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Unesa.ac.id, SURABAYA – The Department of Indonesian Language for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) UNESA recently collaborated with the Australian Embassy in Indonesia in improving Indonesian language competence for diplomats. On February 21, 2022, Ashton Papazahariakis as Second Secretary at the Australian Embassy, Indonesia took an Indonesian language test and was warmly welcomed by BIPA staff at the Postgraduate Building, UNESA Lidah Wetan Campus, Surabaya.
Ashton Papazahariakis said that the test was to determine his Indonesian language ability. At first he studied Indonesian because of the demands of his work and assignments in Indonesia. On the other hand, the Australian Embassy has also encouraged the ambassadors to continue to improve their language skills. "Because of my job, of course I have to study and continue to improve my language skills, especially since I want to open embassies in several cities," he said.
For him, Indonesian has its own charm. From the dialect aspect, each region is different. The various dialects are a challenge for him in learning Indonesian. According to him, learning Indonesian is not easy, especially in scientific writing that discusses politics and economics. "People say it's easy, but for me it's not easy," he said.
He added that apart from studying Indonesian, he also studied several languages including; Sundanese, Javanese, Arabic and Malay. He revealed that later there would be several new diplomats in Indonesia. They will also study again to further mature their Indonesian language skills at UNESA for six months.
The head of KUI, Asrori, S.S., M.Pd., explained that apart from learning the language, diplomats were also invited to get to know the diversity of Indonesian culture in Surabaya while practicing their language skills, especially conversation. That way, diplomats will also master the language faster and have the ability to speak in various contexts and understand the real cultural conditions in Indonesia. "I hope that with this collaboration in the future it can continue to be intertwined and have a positive impact on both parties," he said. [UNESA PR]
Author: Hasna
Editor: @zam*
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