“In Indonesia, motor riders will honk their horns so often and ride their bikes fast. I always get a bit scared to sit at the back of a motorcycle,” said Cik Arba’ah Binti MD Salleh, then laughter was heard. It was a new experience for the teacher to get a ride from one of YSU students. Cik AB, as she is usually called, was the coordinator for the Sit-In Program for University Putra Malaysia students at Yogyakarta State University.

In her speech at the closing ceremony of the program, she expressed her impression on the program which had allowed UPM students to learn more deeply about leadership, Indonesian culture, especially Yogyakarta, and home industries for earthenware, crafts and ready to wear products.

“That is one of ways to say hi to our friends here. If we are riding our motorcycle and meet our friends on the street, we will honk our horns as a way to greet them,” said Dr. Kun Setyaning Astuti, M.Pd., the Vice Dean for Student Affairs at YSU Faculty of Languages and Arts. She also hoped that the collaboration programs between YSU and UPM will continue to other forms of activities in the future. “We are looking forward to conducting enhanced collaboration programs, especially for the Faculty of Languages and Arts.”

The program was started with an opening ceremony and a lecture on youth leadership by Dr.-Ing. Satoto E. Nayono, M.Eng., M.Sc. On the next day, the students visited Tamansari, which is the Yogyakarta Sultanate’s Water Castle, and earthenware production areas at Kasongan. The following day was an excursion to the complex of Prambanan and Sewu temples at which the former is a Hindu temple and the later is a Buddhist temple.

As their farewell performances, the UPM students performed two creative dances and invited all attendees to sing together. Meanwhile, a student from YSU Dance Education Department performed an energetic traditional Balinese dance. (OIAP)