Over the years, there has been a rising number of international universities that has opened branches in Malaysia.
Institutions such as the University of Nottingham, Monash University, and Heriot-Watt University all offer top-tier degrees that are internationally recognized, thus allowing you to get a job anywhere around the world.
As an Indonesian student with big dreams of working while travelling, this seemed ideal to me.
It had always been my goal to work and travel.
Since young, I had dreamed of travelling to different countries and witnessing all 7 Wonders of the World. Just imagining seeing all the architectural wonders up close made me dizzy with delight. I was excited at the thought of creating these structures myself for people to marvel at and admire.
Taj Mahal, one of the 7 architectural wonders of the world.
It was this passion that led me to the prospect of studying in Malaysia.
I realized that I could get an internationally recognized degree from UK universities by studying in Malaysia, as the cost was 50% to 80% cheaper. My first choice was the University of Nottingham, because of its high global rankings and course requirements. It ranked #99 in the QS World University Rankings 2021 and held the #18th position amongst top UK universities.
Their international standing gave me the reassurance that they would help me achieve my goals as a professional architect and travel the world to gain inspiration from the culture, tradition, and creativity of countries from all over the world.
I was not granted the privilege of being born into a rich family that could provide for all my financial expenses, so I had to look for a scholarship. Luckily, I came across Eduloco through a recommendation of my cousin who told me they were offering personalized consultations for free.
Eduloco was very helpful in assisting me with my application. When I told the counsellor I was looking to study at the University of Nottingham, she immediately sent me a list of available scholarships. They had a partnership with the institution, so I was able to get a 10% discount on tuition fees!
They even helped me with the personal statement to increase my chances of getting accepted. This was my first time studying abroad, so I was not familiar with the visa application process, but Eduloco was with me every step of the way. They explained the list of documents I needed to provide for my student visa and took care of the paperwork on my behalf. Within two weeks, I had received my offer letter and was ready to fly!
As an Indonesian student studying in Malaysia, settling in was easy enough.
The culture in Malaysia was not too different from life in Indonesia, so it wasn’t difficult for me to adapt. I was surprised to find that our language and Bahasa Malaysia actually had several similarities! Some words had different pronunciations and spelling, but the meaning was the same. For example, University was pronounced as ‘Universitas’ in Bahasa Indonesia, but all the locals spoke it as ‘Universiti’ in Bahasa Malaysia.
Often, the divergence was so minor, that I barely noticed it. Common words like ‘epal, apel’ and ‘televisyen, televisi’ were so close to each other that I sometimes forgot I was supposed to be speaking Malay.
I ended up picking up Malay a lot sooner than expected. Within a month, I was able to converse in Malay as well as the locals, and even blend in as one of them! (My slang often gave me away, though.)
I chose to live on campus because it would be much easier to meet new friends and interact with my classmates. At first, I was worried if I would be able to get along with my roommates, because I wasn’t exactly the neatest person in the world. Turns out, I needn’t have worried.
I met students from China, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Despite coming from different backgrounds, everyone was incredibly open and welcoming. Because we all lived so close to each other, it was easy to find willing companions to hang out. On weekends, we would watch movies at the local mall and hang out at the mamak stall until late night.
Interacting with international students from different backgrounds gave me a chance to practice my English-speaking skills as well. English was not my first language, so I often struggled to get the words right. Even so, my roommates were very patient and willing to teach me some of the harder words I didn’t understand.
On top of that, the university had a Clubs & Societies Week where I was introduced to the International Student Society. It was a student organization made up of members from different nationalities that was formed for international students to collaborate, connect, or just hang out. I thought I would be the only Indonesian student there, but ended up meeting many of my peers as well! It seems I wasn’t the only one who wanted to expand my social circle.
The International Student Society held events often—from bazaars, hiking trips, game nights, or the casual meet and greet session. I thoroughly enjoyed their meetings because we were always welcoming new members and thinking up new ways to break the ice.
On the first day of orientation week, the seniors took us on a city tour to familiarize ourselves with the sights of Kuala Lumpur.
We visited several tourist hotspots, such as Petaling Street, Merdeka Square, and the Petronas Twin Towers. The twin towers were 88 floors long and designed from a mix of modern design and Islamic art. As an architecture student, I was absolutely captivated by its contemporary style and strong foundation. Standing tall at 452 meters, it was known as the tallest twin buildings in the world!
The Merdeka Square was another popular architecture spot, with many historical colonial buildings lining up the streets around the square. The Sultan Abdul Samad Building was a popular photo destination with its beautiful scenery and quaint design, and St. Mary’s Church, one of the oldest churches in the country, boasted an elegant Victorian backdrop.
We wanted to try some street food, so we headed to Petaling Street to try the popular Chee Cheong Fun. It was a dish of rice noodle rolls stuffed with shrimp, beef, and vegetables. My favourite was the sweet potato balls, because they were fried on-the-spot and served fresh. Just one bite into the piping hot mashed potato balls made you want more!
To commemorate our visit to Kuala Lumpur, we took several pictures at the square. The city was a bustling metropolis full of life with plenty of food and scenery to enjoy. Being able to go on a day trip with my batchmates just made the experience even more special.
Even from Indonesia, I knew Malaysia’s pride and joy came from their food.
Malaysia is a country of diversity and culture, and this extended to their food as well. As college students, we were spoiled for choices with a variety of Chinese, Malay, and Indian cuisine to choose from. I was never tired of deciding on what to eat. On weekends, I would take the bus to the city with my roommate, just to try new food recommendations!
During one of our semester breaks, my batchmates and I decided to go on a road trip to a town that was widely known for their food—Penang! It was a spontaneous decision, completely unplanned, but that made it all the more exciting.
Image credit: tripadvisor.com
Being a huge foodie myself, I could not wait to dig in. We tried all kinds of local delicacies—an appetizing bowl of Hokkien Mee, the famed Assam Laksa in Air Itam, and a generous helping of the famous Cendol on the legendary Penang Road.
It was the perfect dessert to wrap up our road trip and cool off after a long day of walking in the sun. It’s true what they say—you haven’t tried the best of Malaysian food until you give Penang a visit!
Image credit: travelswithsun.com
Malaysia is a country that has a lot to offer from their education, culture, and food. Not only is it an affordable destination for students looking to obtain an overseas degree, but the lifestyle and culture makes it easy to adapt, especially for Indonesian students.
If you are thinking to study in Malaysia, then look no further than Eduloco to help you with the process. You can contact them here or drop them an email at [email protected]. I am forever grateful to them for making the enrolment process a smooth and efficient one!
Need help deciding on a course to take? Check out our article on 5 tips you can use before applying to university!
Teemay is a content writer who relishes telling a good story as much as she enjoys reading one. A fan of fantasy and time travel lore, she indulges herself with quaint daydreams of living in a vintage cottage settled deep in the woods. She hopes to achieve this one day, or may just settle with a treehouse instead. In her free time, she practices amateur astrology and interprets birth charts. These started out as a hobby for ‘fun’, but they come close to being obsessions these days.
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