The experience of UMSU FISIP Social Welfare students participating in the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Independent Campus Certified Independent Study Program in Pinogu, Bone Bolango, Gorontalo.
AMATI Indonesia is a forum for gathering students from various scientific backgrounds who will carry out and realize the tridharma of higher education, namely education and teaching, research and development, and community service. AMATI Indonesia facilitates students in design-based ecotourism thinking through the Independent Campus Certified Independent Study program from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia. The learning provided is not only given online but students are required to be able to implement their knowledge by going directly to the field and dealing with problems faced by the community.
On October 15, 2021, the journey to 8 student placement points across Indonesia began. One is in the Gorontalo area, Bone Bolango Regency, Pinogu District. Based on a literature study on Pinogu, the potential of this area is extraordinary. This can be viewed from various aspects, such as agriculture, animal husbandry, culture, and economy, to plantations. Located at the eastern end of Gorontalo, it has exotic natural beauty and is surrounded by the Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park, making Pinogu the paradise of East Gorontalo. In addition, Pinogu itself has a regional language, Bonda or Suwawa.
There are two teams stationed in Pinogu. Each team consists of 5 students who come from different universities and linear sciences. One of them is the Julang Sulawesi team, Yellin Fitri Rastrania from Airlangga University, Lusi Heraningtyas from Universitas Gajah Mada, Muhammad Hidayatullah from Universitas Jember, M. Gafur Maladjai from Universitas Gorontalo, and Dicky Renaldi from Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara. However, it is a shame. When the day of departure to their respective placement locations. Dicky, a member of the Sulawesi Julang team, tested positive for Covid-19. So, he had to postpone his departure, let his team do the job first without him, and do another test in the next 21 days. Quite troublesome, actually, but what else can I do? The Covid-19 pandemic has indeed destroyed everything. When he could not wait to go to Gorontalo, which people usually call “Serambi Medina Indonesia,” the word ‘positive’ written on the paper made him have to rest, quarantine first, and continue to coordinate with the Julang Sulawesi team through the gadget.
This series of stories were written from the point of view of Dicky, a student who tested positive for Covid-19 before carrying out his assignment in Gorontalo. Three weeks passed just like that, and finally, the Sulawesi Julang team could meet with the complete members. On November 6, 2021, the love story of steps toward East Gorontalo began. Departing from Kualanamu to Jalaluddin Gorontalo airport takes approximately 10 hours. It was a first trip to Sulawesi that had never been imagined before.
Arriving in Gorontalo on November 7, 2021, he was immediately greeted by Mr. Azwar, the PIC of AMATI Indonesia Independent Studies in Gorontalo with Mr. Alex. He began to feel a new atmosphere, the difference in language that made it difficult to speak. At that time, Dicky did not go straight to Pinogu, where his team was stationed, but was invited to go around first to enjoy the beauty of Gorontalo to the coast, namely Botubarani Village, where diving to see Whale Sharks. It also coincided with the arrival of Mr. Sandiaga Uno, who wanted to see the beauty of the Gorontalo sea. Then Mr. Azwar invited him back to the village of Olele, using a small boat to see the sunset near the beach.
Before leaving for Pinogu, Dicky spent one night in Pangi Village with the Sulawesi Black Monkey team. The next day at 10.00 WIB, accompanied by Mr. Alex, headed to Pinogu, using a modified trail motorbike, to support the journey with quite tricky access through the forest of the Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park. The long journey to Pinogu is ± 40 Km and takes ± 5 hours of travel. Upon arrival at Pinogu, members of the Julang Sulawesi team warmly welcomed Dicky, who previously only met virtually via Zoom and Gmeet to conduct lessons or debriefing before going to the placement location, namely Pinogu.
During several months in Pinogu, the Sulawesi Julang team carried out several activities, starting with observation, using the knowledge they had been given, namely design thinking. Moreover, I produced several works: booklets (information books), interpretation paths, potential galleries, information boards, documentary videos, cultural videos, and the “Agritourism Tiyombo Lo Lipu” tour package. The work is used to support tourists.
