Finally, back to Medan again. I visited Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatra Utara (UMSU) for two days and two nights to share stories. This time, I was invited to speak about the concept and management of international classrooms. UMSU has received a grant to enhance its capacity in managing international education, and I am honored to be one of those entrusted to share my experience.
It is always a pleasure to visit UMSU. I am consistently impressed by the hospitality of its people. This was evident right from the airport. Bang Muja, a UMSU lecturer, picked me up efficiently and took me to a Padang restaurant for dinner. The jengkol rendang was unforgettable. The ayam pop lingered on my palate for a long time. There was an authenticity of flavor that is not easily found in Java.
After dinner, we headed to the hotel. I needed to rest before facing two sessions the next day. Of course, resting was not the only thing—I needed to make sure my presentation slides were ready. All the materials were there; I just had to arrange fragments of facts into a new narrative. A distinctive story, a story that truly reflected UMSU. So, at two in the morning, I was still awake polishing the material until it was ready to be presented.
At four in the morning, a new idea emerged: to convey my conviction that UMSU can—and must—play a role on the global stage. I began designing an animation. An animation about space, time, boundaries, and cross-continental imagination. Strictly speaking, I did not have to do all this, but my inner voice urged me to give more than just a solid storytelling session.
On the morning of November 14, 2025, I arrived at UMSU and was welcomed by Mas Sanni, a young lecturer. The event was scheduled to begin around 10:00 a.m. I was ready to share about the Concept and Management of International Classrooms. The room was filled with lecturers assigned to teach in UMSU’s international classes. There were around 40–50 participants—an ideal small class.
The event was opened by the Vice Rector III, Mr. Rudianto, who has also been a friend of mine since 2023. We were both members of the Indonesian delegation attending the US–ASEAN University Connectivity Initiative (UCI) in Washington, DC, in February 2023. My presence at UMSU was clearly not without Mr. Rudi’s involvement. At its core, networking is friendship. Behind impressive inter-institutional cooperation, there is sincere friendship between two individuals.
Mr. Rudi’s warm opening remarks set a positive tone for two highly productive sessions that day. For the first time in my life, I taught while calmly sitting at the speaker’s desk without moving around at all. I relied entirely on intonation and voice volume to maintain class enthusiasm. They were extraordinary. Not only did they listen attentively, but they also posed critical questions at the end of the session. All of that was pure energy for me.
At midday, the male participants performed Friday prayers on campus, and I took a break accompanied by Mbak Fiqa, Head of the UMSU International Office. Shortly afterward, it was time for lunch. Mandailing cuisine was an unrivaled choice. Similar to Padang food I knew, but more authentic with a distinctiveness that is difficult to describe. In short, it was a lunch whose flavors lingered on the tongue for a long time.
The second session began around 2:00 p.m., where I demonstrated teaching for an international class. I opened with the sentence, “Earlier I had Mandailing food,” which was met with laughter. No pleasantries, no greetings, no conventional opening remarks. Afternoon sessions are indeed risky, so they must begin with a well-placed surprise. After praising the delicious Mandailing cuisine, I continued, “But that lunch does not free the committee from their obligation to take me to eat durian later this afternoon,” which triggered even louder laughter. After that joke, everything became easier. Such an opening can only be used when the speaker is already familiar to the audience. The morning session had been enough for them to get to know me—hopefully.
Starting with a teaching demonstration, I then proceeded to various theories. This sequence, in my view, is more effective. They need to see how I teach and experience the effectiveness firsthand. If they can follow and understand my lecture, it becomes easier for me to explain theories of effective teaching. Conversely, if they do not find my teaching enjoyable, how could they be interested in learning teaching theories from me?
The participants were remarkable. They stayed alert until the end. Not only did they listen attentively, but they also responded well—frowning, smiling, nodding, and laughing. That way, I knew they were paying attention. All of this was perfected by insightful comments, shared experiences, and high-quality questions. That afternoon, I concluded the session feeling relieved and successful. I hope the participants felt the same way.
At the end of the event, after the official session had concluded, several participants stopped me to discuss various topics. One of them was about Jokowi’s diploma. As I had expected, wherever I go, this issue never seems to disappear. I spoke to them both as an individual and as a spokesperson for UGM. I firmly believe that whenever there is an opportunity for face-to-face and open discussion, there will always be enlightenment. Briefly, I explained, “There is no doubt that Jokowi enrolled, studied, and graduated from UGM according to the rules. He was also issued his original diploma in 1985. What happened afterward is Jokowi’s own responsibility.” The discussion about Jokowi’s diploma ended the day on a good note.
Then came the best session: eating durian. No half measures—we enjoyed durian at Si Bolang, one of the best places. Vice Rector Rudi also joined us. It was truly hospitality served with total dedication. I seemed to eat durian rather excessively. Shortly afterward, I felt something spreading through my body. I was not sure what it was.
After the durian, we headed to Srikandi restaurant. It was extremely crowded, with people from all walks of life. Everyone seemed to be a “chairman” there. I often heard the phrase, “Ready, Chairman.” I am not sure what it meant. Meanwhile, I began to feel the effects of the durian more intensely. What had earlier spread through my body now felt far stronger. Fever set in and ruthlessly wiped out the appetite that should have enjoyed such delicious food.
Needing adequate rest, I was taken back to the hotel. Mas Agus and Bang Muja, two of UMSU’s reliable lecturers, accompanied me attentively. Along the way, they stopped to buy me medicine. Truly a sweet touch of hospitality. I went straight to sleep to feel fresher the next day. There was still a task awaiting me—an additional idea to fill a motivational session for the international class, which I agreed to without conditions.
On the morning of November 15, 2025, I woke up feeling much better, although not fully recovered. That morning, I met dozens of students from the international class in a talk show session. No need to prepare slides—just direct interaction with the moderator and students. The event was very enjoyable, with a great moderator and enthusiastic participants. I was also accompanied by Bang Zuhdi, Head of Student Affairs & Alumni Bureau at UMSU. Of course, Mbak Fiqa was there as the initiator of the event. The two of them were indeed among those who consistently accompanied me during my time at UMSU. For more than an hour, eyes sparkled and hands were raised high with curiosity. All in English. They were really good!
After the talk show, it turned out the committee had another new idea. I was asked to be a guest on a podcast with Bang Arif as the host. It was quite spontaneous but very enjoyable. I like spontaneous things like this. The crew was professional, the host was great, and the equipment was solid. Without realizing it, the podcast conversation lasted no less than 30 minutes, watched live by Vice Rector Rudianto. Because it was so engaging, time flew by.
Without much delay, we headed to a food stall for lunch. Bang Muja accompanied me to spend the rest of the day in Medan. The food, as before, was unmatched—delicious and lingering on the tongue. Jengkol rendang never fails to brighten a rather hot afternoon. Conversations during lunch with Bang Muja about various topics complemented a meaningful meal.
The next destination after lunch was the Observatorium Ilmu Falak (OIF) UMSU. This was another hidden gem that I had just discovered. UMSU has an astronomical observatory equipped with advanced instruments. The studio was impressive as well. I was taken there to see everything with my own eyes. Located on the rooftop of a tall building used for postgraduate classes, the OIF has been operating for over a decade. Its work is well presented, and the staff explained everything clearly. Astronomy is closely linked to Islam, and OIF demonstrates this very well. As someone from Geodesy, I was already imagining potential collaborations in the future.
From OIF, we headed to Kualanamu Airport. The visit was over. During the seemingly short journey to the airport, I had many conversations with Bang Muja. He gifted me three books he had written—truly a productive academic. One of his books, Catatan Magrib, I read immediately on the spot. Impressive. An academic who is contemplative in observing, interpreting, and presenting phenomena. Salute! Unexpectedly, we both admire the thoughtful ideas of Gede Prama and learn from the brilliance of Gita Wirjawan’s thinking—two intellectuals who are different and perhaps rarely combined. No wonder our conversations and jokes flowed so easily.
The vehicle moved on, conversations flowed intensely. Events came and went, and meanings settled in. Thank you, UMSU. Until we meet again.
Yogyakarta, November 18, 2025
I Made Andi Arsana
