Universitas Muhammadiyah Bengkulu (UMB) continues to grow and strengthen its commitment to providing services and guarantees that prepare its graduates to compete at both national and global levels. A variety of initiatives are being implemented by the International Affairs Office (KUI-UMB) to offer students international exposure and global insight, while also laying the foundation for a future double degree program set to begin next year.
One of the programs currently being undertaken involves three students from the English Department — Uas Gna, Muhammad Parli, and Wahyu Austin — who are participating in an international internship program. The following is an interview with one of the participants, Uas Gna.
Q: How long is the program and what are your impressions of it?
A: Alhamdulillah, we are very grateful and proud to be part of this program. We are placed at our assigned schools for a duration of two months — from August 5 to October 3, 2024.
Q: Where have you been assigned, Uas?
A: I’ve been assigned to Chitphakdi Wittaya Krongpinang School, located in Krongpinang Subdistrict, Yala Province, Thailand.
Q: Have there been any language challenges, and what language is mostly used by the local community?
A: The community here is bilingual — they speak both Thai and Malay (Pattani dialect) fluently. The most dominant language used is Pattani Malay.
In terms of communication, there have definitely been some challenges because Pattani Malay is a bit different from the Malaysian Malay we’re more familiar with. On top of that, their Thai accent still comes through when they speak Malay, which sometimes makes it harder for me to understand. But it’s really just a matter of time before we get used to hearing it and start speaking more comfortably.
Q: What activities have you been involved in during the internship?
A: Here, I serve as an English teacher. I teach both elementary and junior high school students. At the same time, I’m also introducing them to the Indonesian language.
Q: Any messages or impressions you’d like to share with your juniors or fellow UMB students in general?
A: My message to all UMB students — don’t be lazy and never stop learning. The world is vast, and there are so many things out there we’ve never encountered. Keep learning so that one day, you can experience them.
And one more thing — English is very important. With English, it’s much easier to explore the world, just like I’m doing now. Keep up the spirit, everyone!