Before joining SP Jain, if you had told me that I would eat a fried platter of intestines, pigeon and catfish in 2019, I would’ve laughed in your face. Am I writing this blog just to document how much my life transformed in a year? Let’s find out!

I am a Year 2 Bachelor of Business Administration student at SP Jain, currently on a student exchange at Bina Nusantara University (BINUS) in Jakarta, Indonesia. I really love South East Asia and with most of my peers opting for European universities for their exchange, I was sure that I wanted to explore the unexplored.

I can honestly say that this has been one of the best decisions I made in my life. Every day here is a new discovery. Our welcome trip, organised by BINUS, was to Thousand Islands. We got to witness Mount Bromo during an eruption, and it was beyond stunning!

Unlike SP Jain, we don’t have classes every day, although we do get a lot of group projects. There are many places and cuisines to discover in Indonesia and so, we spend almost every weekend exploring something new (including the aforementioned platter, which I never thought I would try)!

Apart from all the learnings and experiences, one of the things I’m looking forward to the most is the election, which will be held in Indonesia next week. This is my first time witnessing the elections in a foreign country, and I’m so excited to see the proceedings!

If you are considering BINUS as one of your Study Abroad options, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, try to stay at the BINUS Square (Student Hall), if possible. While you do have an option to stay on your own, the Student Hall is a much better option to meet the other students and make some amazing new friends. Second, don’t get affected by the traffic conditions of Jakarta. Discover Indonesia as much as you can – trust me, you will cherish these memories for a long time!

About the Author:

Karel De Bauw is a Bachelor of Business Administration (Intake of 2018) student at SP Jain School of Global Management.