A psychology student from Silliman University in Dumaguete City was recognized as among the most outstanding international students in the Philippines.
Anatasia Kambai from Indonesia received the recognition during the 51st Annual Search for the Most Outstanding International Students in the Philippines (SY 2024-2025) in Baguio City.
She also received the International Friendship Award.
A student leader and a consistent honor student, Kambai reflects on the recognition - what awards mean to her - and shares how she prevails as a student in a foreign country.
Q: What does the award mean to you?
The award itself is very significant but I hold more value on the whole experience, which has helped boost my confidence. I have learned a lot through this event and am looking forward to implementing the lessons or ideas gathered from other international and Filipino students. I look forward to collaborating with other students to build a better student environment for our fellow Sillimanians because having a good synthesis and internationalization within our student body will help ensure that the students will have a wonderful, educational, and holistic experience.
Q: How can you use this recognition to be a better student, leader, and future psychologist?
I would use this recognition to reach out to a bigger crowd and population that may bring a variety of ideas that are not limited to only Silliman. Getting ideas from outside may bring good changes that our student body needs to feel united and motivated in their academic pursuits as well as in other aspects of their educational experiences in Silliman. As a future psychologist, I would use the knowledge that I gained to better gauge my fellow international students' mental health and to help provide them with more opportunities to share their concerns and suggestions to aid them in whatever way that is possible.
Q: How has it been studying in the Philippines and in Silliman?
So far, studying in the Philippines, especially at Silliman University, has opened my eyes to the secular issues that are not usually talked about where I am from. It is mainly because of the conservative attitude that is still common in many of the communities throughout Indonesia, including my hometown of Jayapura City. I can acquire a lot of knowledge and perspectives from my fellow students and broaden my horizons.
Being able to learn firsthand about the experiences of others have faced and relating them to my own experiences have helped me heal my inner demons. Though I still have my internal struggles as a student, I do think that I have been able to find ways to express myself a lot better and build my confidence, thanks to the friends that I made throughout my time in Silliman and the Philippines, so far.
I also appreciate meeting other international students who are also studying here in the Philippines because we can exchange with one another about our difficulties and somehow help each other find solutions that are feasible to our respective problems.
Q: What pieces of of advice can you give other foreign students? How can you survive in a foreign environment? How can you make a place your home, albeit temporarily?
My tips for other foreign students, who traveled out of their home country for the first time and studying abroad:
- Have an open mind, be respectful, and friendly but also be self-aware
- Learn about the culture or basic language skills of the country they are planning to study at.
- Be adaptable to the culture that you are going to enter into
- Try to bond with other students from any of the classes that you are taking, even if they are not in the same course as you are.
- When you can make a few friends, build a friend group where you can trust each other and share your problems.
- Be flexible and try new things with that friend group that you have formed.
