So, I'm not going to brag about myself. No. This is a pure story about my opportunity of becoming an exchange student, which is a very, very, very great opportunity for me. Alhamdulillah.
7th Grade
At that time, going outside of my country was an impossible dream to be done for me. No, not because my country is not safe therefore they don't want us to go to their country, not because of political reasons and whatnot. It was because I just couldn't. Going abroad seemed like luxurious, very expensive thing to do for our family so we thought it would never be done by anyone of our family member; not until we get our own jobs and live independently. I have always believed it, so as my mother, my father, and my two younger brothers. Aside that, to be truthful I have always wanted to see somewhere outside my country.
One day, an alumnus of my middle school (in Indonesia middle schools start from 7th grade to 9th grade) came to our class. I was enrolled in International-Standard Class program, and no, I'm not bragging about myself. My school board viewed us as a group of students who has big opportunity to be winner of international competitions, to be exchange students, and cool stuffs like that. I didn't believe it, though. After all, they sent us an alumnus to explain about his exchange student experience in Japan.
So, that alumnus went to Japan as a high school exchange student, with AFS being his sending organization. He told us many things, and many of them were really exciting and funny. One of his story I remember well is when he told us about onsen, a Japanese public bath, he said that the towel was really small he compared it with our school notebook. The entire class laughed back then. Since that happened, I was filled with hopes and wishes to be an exchange student.
At the end of his presentation, the alumnus told us this: "Now, open your notebooks. Pick up your pen, and write something I am going to tell you," he paused to wait for us opening our notebooks, "'AFS'. Write it down on your notebooks. Just write it with small letters, somewhere in the notebook, even on the back paper is fine. But write it down," he emphasized, "because when you grow up a little bit and become a 10th grader in high school, you will remember about this if you write it down and you can try to enter this program."
I listened to him. I really opened my notebook, picked up my pen, and write the word "AFS" on the back paper with small letters and black ink. But when I looked around, I noticed that nobody was listening to him like I did. They opened their notebooks, but it didn't seem like they wrote it down. They seemed puzzled, looking to each other and started whispering about something. I bet they thought the idea of writing it down is stupid and childish, and they didn't want to do it. After that, I realized something.
"How stupid I am! How can I believe in such words? Writing it down to remember it? I won't even open my 7th grade notebook when I get into 10th grade! And even if I remember, what does writing it have to do with me accepted to the program? I was told I have to pass several tests to be an exchange student, and it must be such difficult test I won't pass it anyway!"
Is what I thought about that day, just after writing it down. I picked up my correction fluid and opened the lid. I was so ashamed of myself listening in such words and believing in such distant dream. But suddenly, I didn't feel like I want to erase the word. I was still ashamed I wanted to bury my face on the table, but I just didn't want to erase that word. Finally I just let it sit on my notebook's back paper.
Okay, I know it seems like I'm dramatizing it, but that's what really happened, that's what I really felt.
10th Grade
I almost totally forgot about the exchange program if it weren't for my schoolmates who were so excited about it.
"Hey, don't you want to give it a shot? Just buy the coupon and get the administration paper, fill and collect it, and go to Bogor to do the test!"
Bogor is a neighboring city to our city, Depok. That's where they held the tests.
I finally gave it a shot, like what my friend told me. Unlike when I was in 7th grade, I thought it was worth to give it a try rather than don't, and then dying curious about what might happened if I did. I went there by train, on a cold and dark 5 a.m. morning, together with two of my school friends. One grade of my school consists of 256 students, and more than 100 of them joined the first test. Can you imagine how full the test place were?
The First Test
The administration process started at 6 a.m., but the test began at 7. The first test is a set of written tests, consisted of essay in Indonesian, multiple choice about what's happening around the world, and multiple choice English test. I passed the essay one easily because I like writing (well, maybe, I don't know...) and passed the English exam carefully but successfully. The only thing that was getting in my way is the multiple choice about what's happening around the world. We found out that it was not only about what's happening around the world, it was about everything! Just everything. Even math problems showed up on that test. God...
Two weeks after all that set of tests, the announcement came out on the internet. I thought I am totally not going to pass because that multiple choice about everything on this world was getting on my way. But I was wrong. I passed. I really passed.
My hopes and wishes to become an exchange student suddenly popped up once again, like on the time when the alumnus was telling us his amazing stories. That time, it didn't shrink like how it did when I was on 7th grade; it grew bigger and bigger until my mind was filled of it. But I quickly suppressed it by thinking: "This is only the first test. There's no way you can be sure that you will also pass the second and third test."
The Second Test
I stopped wishing too much, and with that feeling I stepped onto the next test. The second test was an interview test, consisting of two interview, one in English and another in Indonesian. I entered the Indonesian interview first. I remember I was interviewed by three interviewer, one of them is a woman on her middle age and two of them were young looking men. I also remember clearly that the man on my left was asking me about my family name, Tanjung, and I explained that the Tanjung family descends from North Sumatra, but long time ago they moved to West Sumatra, to Padang, and grew larger and larger and became a part of West Sumatrans family name. Then he told me I was right and he knew because he is also part of Tanjung family. I was really happy hearing that.
Anyway, the interview in Indonesian was about our personality. The interviewers really seemed like professional psychologists, though. Then I went to the English interview and it was about simple stuffs like my hobby, but in English.
A Man on the Train
Then, I passed the second test. At this point only a few of my school friends passed. I remember there are 6 students from my school who passed the second test, and because none of them were that close to me, I didn't ask to take a ride with them (it's not polite to ask to take a ride on such early morning to a person you're not really close, right? Well, at least in our culture, I guess. Or maybe it's just me). On that early morning, I did my morning prayer, prayed hard for Allah to protect me from all the bad things (like kidnapping or robbery?) that could happen on the way to the station. I took the train again and this time, alone.
While I was going to get on the train, I saw a man, probably around 30 to 40 judging from his face, walking toward my left. He asked if that were the train to Bogor, and I said yes. We got on the train together, only the two of us were in the train.
In that train, he asked about what was I going to do, going to a neighboring city in such an early Sunday morning wearing my school uniform. "I am going to take a test," I told him. After that he asked for my name and I answered it. I didn't explain about what test it was because I know not everybody understand about exchange student programs and stuffs like that. And it was difficult for me to explain, too. What if he asked me, "What is AFS?" and I have to explain all the things in one short train trip?
But finally I let him know. When I let the word "AFS" slipped out of my mouth, he jumped and said, "Whoa! AFS! Yes, yes, I know that program. When I was young there were also a big test held for selecting students into that program. Yes, yes I remember," he said. I was amazed, he was no ordinary man on the train! Then he praised me for my attempt to do the tests and about how he didn't dare to take the test when he was young. That's too bad, though, because from my conversation with him he seemed like a smart person. When we got out of the train at Bogor station, I told him that I think some of Indonesians still lacked discipline because some passengers were trying to get on the train without letting us go first, and I told him that in big countries the people wouldn't do that. "When you go abroad, you will notice the difference between Indonesia and that other country, including the behavior of the people," was all he said, while looking to the crowd of passengers.
Outside the station, we talked until we reached the main road, and he said, "Laras, I am going this way now," he pointed to the opposite way of my destination. Then he shook my hand with both his hands, lovingly like a father, "Take care and good luck, I will pray for you."
The Third Test
The third test is a test that we must do in a group of students we didn't know each other before. None of five of us were in the same school, except two of them were from the same boarding school. We were told to read a problem assigned to our team, and make something out of some straws, popsicle sticks, some papers, glue tapes, with help of two scissors, to help settle the problem. It was all about teamwork, not creativity, though. We managed to made it somehow, something we called "mailbox", so that people can put their review and suggestion inside.
We were praised by the juries, they told us we did a good job, then asked us to take a seat in front of them. Each of us grabbed one chair, and the juries began to ask questions. What was that thing we made, how would it work, and stuffs. Then, one of the juries spoke, "Now we are going to ask you some sensitive questions. If you are not ready or not willing to answer it, please let us know now." Nobody raised their hands. The jury continued, "So, I want each of you to answer this: who is the best person in this group according to his or her teamwork behavior? You can give up to two names, and you can select yourself as the best."
Each of us answered. What surprised me is 3 out of 4 said that I did the best, aside of themselves. I was really happy I thought I was going to cry.
The jury asked another question, "Now, tell me who is the worst person in this group."
We were shocked for a second, then we acted normal as if we had expected that question.
After we answered it, the jury asked one last question, "The last but not least, tell me about why are you so motivated to join this exchange program."
I was the last to answer the question. As soon as I opened my mouth, tears ran down from my eyes. They were not tears of sadness, those tiny sparkling things were tears of happiness. "I want to be an exchange student not only for my dream to come true, but also for people who couldn't get the opportunity to be enrolled in this program," My parents, my friends who didn't pass, and that man on the train... "When I come home after finishing my exchange program, I want to be able to bring gifts for everyone."
From what I remember, the juries and the students were both smiling amazed at me. Maybe it's just my imagination, but whatever. "That's a wonderful motivation," said one of the jury.
Before leaving the room, the jury asked me if I want to take some candies on the table. I took one of it, and went out of the room feeling relieved and happy.
Yes, this is the end of this blog post. No, this is not the end of the story yet. On another time I will tell what lies after the third test. And yes, now I am an exchange student.
From Brewster, New York State with love,
Larasati Tanjung
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