Zara Heiland is a student from Australian National University (ANU). Zara undertook the Indonesian Language Short Course (ILSC) at Satya Wacana University in Salatiga with the assistance of the New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant in 2025.

 

Why did you decide to undertake Indonesian Language Short Course?

I wanted to learn an Asian language inside the country instead of learning at home without any native speakers. I also never took a class in Australia for Indonesian formally and instead learned as a hobby with a tutor, so the ILSC was the perfect way of learning formally while studying language and culture. I actually heard about this course years before I entered, but I was preparing for a while to join because it matched really well with my courses, since I could not do a full exchange.

 

Did you receive a New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant? If yes, why do you think the NCP is an important initiative?

Yes. As a student with not much money to spend on overseas travel, the NCP is really helpful to actually allowing students to study overseas without too much stress of money. If the NCP grant did not exist, only students who have the money available to them would participate, and anyone else would be excluded, so it is very important to have and incredibly helpful.

 

What did you find to be the most rewarding part of this in-country experience?

Being able to stay with a local host family and being able to experience cultural visits in places that are not touristy was incredibly life-changing as I feel as if I can experience another culture much more authentically and practice my language skills a lot more better due to extensive immersion in everyday life.

 

 

What did you find to be the most challenging about the program and how did you overcome it?

Sometimes, the long study days leave you quite tired and with less time to explore Salatiga. I tried to multitask by studying in fun areas around Salatiga during the week and trying to be organised on the weekends so I could balance study and exploration.

 

Have you had previous experience learning Indonesian in Australia? How different was the in-country ILSC to your previous experiences?

Not really. My only experience was chatting with my tutor, who lives in Jakarta, which is very different from actually experiencing immersion in Indonesia and not having the option to talk in English. Doing the program also feels like you are chatting with friends in another language rather than being examined by your teacher/tutor, so it is much more freeing to be able to make mistakes in regular conversation compared to in Australia.

 

 

Were you able to learn about the Indonesian culture from this in-country program?

Absolutely! By staying in a homestay, my Ibu was very happy to explain cultural differences and help me experience new things. Additionally, the cultural classes every week were very in-depth, and I learned so much about culture in Indonesia that I wouldn’t have even looked at in Australia in a class.

 

 

What have you enjoyed most about the course?

The experiences of making friends in the course and locally. Being in a city like Salatiga, which not many tourists go to, really lets you integrate in Indonesia, and everybody I have met has been extremely friendly and really happy to let me practice Indonesian. I think learning important skills in class and then proving you can use them in practice outside of the class is incredibly satisfying, especially because my classes dive really deep into grammar.

 

How will your proficiency in Indonesian Language gained through the ILSC influence your future career or study?

I would love to continue to learn Indonesian, and while I do not have enough space for more Indonesian classes, I will continue with my tutor to practice every week, and I could even see myself working in a field related to Indonesian relations/language. Since I study international relations and science, I think my proficiency learned during ILSC could be a real strength in my future study/career because it assisted in understanding Indonesian culture/language at a deeper level.

 

Would you recommend this program to your friends?

Yes I would because the grant makes it easier for students to participate and even though it is a course, it feels more like a big holiday. It is honestly one of my favourite courses because the teaching, vibes and environment are all very good quality and comfortable.

 

Favourite memory during the course?

Doing the Nutbush dance battle with all the students after culture sharing presentations was very enjoyable and hilarious. It was like an impromptu party and I made a lot of Indonesian friends afterwards.

 

Describe your experience of the in-country ILSC in three words!

Insightful, lively, awesome.

 

What is your favourite Indonesian phrase?

Lele (catfish).