It's been a while since the last time I updated this blog, a lot of things has happened ever since. Just a few days ago, I took a DISC assessment as a part of "Finding your ideal career" workshop at my school. One of the assessment that caught my attention is "You tend to be more of a doer than a dreamer" which made me think back over the past few years.
As some of you must have known that I used to be an AuPair in the Netherlands, ever since I return to Indonesia, I cannot move on from Netherlands, I always try to find my way back here. It's not an easy path to take and I refuse to just stuck in the "if" phase. There are thousands of way to do that, but the only "possible" way for me is to go back to school, and get my master degree. Some might think I'm crazy to do that as I'm kinda too old to go back to school, but I need to take matters into my own hand.
In 2014, I started my search for university, scholarship (read my previous post University Application, Scholarship Submission, and LPDP LGD & Interview session). Other than LPDP I also applied for VUFP and Holland Scholarship Program which offered by VU Amsterdam (where I got unconditional acceptance). I know to have a higher chance of scoring a job in the Netherlands you will need to speak the language, so I started going back to dutch course on weekend and get my CNAVT PPT (which means I'm proficient in dutch speaking working environment). However, I failed on both scholarship even though I worked hard on that essay, asking input from lots of people, both grammar and content wise, I only received a "waiting list" for the VUFP and "rejected" for HSP.
Luckily I can postponed my intake to next year (2016 intake) and decided to try the VUFP and HSP for the second time. The process of the scholarship is quite simple, and you don't have to send the hardcopy documents nor doing an interview. What they asked you to do is to write and essay of why you deserve the scholarship, they change the theme of what you need to highlight every year. This year I ignored all the suggestion I read in the "how to get scholarship" post and decided to be true for to myself. I pour out my heart in the essay, beg for the scholarship, and show my desperation. Thank God with support and prayer from my "IES Midweek" ladies, I scored both scholarship, even better God sent me a helper who provides a free accommodation during my study.
I can't give you a comprehensive nor great advice on how to study abroad, or start a live abroad, but I can tell you what I did
- Start planning early, research about the country, the school
- Make a to do list of what needs to be done
- Work extra hard to get it, even if it means you're missing a couple hours of sleep to study the language
- Stay true to yourself
- and last but not least, keep praying, believe that if you do your best God will take care of the rest