In 1994 I finished my Graduate. As a fresh graduate, of course I had an ideal to be a good teacher and to be a public servant. However, it was not that easy. I tried to join the test in the Ministry of Education, but I failed. While waiting for another test, I was teaching at MTsN Plandi Jombang as a volunteer teacher.
In 1996 I took the test again held by the Ministry of Religious Affair and I was successful. My Decision Letter came in 1997 and I had to teach at MTsN Model Trenggalek. It was in the southeast direction from Jombang and about 3-hour journey. No gain without pain, this saying became my motivation to work well. Although it was far from my hometown, I managed everything such my family, my accommodation and my transport.
I had to commute every week. At the beginning I cried almost every day because I thought I was the unluckiest person in the world. I had to live far from my family....my 1.8 month-old baby...hiks....But apart from that I had promised to myself that I would do my best. I'd like to be a good and professional teacher. I removed all my ego, I tried to adapt everything in the new environment. Although my principal was a very discipline person, that's ok, I liked him. But he was still traditional oriented. The class should be very quiet. But for me English class should be noisy with activities....how to make students interesting is the most important thing for me....
My principal liked to watch teachers teaching. By pretending to clean the windows using the duster, he listened to the teacher's talking in the class. It's funny, but for me that's one way of observing teachers. One day he heard something noisy in my class, then he appeared, looked at my class. Maybe he thought that there was no teacher in the class, in fact, he found me in it. I was playing a game with my students. They were very excited and engaged with the lesson. I was happy.....
In fact we never knows what Alloh plans for us....in 1998 there was an opportunity to study abroad. I took a test to be a Master Teacher who will be trained in Malaysia. In 1999 I got the result that I passed the test and had to go to Australia (Instead of Malaysia). Then, I did the medical check-up, took the IELTS test (got 5, not bad for a beginner) in Jakarta. After that, I had to have a pre-departure training for 2 months in Jakarta. From July to August 1999 I did it well. At the end of the course, I took the second IELTS test and I got 6 (good enough).
On the 12th of September 1999 I departed to Australia from Jakarta with the 31 other English teachers from 6 Provinces (Lampung, West Java, Central Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi). We transitted in Bali to Sydney. In Sydney we met two Indonesian singers: Titi DJ and Hedy Yunus. We were so excited and we took some pictures with them.
The following day we arrived in Melbourne. Hmmm...the first time in another country...very cold....got a culture shock....different climate...different people....different culture...oh really a culture shock....
For a week I got an orientation week. We stayed in Miami Motor Inn in West Melbourne. Lots of phletora in my head, but gradually I could manage and handle everything. We had to join an English course again to continue the course in Kangan Batman TAFE (Technical and Further Education) held in Broadmeadows before entering the Deakin University. Every day we had to catch the train from the railway station in West Melbourne to Broadmeadows station. Sometimes we dropped in Essendon campus to use the computer lab because in Broadmeadows campus we had very limited computers. About 3 months we studied there. I learned many things such as: how to operate the computer, type using ten fingers, make an account in the Internet, use an email, how to analyze a report, make a report, write an essay, etc. In December 1999 I had another IELTS test again, this time I got 7....wow..amazing...I didn't expect it.
I thanked to Helen, Libya Charleson, Priti Mukherjee, Kim Bessant who always guided us with patience. Until we studied at Deakin University we still got a language support from Kangan Batman TAFE.
In January 2000 we started studying at Deakin Uni. We lived in a Student Village, in Grevillea IV building. I was lucky because I got a room in the first floor. In the first floor of this bulding there were a kitchen, a common room, 2 rooms, 2 toilets, and a laundry. In the second floor, there were 8 rooms with a bathroom and 2 toilets. Each room was full-furnished. We felt comfortable staying there because we could cook as we liked. There were 12 girls living with me.
In the first semester I had to take 3 subjects (Language Teaching Methodology A by Lyn Turner, Language and Language Teaching A by Alex, Learning and Teaching in TESOL Context by Marina Reuter and Elizabeth Tailor). I liked all of them. They were very helpful. At first, I was afraid of Alex. Many students said that it was difficult to get a good mark from him. Of course, I was afriad, but in fact, Alex knew my name before I told him. And when the announcement of the result came, I was surprised that I got HD (High Distinction) for the Language and Language Teaching subject...unbelieveable!!!
OMG...I had to work hard. It seemed everyone was so busy with themselves. Independence was the only thing I had to do. Doing everything alone, cooking alone, studying alone, eating alone.....
On semester holiday, I went home to Indonesia. It was in the mid of June till mid of July 2000. I really missed my family, especially my son and hubby. For a month I was at home, but I still contacted my friends in Oz because I also had to submit a title for my Project in TESOL the following semester.
Coming back from my holiday, it seemed I came to Melbourne for the first time again....got a culture shock again.....willy nally, suddenly I had to stay with the boys in the same house...oh God...I was crying all night. Fortunately I had good friends taht always supported me. In this second semester I got 4 subjects, they are Language Methodology B by Elizabeth Tailor, Language and Language Teaching B by Marina Reuter, Societal Context in Language Education by Tricia Henry and Project in TESOL by Gillian Schofield.
I tried hard to do my best. One by one, I had to finish the assignments...besides my busy days I also did some interesting activities...sightseeing...shopping to the city and others. Some places that I still remember were Queen Victoria Market where we liked to buy some vegetables and fruits and souveniers as well. Before we went back to Indonesia we shopped lots of souveniers from this place (key rings, T-shirts, dolls, pins, etc). Brunswick was a place where we went to Halal bucher and Saver. Saver was a place for second hand things. Cambherwell market or Sunday Market was another place for hunting cheap things. Boxhill market, almost every weekend we bought some vegetables and fruits. Safeway in Burwood Highway was very close for us to have some little shops. For refreshing we liked to go to Sint Kilda beach, Sandringham beach, Mount Buller and Lake Mountain in Winter. Melbourne Zoo was the frist tourist resort we visited. Botanical Garden in the city near the Flinder Street Station. Sometimes we also visited our Indonesian friends in Bundoora, La Trobe University. Twice I visited Monash University, first to take a friend returning the books in the library and the second, attending a seminar. Lots of memory...a tough life....joys...sorrows came in turn......but still we had courage and spirit to do our best.
Finally alhamdulillah I could finish my study on time with good achievement...
1. Language Methodology A High Distinction
2. Language and Language Teaching A High Distincton
3. Learning and Teaching in TESOL Context Distinction
4. Language Methodology B High Distinction
5. Language and Language Teaching B High Distinction
6. Societal Context in The Language Education Distinction
7. Project in TESOL High Distinction
I had to commute every week. At the beginning I cried almost every day because I thought I was the unluckiest person in the world. I had to live far from my family....my 1.8 month-old baby...hiks....But apart from that I had promised to myself that I would do my best. I'd like to be a good and professional teacher. I removed all my ego, I tried to adapt everything in the new environment. Although my principal was a very discipline person, that's ok, I liked him. But he was still traditional oriented. The class should be very quiet. But for me English class should be noisy with activities....how to make students interesting is the most important thing for me....
My principal liked to watch teachers teaching. By pretending to clean the windows using the duster, he listened to the teacher's talking in the class. It's funny, but for me that's one way of observing teachers. One day he heard something noisy in my class, then he appeared, looked at my class. Maybe he thought that there was no teacher in the class, in fact, he found me in it. I was playing a game with my students. They were very excited and engaged with the lesson. I was happy.....
In fact we never knows what Alloh plans for us....in 1998 there was an opportunity to study abroad. I took a test to be a Master Teacher who will be trained in Malaysia. In 1999 I got the result that I passed the test and had to go to Australia (Instead of Malaysia). Then, I did the medical check-up, took the IELTS test (got 5, not bad for a beginner) in Jakarta. After that, I had to have a pre-departure training for 2 months in Jakarta. From July to August 1999 I did it well. At the end of the course, I took the second IELTS test and I got 6 (good enough).
 |
| In front of the Cheese grater |
 |
| With Tricia Henry in the classroom |
On the 12th of September 1999 I departed to Australia from Jakarta with the 31 other English teachers from 6 Provinces (Lampung, West Java, Central Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi). We transitted in Bali to Sydney. In Sydney we met two Indonesian singers: Titi DJ and Hedy Yunus. We were so excited and we took some pictures with them.
The following day we arrived in Melbourne. Hmmm...the first time in another country...very cold....got a culture shock....different climate...different people....different culture...oh really a culture shock....
For a week I got an orientation week. We stayed in Miami Motor Inn in West Melbourne. Lots of phletora in my head, but gradually I could manage and handle everything. We had to join an English course again to continue the course in Kangan Batman TAFE (Technical and Further Education) held in Broadmeadows before entering the Deakin University. Every day we had to catch the train from the railway station in West Melbourne to Broadmeadows station. Sometimes we dropped in Essendon campus to use the computer lab because in Broadmeadows campus we had very limited computers. About 3 months we studied there. I learned many things such as: how to operate the computer, type using ten fingers, make an account in the Internet, use an email, how to analyze a report, make a report, write an essay, etc. In December 1999 I had another IELTS test again, this time I got 7....wow..amazing...I didn't expect it.
I thanked to Helen, Libya Charleson, Priti Mukherjee, Kim Bessant who always guided us with patience. Until we studied at Deakin University we still got a language support from Kangan Batman TAFE.
In January 2000 we started studying at Deakin Uni. We lived in a Student Village, in Grevillea IV building. I was lucky because I got a room in the first floor. In the first floor of this bulding there were a kitchen, a common room, 2 rooms, 2 toilets, and a laundry. In the second floor, there were 8 rooms with a bathroom and 2 toilets. Each room was full-furnished. We felt comfortable staying there because we could cook as we liked. There were 12 girls living with me.
In the first semester I had to take 3 subjects (Language Teaching Methodology A by Lyn Turner, Language and Language Teaching A by Alex, Learning and Teaching in TESOL Context by Marina Reuter and Elizabeth Tailor). I liked all of them. They were very helpful. At first, I was afraid of Alex. Many students said that it was difficult to get a good mark from him. Of course, I was afriad, but in fact, Alex knew my name before I told him. And when the announcement of the result came, I was surprised that I got HD (High Distinction) for the Language and Language Teaching subject...unbelieveable!!!
OMG...I had to work hard. It seemed everyone was so busy with themselves. Independence was the only thing I had to do. Doing everything alone, cooking alone, studying alone, eating alone.....
On semester holiday, I went home to Indonesia. It was in the mid of June till mid of July 2000. I really missed my family, especially my son and hubby. For a month I was at home, but I still contacted my friends in Oz because I also had to submit a title for my Project in TESOL the following semester.
Coming back from my holiday, it seemed I came to Melbourne for the first time again....got a culture shock again.....willy nally, suddenly I had to stay with the boys in the same house...oh God...I was crying all night. Fortunately I had good friends taht always supported me. In this second semester I got 4 subjects, they are Language Methodology B by Elizabeth Tailor, Language and Language Teaching B by Marina Reuter, Societal Context in Language Education by Tricia Henry and Project in TESOL by Gillian Schofield.
I tried hard to do my best. One by one, I had to finish the assignments...besides my busy days I also did some interesting activities...sightseeing...shopping to the city and others. Some places that I still remember were Queen Victoria Market where we liked to buy some vegetables and fruits and souveniers as well. Before we went back to Indonesia we shopped lots of souveniers from this place (key rings, T-shirts, dolls, pins, etc). Brunswick was a place where we went to Halal bucher and Saver. Saver was a place for second hand things. Cambherwell market or Sunday Market was another place for hunting cheap things. Boxhill market, almost every weekend we bought some vegetables and fruits. Safeway in Burwood Highway was very close for us to have some little shops. For refreshing we liked to go to Sint Kilda beach, Sandringham beach, Mount Buller and Lake Mountain in Winter. Melbourne Zoo was the frist tourist resort we visited. Botanical Garden in the city near the Flinder Street Station. Sometimes we also visited our Indonesian friends in Bundoora, La Trobe University. Twice I visited Monash University, first to take a friend returning the books in the library and the second, attending a seminar. Lots of memory...a tough life....joys...sorrows came in turn......but still we had courage and spirit to do our best.
 |
| Graduation |
1. Language Methodology A High Distinction
2. Language and Language Teaching A High Distincton
3. Learning and Teaching in TESOL Context Distinction
4. Language Methodology B High Distinction
5. Language and Language Teaching B High Distinction
6. Societal Context in The Language Education Distinction
7. Project in TESOL High Distinction
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