As part of our regular program, English department hosted another great speaker  Ibu Itje Chodidjah , to talk about “facing global challenges: what should English grads prepare? ” in our public lecture on October 17th, 2013. Ibu Itje was talking in front of 100 students and gave a mind – opening speech on our current condition as a nation and where we are among the other nations.  She stressed the importance of  developing  thinking skills as one of the many elements required in joining the heightening competition of the 21st century.

Ibu Itje among the participants
Ibu Itje among the participants

The following is one of  reflections made by  a student:

Gendis was saying

Today’s seminar by Bu Itje is one of the best seminars I’ve ever attended. It is such a total mind-opening lecture. It gave me a realization that globalization and technological development make our lives very easy and also very difficult all at the very same time. We have to be well prepared if we want to succeed and be able to compete with other resident of this world in this era or very near future when the world is becoming more and more border less. Besides, Bu Itje’s seminar,  gave me more awareness about the problems in our country, Indonesia -how far we are left behind other countries- to think or do something about it. By listening to what Bu Itje said, I do know that it is not easy to be a successful, satisfied, happy human being these days, moreover later on in the future , although I believe it is not impossible to become one. However, it can only happen if we are well prepared from now -develop ourselves, be a critical thinker, never stop learning, have good interpersonal skill, etc. Knowing what’s going on right now, and also after living for a while in developed country, I couldn’t agree more that our country is far far away to be the ideal place to live happily. There are too many problems in this such beautiful country. It’s hard to change the country as a whole, but I believe the start to change the world is to change ourselves (in a better way of course). I hope that’s what I am doing now. 🙂

Just because it's a lecture, it doesn't mean that you'll still sit still
Just because it’s a lecture, it doesn’t mean that you’ll  sit still
A token of appreciation from English department presented by Ibu wiwik
A token of appreciation from English department presented by Ibu wiwik
Thank you so much Ibu Itje Chodidjah!