Lukman Fadlansyah Ramadhan was one of the ITB students who got accepted for the IISMA program. He had the chance to study for one semester at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. As a student majoring in Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, he enrolled in forestry-related courses that are complementary to his studies in ITB.

The IISMA program that is fully funded by the government has fulfilled Lukman’s lifelong dream of studying abroad. Aside from having a brand new learning experience, he was able to learn about the environment, nature, people, and culture outside Indonesia.

Albeit the sudden preparations, Lukman’s enthusiasm did not waver. He initially encountered a problem concerning his English language assessment certificate; however, he was able to complete the administration process and move on to the next phase with the help of many people.

“During registration, staff of my study program guided me in filing my recommendation letter and other documents. My friends also lent a hand in proofreading my motivation letter and preparing for my interview,” Lukman stated.

Unfortunately, Lukman did not have much academic experience in UBC as on-site lectures started on Monday (7/2/2022). The severe Omnicron case in Vancouver forced academic activities that supposedly began on 10 January to be held online. Lukman also faced extreme weather since his arrival.

Considering it was winter in Vancouver and the climate is starkly different from Indonesia, clothing is one of the ways to survive abroad.
During his stay in Canada, Lukman discovered many things and norms that are not found in Indonesia. Transportations, for instance, are better because they are integrated and greater in number. Additionally, waste sorting in Vancouver is executed well. In terms of its social aspect, Vancouver is a city that welcomes many visitors and houses many nationalities.

For Lukman, the IISMA program gave him numerous benefits. Besides making his dream a reality, he gained a wider network of relations from other countries. He mentioned that he became more independent after partaking in the program, such as learning to cook for himself and communicating in English.

Through IISMA, Lukman hoped that he could share the knowledge he obtained with everyone in Indonesia. Moreover, he hoped he could maintain his friendships with his newfound friends.

“After returning home, I want to apply the knowledge I get in Indonesia and share it with everyone to improve one another,” he added.
Lukman noted that the requirements and selection of the next IISMA period will be stricter; hence, the preparations must be better.

“The English test certificate must be ready beforehand to avoid complications in capability, time, and cost. On the other hand, you can ask your friends for any help or guidance,” he advised.

Reporter: Laurahoney Azzahra (Teknik Pangan, 2019)
Translator: Ruth Nathania (Teknik Lingkungan, 2019)