Bonnie Hermawan completed the Acicis Flexible Language Immersion Program in 2003/2004 at Universitas Gadjah Mada, as part of her studies at Deakin University.
Bonnie Hermawan has spent her career working across international and transnational education. She’s held roles with the Asia Education Foundation, the Victorian Department of Education, and now the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Much of her work has involved designing and managing programs that link Australian schools and educators with their counterparts in Indonesia and the region.
“My Acicis experience has undoubtedly influenced this winding career path of mine, which has had a constant theme of education and global, intercultural and language exchanges,” she said. “I feel fortunate to have been able to use my Indonesian language and cultural knowledge in all of my professional roles, to varying degrees, and these experiences and skills have certainly been an asset.”
After graduating, Bonnie returned to Indonesia through a two-year placement with Australian Volunteers International. She later supported visiting Indonesian teachers and scholars in Australia, picked up translation work, and continued her studies. Her connection to Indonesia has remained steady ever since, both in and outside of work. “I now have Indonesian in-laws and extended family in Indonesia, so I keep engaged personally through these relationships also,” she said.
The path began with her undergraduate studies at Deakin University. “My Acicis experience ignited my passion for Indonesia and exposed me to a range of broader and more nuanced perspectives.”
She joined the program at Universitas Gadjah Mada in 2003. “I enrolled in a 6-month/1-semester program, but within 2 weeks of being in-country, I extended my enrolment for an additional semester.” It was the day-to-day experience that had the biggest impact. “The personal connections, from making friends with other international students and spending time learning together around campus and travelling around the country during holiday periods, to fitting into life in my kos… I learnt so much through each of these relationships.”
Her decision to study Indonesian had started almost by accident. “It was a lot of chance really,” she said. “I had studied French through high school and intended to continue at university, but they did not offer that language at my university. There was a great Indonesian language program, so I thought I would give it a try.”
She had always planned to study overseas. “When I learnt about the Acicis in-country immersion program, everything came together and it was like the stars were aligning.”
Arriving in Indonesia with limited language skills, she found the beginning difficult. “I really struggled in the beginning to understand what was going on, and it was exhausting.” Over time, her comprehension grew. “After feeling like floundering for weeks and weeks, things would suddenly ‘click’ into place.” She later enrolled in a mainstream university class taught in Indonesian. “Whilst painful at times, [it] helped me to extend my language skills.”
Bonnie’s time in Yogyakarta continues to influence how she works, not just in terms of language or knowledge, but how she approaches people, place and learning.
