Oke. Sebelum saya copy paste isi esai saya, saya ingin memberikan sebuah background terlebih dahulu.

Pada bulan Desember 2019 lalu, saya mendaftar ke Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) atau Bahasa Inggrisnya Free University of Brussels di Belgia di kawasan Eropa Barat pada jurusan Social Science (ilmu sosial). Memang tidak terlalu terkenal di Indonesia. Namun, kampus ini memiliki peringkat 188 dunia dan merupakan salah satu kampus terbaik di Eropa. Sebagai perbandingan, UI memiliki peringkat 292 universitas terbaik di dunia. Jadi ya, setidaknya masih top 100 di Eropa.

Berikut isi Esai saya:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am honoured in writing to apply for the Bachelor of Science in Social Science programme at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. I am very interested in starting a career in International Relations and I am certain that this Bachelor’s programme will help me in reaching my personal and professional goals.

I’m currently in my last year of high school where I spent a lot of time and energy studying subjects that represent my preferences and interests such as civics, sociology, history, geography, and economics. My teacher trusted me to represent my school in numerous competition in those fields. I have a passion of working together in a team and I am also involved in organizing a number of school events. In addition, I also took part in a summer camp called “Merry Riana Life Camp” where Merry Riana, an Indonesian motivator and successful entrepreneur taught me public speaking, leadership skills, and how to reach my goals and dreams. I believe these experiences will be the way I can make a difference and develop the right skills and abilities to achieve my goal.

My current goal is to become an Indonesian ambassador. After spending all my life in Indonesia, I realized that I need to go abroad in order to experience living in another country and to interact with people from different cultures, backgrounds, and countries as there are very few foreign students in Indonesia. I believe that I need to interact with students from around the world and experience living in a foreign country in order to prepare me for the career that I want to pursue.

I learned some of Indonesia’s best medical doctors had studied in Belgium and I have always wondered why they chose this country for their education and what else one can learn there. Since then, I have tried to find out more about Belgium and the more I have been learning, my motivation to study in Belgium has grown. The education method that is used in Belgium would provide me with the widest range of specializations in the field of social science, as well as a lot of analytical skills which is exactly what I need. When I discovered the Bachelor of Social Science Studies program at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, I realized that it is the best choice for me for a number of reasons.

First of all, this program covers social science topics that interest me the most, such as International Relations, Political Science, and Communication. As a future ambassador I must be an expert in these fields, capable of analyzing and solving any international issue and problem that I may face and communicating my ideas and national policies to other diplomats. I am certain that the curriculum in the Social Science Studies program at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel will help me to gain the necessary knowledge and skills.

The second reason I am drawn to Vrije Universiteit Brussel is the international environment and curriculum that it features. At your university, with students from more than 60 countries and located in the heart of the European Union, I will learn about the different cultures of students, how to communicate with people from a lot of countries and expand my connection and social network with students from around the world. In addition, I will learn International Relations by learning about the history, political system, and the issues surrounding the European Union, one of the most successful regional international organization in the world, at one of the best university in its capital through your curriculum and by going on field trips to the numerous international organizations and NGOs located in Brussels.

Finally, studying at your university will significantly improve my English and French language skills. As two of the most important languages in the world, English will help me form new connections and expand my social network across the world and learning French will give me an advantage in the diplomatic world as French is one of the working languages of the UN and the EU and it will enable me to communicate with other diplomats more effectively.

After I graduate from the Bachelor of Sciences in Social Science program at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, I will continue my education at your university by enrolling in the Master of Political Science: European and International governance studies program where I will learn about International Relations at an in-depth level. After that, I will return to Indonesia and join Indonesia’s diplomatic corps. Then, I will apply what I have learned at your university in my diplomatic career in order to bolster Indonesia’s position in the eyes of the world by securing international trade agreements, international legal agreements, investment agreements and other international agreements that will benefit both the Indonesian people and the entity on the other side of the agreement; and improving the relationship between Indonesia and the country or the international organization that I am accredited to in the future.

I recognize that studying abroad will be the most difficult stage in my life so far, but I also believe that I will be able to face any challenges I encounter and make the most of the knowledge and experience gained through this study program. I hope to be a worthy member of the team and devote my skills and energy to your university.

Thank you for your consideration and time.

Yours Faithfully,

Trystanto

Tiga bulan kemudian, saya mendapat balasan ini:

Saya mendapatkan surat itu pada tanggal 21 Maret 2020. Dua hair kemudian, pemerintah Indonesia menutup seluruh sekolah dan mulai mengaungkan social distancing. Saya terpaksa mengubur mimpi saya untuk kuliah di Eropa karena itu dan setelah seluruh pemerintah di Eropa melarang warga asing untuk masuk ke Eropa ditambah kondisi ekonomi Indonesia yang tidak menentu akibat virus corona