Goshen College’s Students Starts SST Program at UKDW

Thirteen students of Goshen College, Indiana – USA arrived in Yogyakarta on Friday, January 11, 2019. It marked the start of Study-Service Term (SST) 2019 in Indonesia with Univesitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW) as the host institution. Back in 1998 and 2001, Goshen College joined hands with UKDW in the same program but shifted SST destination the following batch in response of the travel warning placed by U.S. government. After 18 years of hiatus, the Indonesia SST is back and will run from January 11 – April 4, 2019.

Indonesia SST program is designed to provide opportunity for Goshen College students to learn about local culture, language, and a range of topics related to Indonesia as well as to dive into the local community on the volunteering service project. The SST group is led by Ron and Sally Jo Milne as the faculty leaders who arrived in Indonesia one and half month prior to prepare the program with UKDW team.

Upon their arrival, the SST group stayed at UKDW’s Babadan Dormitory and attended orientation activities the next day. The orientation day was started by briefing with Ron and Sally Jo. In this session, the faculty leaders explained important things students need to know about the program including the program schedule and information about the host family where they will live during the first-half of the program.

The orientation was continued with the session of “Health and Medical Briefing” by dr. Maria Silvia Merry, M.Sc., a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine. The last session of the orientation was “Indonesian Culture & Etiquette” delivered by Arida Susyetina, S.S., M.A., a lecturer at English Education Department who also serves as the Director of the Office of Partnerships and Public Relations.

On the same day, host family orientation was conducted at Rev. Harun Seminar Room UKDW, delivered by Mega Wati, M.Pd., who serves as the steering committee of SST program. This orientation aims to provide information about the objectives of the SST program, the role of the host family, and other important things concerning this program. “Host families hold important role in this program to receive these students not as a tourist but as a family member. Students should live as part of the family, learn about the culture, the custom, and the life of Indonesian people as they adapt in the community,” said Mega.

Finally, the SST students met their host families on Saturday afternoon. That day was the beginning of their journey as part of Indonesian family. [drr]