UNS – Since Solo is designated as COVID-19 Extraordinary Event (KLB) in March, many community activities are restricted. This includes learning activity in school and university, which also converted into a remote or online system. Nevertheless, the 70 international students of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, choose to stay in Solo. Currently, UNS has 100 international students from 24 countries. Some of them are already returning to their home country while several others choose to stay in Indonesia, especially Solo.
The conversion from face to face lectures into online lectures aims to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the campus environment. In addition to lecturing online, various other activities that caused crowds have to be postponed. This condition is faced by all UNS students, including international students. Every day, international students have to join online lectures from their studio apartments or dorm. One of them is Nguyen Thanh Dat, an international student in UNS from the Darmasiswa Program of the Republic of Indonesia. Aside from the online lecture, he fills his spare time to read books and took a walk around the dorm to drive away boredom.
In order to provide support to the international students in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNS through its International Office (IO) delivers assistance in the form of 70 basic and healthy food packages for international students who stay in Solo. The package consist of daily logistic needs such as bread, milk, and instant noodle, and other needs that are useful to protect from the spread of Covid-19 such as masks and soap. This is a form of concern from UNS, especially the IO toward international students. It is expected that this assistance package can help the international students to face the current situation, both to fulfill their daily needs and to keep themselves healthy.
An international student from Myanmar, who is pursuing a Master degree in Medical Science, Yuzana Maung, recounts their impression on how helpful the assistance was. “The response given by the IO UNS to the international students during this condition is great. There are some points that can be highlighted such as the assistance given, immigration information, and conversion of lectures method,” said Yuzana.
They also feel protected by the attention of the UNS IO. “We feel protected, when there is an international student who fell sick, we can notify IO UNS to get treatment from UNS Hospital for the student. I personally appreciate the response of the UNS IO, which is very satisfying, and I hope that it would continue to raise awareness of international students,” Yuzana said.
A similar thing also expressed by an International Student under ‘Bahasa Indonesia Untuk Penutur Asing (Indonesian for Foreign Speaker-BIPA)’ Program from Thailand, Patsawut Rattanakarn. “I thank UNS for taking care of international students. The logistic assistance is really useful for us who stay in the dorm; thus, we do not need to travel to buy groceries,” said the student from Thailand to uns.ac.id on Tuesday (26/5/2020).
Despite staying in the dormitory, they said that they do not forget to maintain health and a healthy lifestyle. “I am thankful that there are some friends who stay in the dormitory, that way I can get rid of boredom even though I cannot go anywhere. Aside from the online lectures, I watched documentary movies, playing UNO, and learning Bahasa Indonesia. When there is a real urgency that requires us to leave the dormitory, I always wear masks and obeying the Covid-19 handling protocol and kept my health,” said Patsawut.
Meanwhile, a clean and healthy lifestyle is always implemented by a student of Communication Science from Timor Leste, Eugenio Lay. “During this pandemic, we need to keep clean and washing our hands. Moreover, we must be diligently exercising, sunbathing in the morning, avoiding crowds, and wearing a mask when going out, and always taking vitamins to keep the body healthy,” said Eugenio.
Aside from the logistic assistance, UNS also provide assistance to all students in the form of internet credit. UNS also held various activities out of concern for the Covid-19 pandemic, both aimed at students, health workers, and affected communities. Humas UNS/Bayu
