How Did I Come to the USA

After you have read some of my stories in this blog, you may have a question how did I get to the college in the USA. Do I pay for my tuition fees by my own money? Are the college fees affordable for me or my parents? Why did I go this far from Indonesia to the US? Why did I choose Texas Tech University? Let's find out!

My Family's Background

I lived in the rural area in Indonesia named Turen. Turen is a part of a bigger city called Malang. In Turen, there are still plenty of rice fields and farms. The majority of its people are working in the agriculture sector to grow rice as the main food in Indonesia. I have both my parents, a brother, and a sister. My father works as an employee in a missile company in Turen and my mother works as an elementary school teacher. With their jobs, they barely make enough money to fund their children's education. When my brother entered college, my familiy found out that we were in an economy decline. My family is not at the bottom of the poverty line. We still can make more than enough for living. There are still thousands of families in Indonesia living under my family's condition. I should have been grateful.

The Academy

In 2009, Putera Sampoerna Foundation, a social business organization that provide a financial student assistance for poor but smart students in Indonesia, opened an Academy named Sampoerna Academy. This Academy is an International boarding school where the students would learn both International curriculum and Indonesian curriculum. In addition, the students would learn holistic education and charachter building. In 2009, I received a scholarship from the foundation to be in the academy for three years term. I am really grateful for the chance that I was not a burden for my family's financial anymore. I am also grateful for the opportunity to meet the other 149 bright students who have their own competences and great stories. In this school, I learned that the world is unfolding as what it used to be. I wanted to explore the world and hoped that I could bring changes to this country. After graduating from highschool, what's next? My parents would have struggled even more? In Indonesia, funding your own education is not as easy as in the US because we are not eligible for any high paid job with a highschool diploma. In addition, there may be a job as a waitrees, however the minimum salary is very low far below the US minimum salary.

The PSF then offered a chance to study in the US. Why US? Because the PSF has an alliance with many corporations in the US and many colleges that offer a cheaper tuition fee for the PSF's students. For example, according to the alliance agreement, Texas Tech will give in-state tuition fee for students under the PSF's umbrella (which is four times cheaper than out-state tuition!). I accepted the offer and alhamdulillah got accepted at Texas Tech University. Indeed, studying abroad will cost me a lot of dollars. But, what can I do?

The Student Assistance- Loans for College

In the last year of my high school, Putera Sampoerna Foundation (PSF) had an initiative to provide student assistance (loans) for the Sampoerna Academy Students to continue their education. The PSF said that they don't want the students they have nurtured from the beginning of Sampoerna Academy do not continue their education because of lacks of money. The PSF then established Koperasi Siswa Bangsa (KSB -means students' cooperation) as an umbrella of the program. Here's the plan. KSB will borrow money from the foreign banks, then use the money to fund the students' tuition fee. After the students graduate and get a job, a percentage of their salary will be sent to KSB as return. Since KSB needs to pay interest to the foreign banks, the students should pay the interest too to the KSB. By that program, I could continue my education in the college.

Why did I take the loans? Didn't I know that many people cannot repay their loans for college even after they are retiring? Is studying abroad worth it? Did I choose the wrong decision? To be honest, I don't know. I don't know that I can repay it in a short time or even a longer time. I just want to help others-my parents and many Indonesian students who has the same background as I do.

The Sustainable and Affordable Education

I have mentioned above that I can help others by taking the loans. The founder wants to help million others Indonesian students who want to continue their education. The main problem is money. The foundation has limited amount of money. Currently, they have funded at least a thousand of Indonesian students. Each of them cost a lot of money, indeed. While there are million other students still uneducated, a more broader range of support is needed to make a difference in Indonesia. Thus, the foundation came up with the program through KSB which they called the sustainable education. The graduate will repay their loans back to the KSB where the graduates are also the member of KSB. KSB then will use the money to fund the next generation students. As the cycle turns around, there will be more and more Indonesian students will get a good quality education in the end. Well, that's the plan.

The reason why I took the risk in the program is because I believe in the foundation. I believe that the foundation will truly spend the money to the next generation students who deserve the money (and I hope so). In addition, I don't want to burden my parents any longer. I don't want to get what I want, but I want to earn it.
There are many things need to change in this country. There are things need to make them better. I am the young generation of Indonesia. I have been blessed with all these opprtunities and happiness while many other people in Indonesia are still uneducated and barely make money for living. Sometimes Allah gives blessed to the unfortunate people from the hands of the fortunate ones. I cannot just sit down in my house while I see my brothers and sisters in Maluku or Papua are suffering. Our government needs help. There are many other problems that the government need to deal with. By doing this, at least I can help to make a few more students back to school.  I chose to start make a change at the moment I decided to study abroad. I choose to act now!