Independent Student Exchange: an Adventure Experience Transformed Everything

writer :

Anak Agung Made Sri Santi Pratiwi 

Independent, memorable and fun are three words that can describe this unforgettable experience, about an adventure called Independent Student Exchange (PMM). PMM is a domestic student exchange scheme to gain learning experience at another university for one semester, one of the flagship programs of the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia which offers various opportunities to explore and study the cultural diversity of the archipelago in order to strengthen Indonesian unity. This program brought me, a fifth semester student of the Public Administration Study Program, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Udayana University, to experience various changes and new experiences on the way to broadening my educational horizons.

      After undergoing four semesters at Udayana University with a routine and academic culture that I was very familiar with, a desire arose to expand my potential and explore new things through greater opportunities, namely student exchange to one of the best State Universities (PTN) in Indonesia, and Airlangga University is the main destination. Located in the city of Surabaya (the second largest city in Indonesia) as well as being the City of Heroes, bringing new nuances that have colored my academic journey, Airlangga University (Unair) gives various impressions that attract attention. The combination of buildings that store history and modern buildings that apply various smart innovations is an amazing thing about this campus, and what is no less important is Unair's position which is ranked second nationally and 345th in the world's best campus (The WUR version, 2023). Of course, by becoming part of this campus, the hopes and aspirations of pursuing the best academic process will be realized, this PMM program then becomes the choice.

      Being accepted as part of Airlangga University's third student exchange was a great opportunity that changed various aspects of my life through many memorable moments while studying at this PTN. The first memorable experience was receiving lecture knowledge taught directly by lecturers who were experts in their fields with undoubted lecturer competence, supported by various references, learning facilities and lecture support activities such as guest lectures and field work practice which were the most memorable academic activities during run this PMM. Apart from that, Unair also often presents influential speakers and even international theorists in the various guest lectures or seminars it holds, thereby further broadening the horizons of knowledge.

      The next memorable experience was getting to know more deeply the culture of Indonesia and East Java through the archipelago module framework prepared by the PMM Unair team, starting from meeting friends from various backgrounds to visiting various regions in East Java which brought excitement to balance academic activities. . Meeting and interacting with other exchange students also presented a very new experience, especially in getting to know Indonesia's diversity. Indirectly, this change in the social environment brought about changes in me starting from how I think, say and act by prioritizing the values of tolerance.

      The long distance mobilization as well as the first overseas experience brought this exchange into a very exciting adventure with various challenges, especially in the field of transportation, for the first time I experienced traveling anywhere using public transportation (Campus Bus, City Bus, TransBus) or ordering online vehicle services, because using the campus bus is certainly a challenge in itself which requires waking up early and catching the bus departure schedule, apart from that another positive change is the change in the habit of walking more often because the campus distance is very wide, these struggles give a special impression that will always be remembered later .

       The city of Surabaya will always be remembered even though the exchange will end later, the nationalist atmosphere of the City of Heroes which is felt every morning through the singing of national obligatory songs, the voices of independence in every narrative and art, various activities to commemorate history, and places full of history. Surabaya as a smart city with its iconic skyscrapers and Unair as a world class university with all its sophisticated facilities is the result of collaboration between information and communication technology and humans which we will look forward to enjoying at another time.

    During this student exchange program, I gained a variety of very comprehensive academic experiences, adapted to new learning methods and atmosphere which broadened my horizons and made me think more openly through

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