Alannah Yuen is a New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant recipient from University of Western Australia. Hannah undertook the Indonesian Business, Law and Society Program (IBLS) in 2025.
Q: What sparked your interest in choosing Indonesia as your host country?
The diverse culture and the amount of learning opportunity there was within Indonesia, not only academically but also within the language and the overall culture that Indonesia and its community has to offer. Along with it being so close to Australia I felt like it was very important to be able to learn more about it by immersing myself into that culture and being able to learn about it from the people and experience what it was like first hand.
Q: Did you receive a New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant? If so, how did this contribute to your experience in Indonesia?
Yes I did receive a New Colombo Mobility Grant, this was able to help me with the fees from Acicis and also with the flights coming to and from Indonesia.
Q: What classes/units are you currently enrolled in?
I enrolled at UII for the Indonesian Business, Law and Society Program and I took the following units, Method of Legal Research: Learning about how to write an academic paper within the Indonesian Law context and what was expected for the students there in an academic research paper setting. Criminal Law: Learning about the criminality within Indonesia and how this handled by the courts within Indonesia and about the differences and also the similarities in how the judicial systems took case by case depending on the circumstances. Intellectual Property Law: Learning about the Intellectual Property Law and the rights of Indonesian citizens and how this affected copyright and how it affected workplace environments, whether they were informal or formal. Tax Law: Learning about how the Tax system in Indonesia works, including workplace taxes, income taxes, the different theories and principles involved and the history behind how the tax system came to how it was today. International Law: Learning about International Law and how this affects Indonesia in terms of their relationships with other countries and how this can be affected in terms of crisis or war, as well as the different regulations around the territorial jurisdictions and their regulations.
Q: How has your study in Indonesia influenced your understanding of the environment in the region?
It has heavily impacted my understanding as well as interacting with the community, this has been influenced by the language in the Yogyakarta as well as how the community interacts with each other. It has deepened my understanding of how the law works in Indonesia as well as the judicial system and how it operates depending on the case.
Q: Did you undertake an internship while in Indonesia?
I undertook some volunteering whilst in Indonesia at the Dreamhouse which helps children while they are in crisis, which has overall been super rewarding and helped me to understand some of the difficulties within Indonesia on a deeper level for those who may not be as privileged as those in Australia, and how it affects those families.
Q: What do you like to do in your spare time in Indonesia?
In my spare time in Indonesia I loved to hang out with friends, which there was many opportunities to do through dinners and events hosted by Acicis as well as organising some of those ourselves. It created a strong sense of community and welcoming, as well as the Indonesian people also made me feel so welcome in their country and helped me to understand the country and the culture (as well as the delicious food). There was also many different opportunities for travel whilst I was here which helped me to understand the different areas of Indonesia and the differences from island to island, there are so many beautiful spots to visit and explore and so much nature that can be enjoyed.
Q: What’s the most interesting new discovery or story during your stay in Indonesia?
My most interesting discovery was how amazing the community was within Indonesia, everyone is just so nice and welcoming and so open to sharing their culture and country with you.
Q: Will you recommend Acicis to other students?
I would definitely recommend Acicis to other students, when I first came here it was completely out of my comfort zone and something that I never expected that I would do, but this has just been such an amazing experience and so much better than anything I would’ve expected.
Q: Do you have any helpful advice for students who want to join a similar program in Indonesia?
I would definitely recommend to other students to learn the language before and during while you’re in Indonesia, as this helps you to navigate everyday life so much easier and be able to find out things that you never have would before, if you only knew English.
Q: Favourite Indonesian word/phrase? Why?
Banget, mainly because of the way it has pronounced with such enthusiasm.
Q: Favorite Indonesian food / favorite place to eat?
My favourite Indonesian food is Nasi Pecel, it just hits the spot every time! And my favourite place to eat is probably SS as there are so many different locations and the food always is so good.
