IRPRESUNIV.ORG, CIKARANG – Foreign Affairs Division of President University Major Association of International Relations (PUMA IR) conducted IR Excursion Study 2017. This year, the destination of Excursion Study is to Japan, which is specifically to Tokyo and Osaka on Tuesday (08/08/2017) until Sunday (13/08/2017). This excursion study was participated by International Relations’ students from various batch and was accompanied by Prof. Anak Agung Banyu Perwita and Erdin Saidina as two of lecturers from International Relations Study Program.
The participants have a midnight flight on Tuesday night and landed at Haneda International Airport, Tokyo, Japan on Wednesday (09/08/2017) at 08.50 A.M local time. After the immigration process, the participants go to the hotel by using the train, as one of the public transportation in Japan. After check in to the hotel, the participants got a chance to have a city sightseeing to several famous spots in Tokyo. First, we visit Ameyayokocho at Ueno as one of the famous street at there, where we could find a lot of stores along that street. Second, we visit Shibuya that very famous which its statue, Hachiko and the Shibuya crossing, as the busiest intersection in the World.
The next day, we visit to the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in Japan and also the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) at the National Headquarters of JRCS. In there, the participants get a lot of knowledge about what are the ICRC and JRCS duties, the work plans of the JRCS to give services, such as Medical Services, Safety Services, Social Welfare services, Domestic disaster services, and so on that given and done by the volunteer of JRCS and also member of JRCS. The activity that do by the JRCS not only given to the local people, but they also have international activities, which they do their help and services in another country. The ICRC also works closely with the JRCS and the ministries in Japan to enable Japan to maintain and strengthen its indispensable and highly valued political and financial support to the ICRC, as now Japan become one of the ICRC’s largest donors.
After that, the participants were picked up by the staff of the Embassy of Republic Indonesia in Tokyo (KBRI Tokyo) at the National Headquarters of JRCS and continue our agenda to have a general lecturer by the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) of the Embassy of Republic Indonesia in Tokyo, Mr. Ben Perkasa Drajat. At there, we are not only welcomed by Mr. Ben Perkasa Drajat, but also with other staff, such as Mr. M. Abas Ridwan as the Minister Counsellor of Politics and also Mr. Eko Santoso Junor as the Minister Counsellor of Social and Culture. From this general lecturer, we could get a lot of knowledge about how is Japanese through Indonesian’s eyes, how is the relation between Japan and Indonesia, how is the economy, politics, and social condition of Japan through Indonesia’s perspective. Mr. Ben explains all of them to us in a fun way, thus we could have fun to enjoy the general lecturer. The general lecturer was followed by the Question and Answer session, where the participants are very active to ask questions that they are curious enough, both about Japan and also the relation between Japan and Indonesia. Our agenda was continued by having a dinner at the House of DCM, Mr Ben. In his house, we are welcomed by his wife and also his son. We have a quality time in there by having a warm conversation with Mr. Ben and also his family.
On the next day, we go to Osaka by using Shinkansen, as known as the bullet train in English. It is a network of high – speed railway lines in Japan. In Osaka, we go to Universal Studio Osaka, Japan. The participants are having fun by playing the attractions in there. After that, we go back again to Tokyo also by using Shinkansen. The next following day, in the afternoon we go to the Tokyo Disneyland to spend our Saturday night. All of us having fun at the happiest place on earth by playing and enjoy the attractions and festival in there. The next day morning, we go to the Haneda International Airport to have a flight back to Jakarta, Indonesia. We landed at Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Sunday Evening and it was marked as the end of the excursion study this year.
By: Andriani Florencia (IR Diplomacy 2015)
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