UNAIR NEWS – Avilia Ramadhani Avidar is one of Universitas Airlangga students participating in the IISMA (Indonesia International Student Mobility Awards) program this year. Through this program, Avilia will spend one semester taking an autumn course at University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland.
Avilia, a medical student at the Faculty of Medicine (FK) UNAIR, has been an active student at UCD Ireland from September to the end of December. UCD is a top campus in Ireland with students from more than 150 countries.
Taking Humanities major
She admitted she was a bit reckless in choosing UCD as UCD itself offers more courses from the social and humanities groups. It certainly means that Avilia will learn many new things, considering she is a medical student.
“In the fourth semester, I learned that being a doctor should not only be competent in theories. But, we also have to be culturally competent, especially when we provide services in a multicultural country like Indonesia,” explained Avilia on Monday, September 11, 2023.
Some courses she took at UCD included Children’s Literature, Introduction to Folklore, History of Science, and War: Ancient and Modern. Her interest in making science storybooks for children motivated her decision to take several courses.
“I myself have plans to make a science storybook. One of them I took Children’s Literature,” she explained.
Introducing Indonesian culture
Studying in Ireland also allows Avilia to introduce Indonesia to local residents. “IISMA UCD itself has planned to hold a traditional wedding ceremony on Heroes’ Day celebrations. There are siraman, gamelan, traditional dance, and so on so that people there can feel what it’s like to attend a traditional Indonesian wedding,” said Avilia.
She also expressed her desire to join the One Health community to learn its application to global issues. “I also plan to introduce sinom, a traditional drink during dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation), especially in Java. Apart from the scientific aspect, it can also be viewed from various other aspects,” added Avilia.
Experiencing culture shock
Life in Ireland is no doubt a challenge in itself for Avilia. Just arriving on Saturday, September 2, 2023, she said that Irish culture is quite different from Indonesia, especially regarding the social aspects of its society.
“We often make small talk, but here, you mind your own business. The downside is that it’s not easy to make new friends here compared to Indonesians, who often chat with new people. But, the people are very nice when we engage with them,” said Avilia.
The weather is also a challenge for Avilia. Ireland is now transitioning from summer to autumn. This condition makes it difficult to choose clothes that suit the weather. However, she admitted to enjoying her daily life in Dublin City.
“Biodiversity is still very well maintained here. Pedestrians here are highly respected. This is what I will miss when I return to Indonesia,” she concluded at the end of the interview. (*)
Author: Agnes Ikandani
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
