By Allison Zelkowitz (Semester 20/Feb 2005)
University of California, San Diego
Hello! My name is Allison Zelkowitz, and as far as I know, I’m the first American to participate in the ACICIS program.
I recently completed a Master’s degree at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where I majored in International Relations with a focus on Southeast Asia. Although I studied Indonesian for over a year at UCSD, I knew I would never become fluent unless I lived in Indonesia for a while.
I found ACICIS simply by searching on Google, and I was really impressed with the ACICIS website. I was even more impressed with how quickly the ACICIS secretariat responded to my initial inquiry. I eventually chose ACICIS because it seemed like the most organized and established Indonesian study abroad program out there.
When I arrived in Indonesia and began the program, I was not disappointed. The in-country ACICIS staff were always available to answer questions and help with anything, from academic and medical issues, to even mundane questions like where to find a good pizza! My semester in Indonesia was one of the best in my life, I’ve had so many great experiences, met so many amazing people, and my Indonesian has dramatically improved as well.
So to all international students considering the ACICIS program, all I have to say is “Go for it! You won’t forget it! Semoga sukses!”