2025 – #OTOTSENDI Week 1 – Scholarship Abroad
#OTOTSENDI (Obrolan Berbobot bersama VDMI Family) is here to accompany the fasting month of VDMI Family with sharing from 12 alumni via Live Instagram. Collaboration with alumni is expected to provide new insights for the VDMI Family with various topics given every week. In addition, this activity also wants to motivate and encourage VDMI Family in achieving their goals in life.
#OTOTSENDI is divided into four topics: Scholarship Abroad (1st Week), Back To Village (2nd Week), Work Abroad (3rd Week) and Opportunity and Passion (4th Week). Each topic will be presented by three alumni on Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week. The first week was filled by [1] Andi Annisa Tenri Ramadhani (alumna of Hasanuddin University) who is currently studying at Kanazawa University, Japan; [2] Klaudia A Deda (alumna of SMAK Regina Pacis Bajawa) who is currently studying at Wageningen University, Netherlands; and [3] Kostan DF Mataubenu (alumnus of Nusa Cendana University) who is currently studying at The University of Newcastle, Australia. They shared about how they were able to study abroad and the scholarships they received. Annisa received the MEXT Scholarship U2U scheme, while Klaudia and Kostan received LPDP scholarships.
Annisa (5 March) had previously participated in a student exchange activity in 2021. Even though COVID was still around at that time, she still participated online. From there, she got a connection at Kanazawa University. She had worked but was again offered to continue her studies by one of the professors from Kanazawa University. The preparations included IELTS Score, Motivation Letter, and Research Plan. The last step was an oral test (interview) regarding the research plan that was relevant to the professor. He said that the culture of time discipline was highly emphasized and it was expected for those who wanted to study in Japan (Masters level) to update the research process every week.
Klaudia (7 March) experienced obstacles during the process of completing the files, because she was in a remote area. However, that did not dampen her enthusiasm for going to the Netherlands. On the other hand, she faces the cultural differences in communication style for example, Indonesians tend to have circular conversations, while Westerners are more accustomed to speaking directly to the point. He advised VDMI families who want to apply for the LPDP scholarship to be honest in writing essays, along with having a clear purpose for pursuing the scholarship.
The biggest challenge Kostan (9 March) faced when applying for the LPDP scholarship was that he had to apply twice. His first attempt in 2019 was unsuccessful at the interview stage. This led him to feel discouraged, hesitant, and even consider studying domestically instead. One of the most difficult obstacles was finding a suitable academic supervisor whose research focus is aligned with his needs. He overcame this challenge by seeking motivation from a supportive and uplifting circle of friends. Kostan shared his main goal was his dream of studying abroad that uses English as a main language, with a better university quality and provides what he needs for his research. He believes that every individual has the potential to grow and develop.
