The first time I know about Cross Culture Training by Sing Out Asia is last year when the program was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand. After all, I didn’t apply at that time, but 3 friends of mine joined it. And I feel very sorry for not participating because it looks so much fun and cool from their photos and their stories, then I know I must join this year. The news is coming, this year Cross Culture Training will be held in Batam, Indonesia. I was thought many times because it held in my country and maybe it will not really interesting (hehe). After preparing all of the things, I flew to Singapore, then heading to Batam by ship with others (not cruise, of course, haha).
We have announced if we have to gather at 3pm at harbourfront Singapore. I meet with other participants except Indonesian participants because they directly flew from Jakarta to Batam (bakal diceritain di blog selanjutnya! ;)). I meet with Japanese, Vietnamese and Thailand people, they are so friendly, without no hesitate we introduce our selves and chit chat with so much fun. Although we were tired because the trip from our place to there, but it’s feeling so much fun when you see other friends who are really interesting and want to know more about you.
After that, we went to Batam with a ship in afternoon and arrived around 7pm. When we arrived at hotel, we bring our luggage to our room and each one of us has a different country roommate. My first roommate is Vietnamese, second is Japanese, and the last is Vietnamese. The purpose to have a different country roommate is we will learn other culture deeply from one person. And it is so much affected!
During the program, I feel something different in my self. I learn how to respect and being tolerant only in 10 days. I respect other perspectives, I listen their unique stories, I see many different clothes and hairstyle, nail and the earrings which many girls using it except Indonesian :”) (because we wear hijab). And I think this lesson is not only me who feel this, but another participant must also get these things too. Because we always give full attention to every conversation. In this program, I see many different things like different lifestyle, different perspectives, different favourite things, and of course different ideology.
The first thing is they are so much curios is; my religion, muslim, hijab (scarf) and God. I live in Indonesia, the biggest majority moslem in the world. I never feel insecure with my religion, never feel different, never feel being tolerance in many times. I read a lot of tolerance. I know many figures talking about tolerance, but I don’t have many experiences to feel and to do it. And in that time, I learn how to respect other ideologies. For Vietnamese, only 1 person I know who Christian and others are atheists. They said almost 80% of people in Vietnam are atheist. And it’s so much interesting for me to know more about the background. From Trinh (my third roommate), she said, she does not believe in any God but she believes in karma, ‘if you do something good, you will get a good thing, and if you do something bad like hurting people, you will get the bad thing too’. Well, actually, it’s almost same with Islam. But, in Islam, we take God in our lives in every problem wherever and whenever.
Also being tolerance about the taste of food. Other participants like Japan, Vietnam and Thailand do not like (and maybe almost really do not like) the spicy food. They can’t eat spicy food whereas in here, almost every food is spicy. Until one time in farewell party, Mr Benny said to me, “Shirin, how’s the food?” I said, “well, it’s nice” he replied, “actually I know, it’s tasteless because it not spicy at all, right? haha” then I laughed too.
After that, about the language too. Because we just from 4 countries and each country have more than 2 participants, so sometimes we used to talk with our own language. If Indonesia participant meets with other Indonesian participants, we will talk using Bahasa, and also Vietnamese, Japanese and Thailand. Alice, my close friend from Vietnam ever talked to me during breakfast while she was talking with Vietnam participant, “Shirin, you must be confused, right?” I answered, “yes, haha. I don’t know what were you talking about.” Alice replied, “that’s what I feel When you talk with Indah, Cherry, Ami, Nia, and others.” I’m just quite and after that, I always ask Indonesian friends for talking using English not with Bahasa, because we must respect others.
The other interesting is, in this program we just know having fun! The learning about culture is something we have to know coming from our inside self. We do not really learn the culture inside of room or class. The cross-culture here is something you see, hear and understand about others without judging and feel ethnocentrist. We do not have to speak English grammarly, all of us know and understand each other talk without having to be so strict with grammar, and it is so much fun and interesting. We can be our selves and we can to talk to each other without no shy at all (Although, as fluent you speak, the more good communication will be created).
And the last unforgettable thing is, I just know if Vietnamese and Japanese only taking shower once a day, especially in the night. They do not take a shower in morning like Indonesia style. I think, that because the season too. They have 4 seasons, while we just have 2 seasons, so mostly we take shower twice a day; in morning and afternoon/evening. For us, if we do not take a shower in the morning, it is so disgusting, because it like starting a day with dirty.
Another lesson is I learn to respect the time, being on time is one of the most important things that I learned. In every program, we have announced the place and the time to meet, and I see no one of us late. Maybe just 1 or two times someone late. And it really impacts for me, cause now I no more slow and not on time. Daisuke Sensei and Hiro Sensei also I see as a good figure to see. They always smile, on time and look so warm and kind.
The beach, the food, the ferry, the islands in Batam, the chit chat and friends in March 2019 will be my precious moment in life forever. And I know if one day we will gather again.
sherayakata 