Volunteering Has Open-Widened My Horizon of the World

 

Volunteering Has Open-Widened My Horizon of the World

by Yulia Sutjahjono

Midterm Seminar with ICJA's Volunteer
Gussow, Brandenburg, February 2018

Three years ago, an ordinary girl who was born and raised in Indonesia achieved one grand opportunity to fly across the continent to fulfill a mission to become a volunteer. She always dream about go abroad since she was child, but she never thought that the country she would stay in at that year is a great one, of which the football national team she always support for, of which she always mentioned every single time she saw a foreigner in her country to guess where they from. In addition, she never thought that she would have a little bit plot-twist event in her life.

That girl is me. Hahaha, yeah who else you guess? I mean, every Indonesian girl might have a such timeline on their life, but I would say mine (as I mention a bit above) is pretty interesting to be shared.

Born with full name Yulia Tricahyaningtyas but growing up with nickname of Yulia. Okay, don’t be wonder about my last name, that’s not actually my family name, just given name from my parents, of which everybody in my project (from two voluntary works) always and always asked me why do I have such a long and complicated-to-spell name. I was just saying “That’s how my parents gave me the name. I know it’s long but trust me the meaning is so beautiful”. Anyway, my pen name is Yulia Sutjahjono, so from that, you can tell what is my family name cause Sutjahjono is actually my dad’s name. Alright, you can just call me Yulia. Hummm, please with the Y, not J just like Vietnamese people spell (they don’t have Y in their letters) or German native speakers when they write my name (cause J in German language spelt Y, then everybody write my name as Julia not exactly Yulia hahaha).

See? There are couple of things just happened as an effect of doing volunteering. Interesting enough to hear about my volunteering story, huh? 😊 Well, actually I wrote down all of the detail of my voluntary mission in two books. But unfortunately, it’s all written in Bahasa Indonesia ☹ so, there will be not translated in English or other languages in the near time. I will, but not now. Huhuhu. Anyway, that’s why I am here to tell you all my volunteering story, so you’ll know why I joined volunteering and what are the impact occurred to me afterwards. Okay, Let’s get started!

Initiated by a moment in the mid of 2015 when I was triggered by a scholarship from Indonesian Ministry of Finance, I was motivated a lot to apply that scholarship. The scholarship name is “LDPD” and it is annual full-scholarship either for under and postgraduate school also PhD, both domestically and abroad (Ps. oh yeah, all my childhood dream is always all about going abroad. Hmm I should also share about it in the next article. Don’t worry it will be all in English hehehe). But not only about my dream just going abroad, I planned to continue my study abroad because I want to pursue my writing career. Not to mention, my highest (yet delusional) dream is to be a part of Hollywood film industry. That’s why my target is to go abroad so that later it would be easy for me to hold the Hollywood. Hahaha.  

I realize that I can’t afford the education tuition all by myself, even my family. Oh I am not the Kardashians for sure hahaha. So, I need ‘a bridge’ to help me pay the tuition. That’s why I plan to apply LPDP Scholarship. Then, I saw all the requirement from their website. One of them is “Has been joined social activity in a community or organization or done a voluntary work”. I have no idea this requirement is still effective or not (perhaps not), but of course the second I knew that they want the candidates to have an experience in volunteering, I directly figured out how to find a community or organization which can help me to join volunteering.

One day, my thesis advisor, Mr. Syaifudin, invited me to a talk-show at campus after his lecture. The talk-show was cooperated by student community at my department and with an NGO called Dejavato Foundation a.k.a ICYE Indonesia. From there, my advisor introduced me to the founder and director of Dejavato Foundation, Mr. Ketut Purwantoro. Then, I asked anything about volunteering in order to know more about that program, what’s the benefit, how to join, etc.

Several months afterwards, after graduation in the mid of 2016, I flew to Vietnam to execute my first voluntary mission. Yes, I joined ICYE not long after the talk-show and as my parents advice I supposed to go to the ASEAN countries first if I really want to do this. Also, after Dejavato’s staff gave me some advice and recommendation, so I chose Vietnam because there are a lot of schools which teach French as their second language. Given my educational background, yes, I guess it was just fit to that and I also consider that it was best “steppingstone” if I really want to pursue international career. Then, I spend 4 weeks being French Teaching Assistant in Phu Thuoung Primary School in Hanoi.

Culture Night with International Volunteers and VPV Hanoi
Hanoi, October 2016

After successfully finishing my first volunteering, I went back to Jakarta and tried to get a temporary job. About two months after got back from Hanoi, I was hired in a kindergarten to teach K1 class (for 4-5 years old). At the beginning, I really liked the job, I can meet little kids and play with them every day. However, I realize that I should fulfill my first intention to get the scholarship. And not to mention, I still want to go abroad for longer period of time. You can tell that one month is surely not enough to get a worldwide experience. Well, that doesn’t mean I am not being grateful, but I need more challenge and I always love challenge.

After three months in the kindergarten, I started to not enjoying my job. To be honest, I am not really passionate in teaching. Well, I do like it, but it is not my long-life dream. Although, I still have a big dream to make it real. Yeah, become a writer as well as studying at NYU was still being my target. Therefore, I contacted Dejavato Foundation again to make sure that they have more information about volunteering abroad. I know I might be little lost because I supposed to directly apply for the scholarship instead of contacting Dejavato, but I was just thinking perhaps by the moment I got another chance to do volunteering abroad (again), the path to reach America and writing career would be clearer.

Then, one day, one of the staff sent me an email and let me know that ICYE Germany a.k.a ICJA was looking for volunteer for the next batch of the annual Weltwärts Programme. The program was funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Then, I directly prepared all the required documents and also let my parents know about this recruitment.

It took couple weeks for the process of the selection. But I was so relieved because I got an invitation for interview with ICJA Team. I still remember I should run to a mall closed to the kindergarten to get better Wi-Fi connection and thankfully the schedule was out of the school hours. So, it didn’t bother my work at all. After all hectic situation and process, I got good news from Dejavato and ICJA. They said that I got the slot to go to Germany for 1 year. Moreover, they placed me in Berlin which for the city person like me, it was super awesome. YESSSSS! I was completely happy and finally got another opportunity to go abroad again and even farer than before. Yihaaaaaaa!

So, from here I can answer all of my friends and family member’s question: “Why did Yulia go to Germany instead of France?” Cause everybody knew I studied French not German. Hahaha. Yeah, that is an actual reason why I was triggered so much to do so, cause all I need is just an opportunity. I need more experience, I want my feet to step other countries and other continents, I want my eyes to see more things and more scenery of this earth, and I want to widen my insight and horizon about the world.

Christmas Market at Römerberg
Frankfurt am Main, December 2017

August 29^th 2017, I was on board for 17 hours flight, give or take. My very first long haul ever! Maybe I was too excited about it, until I realize that I didn’t get the jetlag at all! I didn’t know why that could happened to me because other volunteers experienced a jetlag but maybe because I was just too much excited stepping Europe, then my body kinda pretend “Hey, what is jetlag? Come on!” Hahaha. After all, it didn’t bother my sleep time or mealtime or whatever. But the opposite things happened when I got back from Germany to Indonesia, I got jetlag very very very bad! Seriously it was very bad. I slept after dawn around 5-6 AM in Indonesian Western Time while it is about 11-12 o’clock in the night which is actually my sleep hours while in Germany. My mealtime also effected which I started to starve in the afternoon by 4 PM which in Germany is 11 AM. That is very weird, but I guess it was just because I was too sad to leave Germany while 1 year is not enough for me to enjoy the entire country and the rest of the continent. Thus, it hurt me I would say, so jetlag really occurred to me back then.

Anyway, even though I feel so sad leaving one of my favorite country in the world, I’m still very grateful of what I’ve had during my voluntary mission. I always say to my friends and family that 1 year in Germany is being my “Turning Point Moment”.

Why? Because I never felt so accepted just like in Germany ever before. For instance, physically. Yes, physic is a kind of issue in my country. No offense, but I cannot lie that people in Indonesia still judge other people by the outside before the inside. Before I flew to Germany, I always feel so insecure with my body. I am fat, I am tall, and I am just big. My body is not the average size for girls in Indonesia. So, I am sort of happy that ICJA really ‘threw me away’ to Germany, because finally people don't see me from my look. People in Germany never judge me like "Hey, you now fatter than before, ya?". NEVER! From that, I really can accept myself, my body, and everything in me. Plus, bonus, I can easily find my shoes and dress size which always been my problem back in my country. Therefore, I shopping more shoes and dress in Germany (which I done it much lesser before) cause it was very easy to find my size. Hahaha. So, somehow it made me feel so happy. Maybe it sounds corny but believe me when you found something that really fit for you, moreover it’s for your body, you’ll get all the happiness in the world.

Not only about “self-acceptance” which then later be a “self-love”, I also figured out that something I always wonder about. Since I was kid, I got use to watching beauty pageant. You know Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Supranational, etc. No, it is not related with my confidence about body that I’ve mentioned above, it is more about performance that the contestants bring on the stage. And it is not only from beauty pageant, but also something related to the United Nations or simplify with an international organization. I just wonder why the most executives in the UN are from Africa and Latin America. No offense, but I was just wondering. Also, the world famous activist also mostly from Africa, Europe, and Latin America continent.

Okay, let me make it in detail, I sometimes wonder why the crown holder mostly be from countries such as Latin America and or Northern America or Europe -well, sometimes from Africa and Asia- or the origin countries of the world famous activist or influencer just what I’ve mentioned above. Maybe when I was in Vietnam, I didn’t really realize about it, because I was just 4 weeks and the experience that I attained was not very specific. However, my 12-months volunteering in Germany has made me realize on something I am about to share.

So, with the volunteering in Germany, every batch of the volunteers, with or without Welwärts, the voluntary mission involves more than 50 people, and the origin can be more than 20 countries. Then, before we were delivered to all entire Germany, there is always be seminar, orientation seminar to be exact. Yeah, just like school or university; new students, new class, new academic year, orientation is important. The purpose of the seminar in volunteering is not only to present the host organization team or introduce us to all volunteers and vice versa, but also to get to know what it works with volunteering based on true experience from the previous volunteers of the previous years. There were some materials that commonly discussed in the seminar, namely communication pattern between volunteer to the host organization, host family (if we get one), and the project site; terms and condition if we want to take vacation outside Germany; or “Dos and Donts” for volunteers in the project site and host family; including social issue in the host country like discrimination, racism, violence, etc.

Every time we get the schedule for group discussion about the social issue, all volunteers are gathered, either in a small group or large one. In this time, I would say I am amazed how I figured out the wonder I’ve mentioned earlier. Well, it is actually from my own perspective, but somehow, more Latin Americans and Africans dominate the discussion. It doesn’t mean that they always want to be ‘winner’ to steal everyone attention, I don’t think so. But personally, I was not really being alpha person in the group discussion at that moment. I was more quite, just listening, but of course I learned something from other volunteers' opinions and statements.

Final Seminar before finishing our mission in Germany
Gussow, Brandenburg, June 2018

To make sure that I am not the only person who got that opinion, I asked some other friends who were also in the voluntary mission like me, especially in Germany. Well, 3 from 5 friends agreed that volunteers from Africa and Latin America quite bit dominate the discussion. The Asians are intended to keep quiet but doesn’t mean they are not talking during the session. Well, except from India. Yes, I agree with that. Based on my experience (no offense), Indonesian and Taiwanese pretty much give less opinion than those who are from South Africa, Uganda, Nigeria, Ecuador, Argentina, Colombia, Honduras, or Mexico.

Again, this is not a checkmate that Indonesian or Taiwanese cannot give our contribution to the group. First, maybe for us who are from South-East Asia or Eastern Asia just shy person. I believe we have enough confidence to speak up, but maybe this is something new for us, meeting new people and we are required to talk about something that we didn’t see that would coming. Therefore, we decide to not talk too much during the discussion. However, I personally was an alpha student back in the high school and university, but maybe because I studied language and I was in the circle of Language and Art Faculty, so it is just me who don’t get use to have more critical thinking like other people do, especially those who are trained to be analytic and critical such as in the law school or political science and or international relation.

Therefore, based on that occasion, I realized this: “Oh, I see. That’s why Kofi Annan (Ghana) was appointed as the Secretary General of the UN or Nelson Mandela as the father of anti-apartheid who is from South Africa. An Argentine Marxist Revolutionary, Che Guevara who was being major figure for the Revolution in Cuba. The world also had Mahatma Gandhi as anti-colonial nationalist from India. As well as a Pakistani activist, Malala Yousafzai, and as simple as Miss World titleholder who are mostly from Venezuela, India, and South Africa”. I guess they got use to be confident to speak up in the public, trained to deliver their thoughts in the very order sentence and verbally just great. Also the curiosity has been built since they are young just because their countries (probably) experience difficult time, i.e. cold war, lack of good quality of education, and other domestic issue.

Miss World Titleholders List

Miss Universe Titleholders List

Again, this is not a final agreement, it is definitely my personal thoughts, and there is nothing wrong or right in every opinion that came up in our head. Also, that is based on my personal experience. For me, this kind of ‘light a bulb’ thing has become my thought to make new motivation. Since that, I am saying to myself “I can improve my skill, I can sharpen the way I am thinking, thus I can rule the world, I can be a world influencer just as South Africans, Indians, Argentinian, or even American.”

There is actually one more thing that also change the way I see the world. I would say I used to be a person who look at something from outside, beside people judge me from the outside ever since they see me firstly. So, I guess that judgement affect me to see other people also from the cover. Okay, it doesn’t sound nice, but it is what happened with me several years before I met volunteering.

In Indonesia, a word “Negro” is referred to call African people while “Bule” refers to indicate white people. By the way, some of you perhaps understand that Negro is “black color” in Portuguese language. I know maybe it sounds just okay, but after the voluntary mission, the taste to call African people with “Negro” in Indonesia is just like calling them “Nigga” in the US or other country. So, it just harsh and irritating. And damn it, I did that when I was younger. Also, not to mention, I used to consider that white people is more attractive and beautiful than black people (really apologize for that, seriously). When I saw black people, I may not approve that they are also smart, intelligent, talented as other people from another race.

However, it all has changed when I involved the volunteering. Diversity is real, diversity is around, I am a part of diversity. So, I should have been realized since I was born that everyone is different, everyone has their own skin tone, everyone has different eye and hair color. With volunteering as well, I just have realized that even we’re all different, WE ARE EQUAL, WE ARE ACTUALLY THE SAME. God made us same, really same for everyone. We got intelligence, chance to be successful, talents to bring the world better, and we are also given love, affection, peace, and compassion to take care for one each other.  

I will never forget and regret what I got from the volunteering. Everything was perfect. Even if behind the success of the voluntary work always has a little secret (anger, tears, disappointment, misfortune, etc.) that no one should know, but I’m saying I’m all happy to ever be a volunteer which hopefully in the future would get another chance to do it again.

I feel so lucky yet so grateful that a great and precious opportunity has been come upon my life. Moreover, in my country, doing something abroad is considered as something huge and lot of pride inside of it. Therefore, I am not lying that I am lucky and contented about this whole volunteering thing. Also, in my country, for those who got this kind of experience, we consider this story as a positivity, a motivation for those who are also dreaming to go abroad. We will usually say “Don’t worry, you’ll get your own chance. You will go abroad soon. Semangat!¹”  

Not only efforts and struggle that come from myself, but with the helps of some parties, this volunteering has really become real. Therefore, I thank to ICYE and its founding members: Dejavato Foundation (ICYE Indonesia), VPV (Volunteers for Peace Vietnam), and ICJA Freiwilligenaustausch Weltweit, seriously THANK YOU SO MUCH! Without you guys, I perhaps still be an ordinary girl who lives in a suburban area of a big country in South-East Asia and just live a flat life. But with you all, I understand what the world should be seen. My horizon wide opened, my insight become clearer, the world is really cool! 

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER’S DAY!

Depok, Indonesia, December 1, 2020

by Yulia Sutjahjono

Hanoi, October 2016

Rostock, October 2017

¹: Semangat means “Good Luck” (English) or “Bon Courage” (French) or “Viel Glück” (German). But I think the language taste to say “Semangat” is just like “Hwaiting” or “Paiting” (Korean) or simplify with “Keep Fighting” or “Keep it up” (English).