HMI and my way abroad

Around twenty five meters from the ground, coated by the wind of summer and the warm shine of the sun in the Weiden’s tower of St. Michael, I stood up, unfurled the flag. It was like a heroic moment, won the great battle. No, I’m not a knight warrior, nor the rebel who occupies a land. Or you might think I am the Kaisar Wilhelm who fight in the Battle of Weiden with French Imperial Guide, Soviet Army and Bulagiran Army in 1921. The epic sense of that story was what fill my heart. Frankly, I am just a cadre of HMI with the black-green flag strecthed along my arm. That was in September 2013, I joined Summer School in Ostbayerische Technische Hoschschule Amberg-Weiden. Germany has been being my dream since couple years ago. Getting this chance is really a blessing. This country is also the place for me to pursue master’s degree, and this is a must for me. My efforts to achieve it has brought me here. The long road will starts from now.

Wednesday afternoon, my phone was ringing, apparently it was a call from a staff of PKMN KAHMI. Few days ago I met a staff who served as general secretary in KAHMI Riau Area. He told me that Yayasan Insancita Bangsa in cooperation with PKMN KAHMI is currently conducting a selection process to hold a scholarship training in Jakarta. No doubt, I accept his offer and prepare all requirements soon after that. Once I sent all the required documents via email, few hours later I got a response  that my application has just been received and will be proceed immediately. What a luck, two days later the staff of PKMN KAHMI informed me that I passed the selection process and I was invited to get in Jakarta soon. Actually I applied for the second round starting from September. The staff told me that a successful participant is unable to continue to join the undergoing training due to a case. In order to fulfil the quota, she found another participant to replace her. By chance, I was the first person who sent application for the second round selection. That’s why I got the offer. Although the training has been running about one week, I don’t see it as a problem. I believe that I can catch-up the lesson.

My heart skipped a beat, as tight as speed of Citilink Aircraft at the airport runway path Sultan Syarif Kasim to fly to Jakarta. While my lips are whispering something, “Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (in the name of God), Europe 2015..Europe 2015..Europe 2015”, my brain comes to it’s imagination as if this flight is my departure to study in Germany.

I joined the class in Friday morning. I got my first impression, how grateful I am I could get together with all twenty like-minded persons who all are cadres of HMI willing to go abroad. Obviously this chance has re-burn my spirit and nurture my ambition of studying abroad.

Guided by all highly professional lecturers have made me sure that this is the way. Besides teaching, they share their experience with us about studying abroad. Another good thing, this forum is something I never found during 4 years I joined HMI. I smiled, this is the new image of HMI where the cadres looks very competent, professional, visionary, critical and very fluent spaking English.

The knowledge I got here is very useful. I do not want to trifle this opprtunity. This intensive training has facilitated me to get closer to my dream, and so do I should facilitate my self with spirit to learn. My goal for this training is absolutely to sharpen my English ability. University abroad assign very high standard for English competency of their potential student. I has no choice but have to study hard to pass it. Having a dream to Europe, always makes me awake.

Each of us here already has target-country and the university. Some of us want to go to UK and US, others  wants to Europe, but interesting one that there is a friend that choose Mumbai University in India. The reason beyond decision for the country and the university is different, some because of their interest to the country, and the rest is because of the university. For Europe, among all of us, I am the only person to choose Germany. In addition to the participants, there are also two of them that choose Netherlands, exactly the University of Leiden. I my self choose Techniche Universitas Muchen (TUM) School of Education.

Graduated from the faculty of education and teacher training, I assign to continue my Master in the same field. My major for bachelor is chemical education, but for master I will choose education in general. I have already visited to the website of TUM School of Education. From the information they provide, the enrollment period is during September until March every year for Winter Course. And now is August, only few months left to get the maximum preparation.

A dream is only a dream without action. It is a very simple rule for every dreamer. There is no dream that is too high except the low optimism and effort. Dream will not wait, we chase for them and if we get it, ready or not, we must be ready. Having said like that, I bear in mind that I should keep on focus. I will make it. Germany, I’m coming!

Jakarta, August 24th 2014.


*Has been corrected by Mr. Gunawan Widiyanto