Living abroad is one of people dreams. Mostly people think that live at other country would feel nice, warm and comfortable. Well, for people that stay abroad just for holiday and have some fun that may be true. But for people that actually live their life at other country, it would feel different.
Meet Nora Susilowati, an instructor of Language Training Centre in Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (LTC UMY). Also known as the senior instructor with an extraordinary ability in language. Her ability is not only for English, but also Spanish, and French. As a women that once stay at differ countries, Nora have a personal need to learn about languages for help her survive. So that is a rational reason for her to dominate some language. After spending her life for moving from each country, she keeps say that Indonesia is the most beautiful place for living. Many people love to go abroad even stay there for a long time, but this kind of situation is not happened to Nora.
She was born at November 1st, 1956 at Surabaya. Her parent died when she was four years old and she has three siblings. Then a Diplomat and his wife adopt her, take her to Jakatra and live abroad. For being the daughter of a Diplomat, she have to stay at different countries for almost all her teenage time. “ Well, it was started when i was four. My parent and I were going to Mexico and live there for four years. Then we live at Kuba for two years, after that going to Sri Lanka for two years and the last one we live for two years at Paris, France,” said Nora. Living abroad is not as beautiful as people say especially when you have to learn about different languages, cultures, attitudes, and environments. And this scene have been through by Nora for such a long time, “I’m so suprised of course for being at a new environment. I mean look around, it is totally different. I don’t understand what they talking about, their culture and others. It was terrified at first,”. Then Nora’s parent keeps supporting her to adapt at every new environment start from language, attitude and culture of course. After spend four years at Mexico, Spanish is no longer a matter fo her.
From all country that she live at, the hardest place is in Cuba. “There was no shops, restaurant, or anything. Just a land, houses and people live there. Money is priceless and useless,” Nora told. Even though they still use Spanish, cultures at Cuba is really different. This kind of culture is stated for the same standards, the same feeling understanding. Everything is doing fine at Cuba until the day they leave.
After leave Cuba, Nora and her parent are first told to live at Bulgaria. But for some reason, it was cancelled and they leave for Sri Lanka which known before this as Seylon. She was feel relief for at least stay in Asia where there is no significant different at attitudes and cultures. But still, she have to learn about other local language. Time passed and after two years stayed at Sri Lanka, she back to Indonesia. Then she have another problem, hard to speak Indonesian.
Nora said “ Indonesia language is really hard to understand. It has a lot of rules and synonyms and whatever it is very hard to understand. When i get back to indonesia and study at school, my score for Indonesian language is never higher that 60. Well, it was bad,” . But then she and her family have to leave Indonesia for Paris, live there for another two years and learn French. Finally after facing dozens places, she and her family back to Indonesia and stay there up until now.
Something that regarded to cultures and languages is not a simple thing to do. Struggle and hardwork is need. Nora always study about new cultures and languages everytime she move from each country and it is not easy to be done. “ Whatever happen, I must go on. You have to try it at least before you say that you can’t. There is nothing else i can do,” Nora told. She hope that the people especially the young generation that love to whining too much could understand that for studying, there is no limits. For learning, there is no rules. For struggling, there is no obstacles.