My Duty to Promote Indonesia
Muhammad Ramadhan (INA AFS to India YP 18–19)
July 3, 2018, it was already night when I am arrived at India soil, the country where I am going to live for the next ten months. Namaste, India mein aapka svaagat hai. Welcome to India. Then, we had an orientation for four days in it’s capital city, New Delhi.
I have to say that India offered a great hospitality and really warmth to me and my fellow exchange students. They were really welcoming and would help us to adjust.
I met a lot of people from all over the world. There was seventeen nations at the orientation, including India. I was the only one from Indonesia. There were groups of student who came from Italy, United States, Japan and Thailand. I feel a little bit envy of them, cause I am the only one from my country. But that doesn’t matter because we’ll be going all over India, from Delhi to Tamil Nadu, from Gujarat to West Bengal and would they wouldn’t meet their compatriot at the program except their got the same city placement. I’ve got a placement in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. With two from United States, and one from each Germany and Switzerland.
Because I am alone from my country, then I am alone to promote Indonesia at the orientation. At the second night, we had a talent show. This talent show reminds me of the talent show back at my orientation in Jakarta at the end of June. At that time I had Afi who would gone to Brazil and Ikhbal who now already touch down at China. But at the orientation, I am alone now without those two.
The Italians were really impressive and creative, and there were seventeen of them. They sang some Italian song, and was showing a drama about Italian food and Mafia, which is inspired by Godfather movies. My fellow European students dancing a Hungarian dance. They invited me to perform with them, but I rejected because I thought that it is a perfect way to promote Indonesia.
So I was going to sing Manuk Dadali, which I performed with Afi and Ikhbal. But I changed my mind at the last seconds, then I performed Sahabat Kecil by Ipang from Laskar Pelangi movie which also my orientation song back in Jakarta. The reaction was really good, they really like it even though it is not a traditional song. But they said that I sang really beautiful. After that I make a quiz about Indonesia. From that, they know Jakarta as the capital city and know that Indonesia has around 17.000 islands. They were suprised and amazed when they know the number of islands.
I am really proud to introduce and promoting Indonesia to the world. As wherever I go, I always know where I came from and where is my home. It is my duty as an AFS Exhcange Student to promote Indonesia and show to the world that we are a great nation and we are free and active to promote peace all over the globe. I am proud to be Indonesian.
