I was very fortunate and indeed honoured to be invited to speak at the Indonesian International Scholars Convention at the University of Nottingham in August this summer. While I felt I should be nervous, in fact I was very excited personally not only to share my research and gain a sense of recognition for what I was doing, but also as a way to integrate and better get to know the community. From a personal standpoint, listening to their impressive presentations, and knowing how far literally and metaphorically they have come, I was proud to have known them and be invited to be part of them.
For this, I need to thank Pak Munadi for his support and help and invitation to the conference, and also for the volunteer students involved in organising such a well-thought out and coordinated conference. For they are all volunteers, focusing on making not only their achievements in life, but also supporting the journey of many other Indonesian students. This is an organisation unlike any I’ve seen at universities. Whereby there is a sense of obligation and duty not on a personal academic level, but also on a cultural community level. Terima kasih!