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Indonesian students abroad debunk lavish lifestyle stereotypes
Studying abroad offers the privilege of seeing the world; however, it often comes with a price, from an ‘invisible’ hard-work ethos to discrimination.
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Challenges: Between striving for academic excellence and adjusting to new cultures, Indonesian students abroad grapple with a series of adversities often caused by their identity as 'foreigners'. (Unsplash/Joan Kwamboka) (Unsplash/Joan Kwamboka)
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em>Studying abroad offers the privilege of seeing the world, however, it often comes with a price, from an ‘invisible’ hard-work ethos to discrimination.
Studying abroad is more than just aesthetic pictures and the "part-time traveler, full-time student" Instagram bio. Although many people often associate studying abroad with a lavish lifestyle or endless traveling opportunities, for those who are actually doing it, the truth might be far from such assumptions.
"Those popular beliefs that Indonesians abroad live a lavish, extravagant life are based on real-life experiences of many people in the diaspora," said Toar, a linguistic student who resides in Göttingen, Germany, and prefers not to divulge their real name. "But it always depends on the [destination] country."
The 22-year-old first came to the country at 16 to attend a fully-funded summer course in high school. Because they were already familiar with Germany, its language and culture, it seemed only natural for them to move there for university.
Studying in Germany, according to Toar, has plenty of perks, which include tuition-free education, universal health care, jobs with good pay and free transportation.
"It's easy to assume the student life abroad is full of luxury and comfort," said Toar, who identifies as queer, which makes navigating life abroad "a complicated topic to talk about" in its own ways.
