, and there are street food stalls and cafes around the campus as well. Unlike Jakarta, Bogor has a local and comfortable atmosphere that I really enjoyed.
  Regarding languages, we can communicate in English at the university. However, outside of the university, we couldn't use English most time in Bogor. Nevertheless, many people in Indonesia are interested in Japanese products and culture, and when they found out I came from Japan, they tried to communicate with me despite not knowing the language of each other. Those times made my Indonesian vocabulary grow, and my understanding of Indonesia deepened. I thought it was one of the good reasons for studying in Bogor.


(Photo1) Favorite food "Mie Ayam"

[Classes]
  I took courses in marine environmental study. I studied cases that had occurred in rapidly developing Indonesia. One particularly interesting topic in class was the issue of waste dumping into the rivers flowing into Jakarta Bay. We not only collected data and conducted analysis but also learned the importance of public awareness through social media. Through these classes, I felt that my field of study, marine engineering, and marine environmental study were closely related to each other.
Additionally, I was invited by other international students to participate in a summer course hosted by Chiba University and IPB University. It was a Landscape Architecture course, which I knew nothing about until then. I made friends with Indonesians there, and they often helped me throughout my entire stay in Indonesia. It was an impressive experience to interact with students from the Philippines, Malaysia, and other countries as well.

[Holidays]
 During my stay in Indonesia, there was a two weeks holiday due to celebrate after Ramadan. I traveled to Gili Island near Bali and then took a boat to Komodo Island with other international students during that time. Bali, a popular destination for tourists from Western countries, is an English-friendly area, and Bali's culture is quite different from that of West Java. On Gili Island, the only transportation was horse carriages and bicycles, as no motorized vehicles emitted exhaust on the island. The sky and sea were beautiful, the food was delicious. It was an amazing vacation. I also visited Yogyakarta, an ancient city in Indonesia, with Indonesian friends, and I traveled to Singapore and Malaysia.


(Photo2) A beach at Gili island


(Photo3) Komodo Dragon at Komodo island

[Conclusion]
 What I've written here is just a small part of my five months study abroad experience, and I only explored a small part of the west side of Java. There are still vast islands like Sumatra, Borneo, and Sulawesi that I haven't visited yet, each with its own unique culture. The experience of living in Indonesia, a country where various cultures coexist, was very stimulating and meaningful for me. I highly recommend going to Indonesia and experiencing it for yourself.