UNAIR NEWS – Moch Zidane Indrawan, student of Japanese Studies (Stujep), Faculty of Humanities (FIB), Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), had the learning opportunity in the Land of Cherry Blossoms. Zidane, for short, is currently undergoing an internship at the Yumoto Shirogane Onsen Hotel, Japan, from October 2023 until next October.
The internship program of PT. Japan Indonesia Academic Program (JIPA) aims to improve student’s Japanese language skills and provides real work experience. Besides, students will also experience the working culture and social life of Japanese people.
In an interview on Jan 8, 2024, Zidane stated that he has learned about manners in serving Japanese food setups during the program. He also welcomed and directed guests according to their table and room numbers.
Before being in charge, Zidane attended an orientation to his work. He also received direct training to strengthen his skills during his internship.
Learning and adapting to a foreign language in a foreign country is not easy; in this case, Zidane often experiences culture shock due to the huge differences in lifestyle and weather. Living as a Muslim minority has become an obstacle for Zidane to adjust.
“I faced a lot of obstacles. One of them is recognizing the time for the fardh prayers (Fajr, Midday, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha‘). I must be really careful when it comes to buying food because pork and beef are quite similar, and there are no halal labels to differentiate,” he said.
Furthermore, Zidane revealed that the way Japanese people speak is more difficult than he imagined. “Sometimes I communicate a lot when I get orders, serve customers who speak very fast Japanese, and sometimes I don’t know what they’re talking about,” he said.
“At first, I was not very confident, and it was difficult to understand what the customers were saying because Japanese people speak very quickly. However, because I have been interning for several months, I can understand and get used to the tone of Japanese people here,” the FIB UNAIR student added.
Zidane has had many obstacles since his arrival. However, he didn’t just give up and was determined to finish this program well.
“I try to be determined with myself, carry on as usual, and pray as usual. If there are problems, I tell my family or close friends to find a way out,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Zidane believes that this program allows him to gain work experience before graduating and prepare for a future career.
He also advised all students to not be afraid to try. “Don’t hesitate to explore things you’ve never encountered before. To those studying Japanese and aspiring to visit Japan, maintain your passion for learning the language. This will help you become proficient and bring you closer to visiting your dream destination,” he explained.
Author: Aidatul Fitriyah
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
