Studying abroad and its bitter sweet

Never crossed my mind that I will be able to write this "studying abroad experience". At least today two years ago, I was still grumbling in front my computer about my demanding clients. Long story short, now I am a law student of Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands. I have been here for five months. I can say that I know things here, like which is the cheapest supermarket, how to buy train tickets, what does the meaning of 'alstublieft' (google it!), where do I buy 'indomie' (re: famous indonesian instant noodles) or even where I can find cute guys (everywhere!). 

As my parents think, I am gonna work my ass off to study here. They are absolutely right! I have never been studying this hard before, when I was in bachelor degree I never studied until at least 3 days before the exam. Me and my friends often went to cafe or mall after class and not going home until my father sent hundred messages saying "where are you? go home NOW!" 

I did not possess that kind of insecurity back in the good old days. I was pretty badass since I managed to finish it 1 semester faster with sufficient grade :p. Then everything changed. I jumped into something new. I heard that it was so hard of getting a good grade in Universiteit Leiden and it is all true. They gave me bunch of required readings, pile of unfamiliar case law and assignments. I realised that I should be responsible to it since not everyone as lucky as I am now. I still remember the feeling on the day when I saw the scholarship announcement. Grateful! So I changed my pattern. I read books and cases before classes which I never did it in bachelor degree. I am trying to be committed to it.

However, it does not change me to be a boring human being. I have set an ambitious travelling plan around Europe. Come on! I came from 7000 miles away to be here and I am not gonna spend my time by only studying. One interesting story about this, I had a deadline for paper and presentation but I was up for a short holiday to Mount Titlis, Switzerland. So I used travel time not for sleeping but working on my paper. It was more than 10 hours travel by bus but I did not sleep at all. I managed to hand in the paper timely (few minutes before the deadline) and still enjoyed my holiday though. Yea you can tell, I'd like to live dangerously. 

Now, I am entering second semester which is harder than the first. I need to juggle between thesis, assignment and mooting (based on oxford dict re: oral presentation of a legal issue or problem against an opposing counsel and before a judge). Many sleepless night I have been through. Seriously guys, we, the students, are struggling. 

Seemingly, people can only see the fun part of it. To be honest, I hate when people think that all I do is travelling instead of studying. Even my scholarship provider suggests that the awardee to have some fun to reduce the "stress". Have you guys ever read articles that some students who are studying abroad tried to suicide?! I know it is a little extreme but it happens. Especially in the time like this, winter season, we have to cope with those deadlines, cold weather, and sometimes loneliness. Our level of stress is so damn high. So people please be more supportive to us :) Every positive words really help us to get through the day. 

For others students like me, all I can say is something big happens in our life for a reason. Well, I do not know the reason yet but lets be optimistic about that. Also, effort never betrays. We will make it till our graduation. Soon. 

This post is dedicated to my best friends who are also fighting for LL.M degree, Kristen Natalia in Rotterdam, Anita Patresya in Maastricht and Budhy Apriastuti Evita in Edinburgh. We are surely gonna make them proud, girls. 

Yours truly,
Brimanti