“you will never feel the sensation if you are not dare to take a risk and go out from your comfort zone”
Dzień dobry,
Kasia is my name, currently nineteen years old now.
Before I applied for a Non-Profit Organization’s Winter Project, I’ve already had a dream to go abroad for an International Exchange. It is started when I was in Junior High School, I really wanted to continue my study in abroad , in that time I always thought about Singapore. But my mom and dad said that I can’t because I was so little to go abroad by myself. I entered Senior High School in my city and still had a dream want to continue to the University but not in Indonesia, but still my parents didn’t want me to go abroad because they were afraid. Finally, now I am a student in Diponegoro University, Faculty of Engineering, majoring Architecture Design, batch 2015.
One year ago I still had that dream and really passionate with an International Exchange, so I decided to apply one of the big Non-Profit Organization’s project in my University, and I was elected for their Winter Project paid by my hard work a night before the selection, I’ve prepared all thing. Then, I started to search for a project in Eastern Europe, specific in Poland. Fortunetly, I was accepted for an educational project in Lodz (one of the famous city in Poland) to teach English and share Indonesian culture to Polish Senior High School students. Before that, I was not elected in some project in Italy and Slovakia actually.
Firstly, I was so so afraid that Europe people will be so horrible, many people always said that they have a cold-blood they don’t care about someone’s life there, eventhough you are in the bad situation. I thought they will let me alone in their country and I will die with the cold of winter and snow. I should go there by plane for 24 hours and change flight 3 times then have more than 3 stops in 3 different countries airport, “what should I do if I am lost somewhere and nobody’s speak English?”, “what if my passport is lost?”, “what if I am kidnapped somewhere?”, what if people don’t want to help me when I ask for a help?”. I really stress and confused. And for your information my English is not really good, I don’t even know why they gave me an opportunity to become Exchange Participant.
But, all of my fears were gone when I'm thinking about how should I act as a citizen of the upper world who have to devote myself, although it is only slightly like just become a volunteer to impact people especially young generation in the world. And of course as a youth, I want to improve myself to be better, to get the knowledge based on my own experience, like to develop leadership, team work, socialization, confidence, caring each other, and more open minded. And I think International Exchange is the best choice to get all my expactation.
Then, I arrived in Poland without face a big problem. I think the problem is always there, but the most important things that how you face the problem and set your mind that you can handle it. I faced just a little problem in the airport and with pretty calm I handle it, without panic and just follow the rules. Everything was going well.
It was amazing. I’ve spent almost 8 weeks there, and I was pretty well received by Polish people, they are warm actually. All of them are so hospitable and in here I recommend you should meet a Polish family, they are very kind. I lived in Lodz and stayed in a dorm for the first week and the last week with the other intern around the world like Brazil, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, China, Ukraine, India, Australia, Malaysia, Pakistan, then the other weeks stayed with a hostfam. I worked in different school for each weeks and I have to move every weeks to a small town. Trying to open the Indonesian culture for Polish student and teach English, I thought It will be hard but it was amazing everyone speaks English, great. It made me feel comfortable to teach them and share everything about Indonesia. Polish students were so lovely and polite. They will appreciate the people infront of them, no matter how old you are, because I am younger than them.
During the breaks day, I went to another country by myself and sometimes with my friend from China, Brazil and India. I visited the most famous places in Prague, Cezch Republik and Budapest, Hungary. Exploring every places, meet new people, meet new problem and actually I could face it faster than before. I was more open to something and didn’t panic or shock with something new, I think in that time I was able to develop and manage myself.
I am happy that I really had a pleasure to experience how is to be a Global Citizen and meet people from different countries in the world who become my friend and even my family in a short time and shared much good thing from our own country, like culture, tradition, and the other and of course I had an opportunity to discuss world issues with the intern and the students there. I really understood how my worldwide changed. Now, it easier for me to talk with unknown people, make presentations in front of many people and more open minded with all things.
Thankyou all, my experience in Poland was honestly the best two months of my life. I learned a lot of new things, I would like to thank all people that helped me, other interns, AIESECer in Lodz and Undip, host families, the lady in the dorm, teachers and students, you guys are so amazing doing a great job and helping the world to be better place. So proud of you.
So sorry for my bad English, still learning how to be a good writer. Don’t forget to like and please kindly leave a comment for this article.
Dziękuję bardzo.
