“I really loved this program and it made this summer unforgettable. I will definitely recommend this program to people I know and hope that I am able to revisit Indonesia again. Indonesian Language and Culture Intensive Course (ILCIC) of Sanata Dharma University is a great institution to work with for the language program and all the individuals involved are friendly, open, and supportive. Very well organized and helpful to my learning.”

– Michelle Chau, 2019 Summer Studies Participant

“It’s hard to describe the fascination that I felt while learning Bahasa Indonesia. As each new word and new sound settled under my tongue and in the back of my throat, street signs and books suddenly came alive. People’s speech became animated as I listened to them day after day. This was my first time learning another language. Meanings of things expanded as I learned new grammars. Spaces that were indescribable became more vibrant as I appreciated their refusal to fit inside syntax. It was a beautiful experience where I gained new words and new experiences for which there are no words.”

– Annemarie Nicole DiCamillo, 2018 Summer Studies Participant

“Before USINDO I was unsure about my future path. I had always had an interest in Southeast Asia, but hadn’t had a lot of exposure to the region outside of an academic setting. …USINDO helped me overcome this in two major ways. First, it gave me experience out in the field through my volunteering program. With SHEEP I was able to go out to villages around Jogja, and, while not explicitly food security projects, each of the projects focused on different aspects of economic development to overcome the challenges faced by the individual villages. Secondly, USINDO allowed me to explore my own network and meet people who work in field related to my interests, mainly through my time in Jakarta over the Eid Break and during the post-program.”

– Jared Schwartz, 2018 Summer Studies Participant