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| Aloysius Gonzaga Alnabe, International Relations Student at UMM, Successfully Flies to Barcelona through the Indonesian International Student Award (IISMA) 2024 Scholarship (Photo : Special) |
Aloysius Gonzaga Alnabe, an International Relations student at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM), has successfully traveled to Barcelona through the Indonesian International Student Award (IISMA) 2024 scholarship. Known as Gonza, he, along with 40 fellow Indonesian exchange students, has the opportunity to study for three months at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona, Spain, starting in September.
Gonza expressed his gratitude for receiving this golden opportunity and for the extraordinary learning experience. He shared three fascinating aspects of Barcelona that left a lasting impression on him during his studies there. Upon first arriving in Spain's second-largest city, he was amazed by the pedestrian-friendly city layout, which makes it easy for walkers. Another highlight was the numerous beautiful historic buildings, some of which are hundreds of years old. Finally, he was struck by the culture and educational system, as well as the engaging learning atmosphere at UPF, characterized by full discussions between professors and students.
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“I really enjoy studying at UPF Barcelona. We (the students) don’t feel intimidated and are given the freedom to exchange thoughts and arguments with the professors. I find the teaching and learning culture here very enjoyable,” he added.
Furthermore, the student from East Nusa Tenggara shared his impressions and interesting experiences during his time in Barcelona. He noted that tapas, a unique Spanish tradition of enjoying small portioned dishes as appetizers, was particularly appealing. In addition to culinary delights, Gonza explored one of the tourist attractions known for its stunning mountain views in Catalonia, located northwest of Barcelona, called Montserrat.
“In my opinion, Spain, especially Barcelona, is one of the nearly perfect places in the world. The historic monuments are beautifully arranged, the city layout is orderly and pedestrian-friendly, the food is world-renowned, and the tourist destinations are truly worth visiting when friends come to Barcelona,” he shared enthusiastically.
Besides being happy to be able to enjoy the beauty of the city of Barcelona, Gonza is also determined to be able to channel all the new knowledge and insights he gets so that he can also learn together. Interestingly, apart from being a student of HI UMM, Gonza is also actively teaching English in several places. Behind the success of his student exchange at UPF, Gonza admits that he often misses his campus and hometown.
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Lastly, Gonza encouraged young people not to hesitate or fear starting something they love. He believes that being active in organizations, social activities, and competitions can significantly enhance one’s life journey and help navigate challenges.
“I also want to thank UMM for always being a supportive platform for its students to achieve higher education. I hope other UMM students take advantage of all the campus facilities. UMM has many international scholarship programs; don’t hesitate, enroll yourself. Whatever the outcome, use it as a measure of your abilities,” he emphasized. (din/wil/fajr)
