Learning beyond borders: Nursing student discovers healthcare in Indonesia
Seeing nursing from a different perspective
The major highlight of the program for Rhiannon was experiencing nursing and healthcare in another country. It also gave her a greater appreciation of the opportunities and resources available to students in Australia.
“It was great to get an experience of nursing in a different country and see how their systems work and what's involved in their aged care facilities and hospitals in general.”
“I'm more aware of the opportunities we have here, being able to reach out and actually use what we have. I noticed Indonesians are very resourceful within themselves and they're doing things personally, whereas we have a lot of infrastructure that we can use to our advantage.”
Finding your way in a new country
For the most part, language was not a major barrier for the group, with local staff able to communicate in English.
“It was quite fun, those who couldn't speak Indonesian still found it quite easy because the facilities, the faculties we were travelling around with could speak quite good English.”
Like any overseas experience, the trip also came with some unexpected challenges.
“I had vertigo and ended up on medication. A couple of others were unwell with tummy problems and things like dehydration. But that's something you experience when you go to another country”.
Preparing for a different culture
Having travelled to Indonesia previously, Rhiannon had some understanding of what to expect.
"I had an idea because I've been to Indonesia a lot and I've also been outside of Bali", she said. However, she believes future participants could benefit from more guidance before travelling, particularly around local culture and expectations.
“I know there was a bit of a culture shock for some students but towards the end they became more understanding.”
Building friendships along the way
Travelling as part of a large group brought students together, while also requiring them to navigate different ages, interests and preferences.
“It was good. There were a couple of big age differences between group members, but we became friends, so that's been nice.”
She said adjusting to shared spaces and different preferences was part of the experience but ultimately, the experience created new connections.
