My First Time Experience Abroad

This is the experience that I would like to share to everybody about my experience abroad for the first time which was not only for travel but also for gaining new perspective and knowledge. I remembered it was October 2010 when I got an offering to join international conference AIESEC Unleash Asia Pacific Manila, Philippine. I was thinking ¨Hmm...I just need to try this one!¨. At that time I didn´t think too much about financial thing because I would like to try to gain some sponsorship, so I could go with less money. Another reason was because I am an AIESECer so I really want to step my feet in the land of Philippine, Manila. So I started my step by making a new passport and arranged many things for going abroad. At that time my age was 20 something, not too old for the first time going abroad.

Then my journey in looking for sponsorship was started. I asked many questions to the head of department in my major and fortunately she is so kind. She helped me and gave me some perspectives how to get sponsorship and endorsed me for going to the rectorate for gaining sponsorship. After hard work for two weeks finally I got some money which was really enough for this conference. Besides that, my passport was ready so I just needed to prepare everything before my departure. It was my first time going abroad so I didn´t even know how to buy flight ticket abroad. Fortunately my friend helped me lending her mom´s credit card for buying the flight ticket and I got reasonable cheap price for round trip Jakarta-Manila!

This was my first time going abroad, alone! But I believed I would survive for this. The learnings that I got from this experience was arranging everything by myself before going abroad, started from making a passport, looking for sponsorship, registering myself in international conference until buying the flight ticket by myself. I felt more independent and proud of myself.

On the month of November 2010 night (I forgot the date) I was waiting in Soekarno Hatta airport for check in into the plane. I couldn´t wait for this trip. Mixed feeling between happy and anxious because I was alone going abroad to Manila where I would meet the differences of the human characteristics, cultures, language and food. I could only smile when I was inside the plane. I felt all my hard work was being paid after I sat down inside the plane. The plane started to take of to the sky and I saw the lights of Jakarta city started to disappear. 

Me, inside Philippines Airlines

Around 5am I woke up and the plane started to land in NAIA airport Manila. I saw the lights of Manila city and it was unbelievable, ¨God! I will step my foot on Manila!¨. The city looks so beautiful from the sky. This dream will be realized soon! Manila, here I come!

to be continued

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