NASI AYAM ORAK ARIK NUGGETS- INDOMIE SPECIAL

This blog entry is an idea of my co- exchange student intern but I feel the need to include this because I will value the friendship that I made in this journey for a lifetime. I wasn’t sure how things would unfold even if this is not my first time to step in a foreign country, The people that I traveled with weren’t the people that I usually hang out with. We shared the same school, and the same course but we are not that close.

To make things more challenging, socializing, for me, has always been something I’ve had to learn slowly. It's outside of my comfort zone. I find it difficult to say "hi" even if I knew the person. I would stare at them, and wait for them to say "hi" first. If not, I would just usually smile awkwardly. However, as time goes by, I got really close with my co- exchange student interns. Who would have known that Rogie (Ayam), Marlowe (Orak), and Iza (Arik) would be like my family in my one month stay? I'm Nasi by the way, and you will meet Nuggets, Indomie, and Special in this narrative.

Marlowe (Orak) and I had been classmates for three years, but we never really talked about anything beyond school projects and academic tasks. I used to have several assumptions about him. I thought he was impatient and quick to anger. But when we finally spent time together, I realized that those were actually traits I needed to confront in myself. To my surprise, he turned out to be more composed and understanding than I expected. Through our conversations, I learned a lot—not just about who he really is, but also about who I was becoming. He taught me the value of being careful with the people I let into my circle and of standing firm in my personal standards. These are lessons I continue to carry with me. Aside from those, I did not realize that we're neighbors until now.

I did not have a lot of assumptions about Rogie (Ayam), and Iza (Arik) because they are Math majors and we are Science majors. But during our stay, they truly looked out for me in ways I didn’t anticipate. They were incredibly patient, especially since I tend to move at a slower pace—whether it’s making decisions, catching up with the group, or even just getting ready. I never once felt like I was being left behind or a burden. Instead, they adjusted for me without complaint, quietly making sure I was okay and included.

Now, meet Reza (Nuggets), Syafrah (Indomie), and Latifah (Special). They were our designated student buddies from UNISSULA. At first, I was worried on how we would act because our culture as Christians is quite different Muslims. I was overthinking that I may do something offensive but it turned out it wasn’t difficult at all to be accepted by them and to grow close. Initiatilly, they were very reserved and we were noisy. But soon enough, they warmed up and even caught on to our playful teasing and jokes. Our differences became a source of curiosity and laughter rather than division. Through our exchange of stories, I've realized that Semarang and Davao have some commonalities with supernatural beliefs.

This experience showed me that meaningful connections can come from the most unexpected places and people. I am forever grateful to our group, NASI AYAM ORAK ARIK NUGGETS-INDOMIE SPECIAL for a natural, mutual, and real connection. But before I forget, our squad name are actually two famous foods in Indonesia. These are the first two foods that we ate at Burjo (a dominant eatery in this country). These are also the the one of the first Indonesian words we knew. Marlowe kept on mentioning it, and even used it as an encantation. Eventually, we got our nicknames, and it became the name of our group lol.