Speech Script: Exchange Student Farewell Speech by Sella Lametta

Here is the speech I delivered in front of all participants in Ajou Fall Exchange Program 2015. I was so much blessed and lucky to get this chance. This was the biggest experience that I had to speak in English in front of a lot of people from many countries. I rather say this is my first chance to speak so loud to the world.

Farewell Speech by Sella Lametta Syafri

Good evening all guests and all my fellow exchange students.

Thank you for coming to the farewell ceremony today and thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to speak here. My name is Sella Lametta Syafri and I come from Indonesia.

My exchange period is not a semester in my life. It is totally a life in a semester. It has been the most unforgettable semester in my 20 years of life and I believe if I had a great time, so do all my fellow exchange students.

Exactly 111 days ago I arrived in Suwon and took breaths with South Korea’s oxygen. Seven hours in the air kept making feel nervous as well as excited about South Korea especially about this exchange semester. When I finally entered the entrance hall of the best airport I have ever seen, I was cordially welcomed by several AGA members. In spite of my jet lag, I was not tired at all. It was so exciting to see all the new faces. I knew, my journey had just begun.

After a couple of days, the semester began for me. I was full of excitement about all classes I was about to take, which all were so much different from what I usually have for the previous four semesters in my home university as a biological engineering student.  The first second weeks were all fun and I felt that it would be a relaxing yet challenging semester for me. As I only took 4 courses, it was kind of new for me to have much time left after each class finished. I loved to use that free time, surely, for traveling or enjoying activities held for exchange students.

I do really feel improved with my English, both speaking and writing through public speaking and English composition that I took. I love both great professors, that not only teach me the subject but also share a lot of new stories and information about the world to me. The big thanks are also for two of my Korean professors, Choi Professor and Oh Professor for helping me understand a lot about organizational behavior and Korean language. I honestly will keep studying both lessons back at home.

Personally, I wish I can show my great thanks to the OIA and dormitory staffs. I found the dorm like a real home for me where I might simply get the smiles from the coordinator, inspector, cleaning lady and other staffs, even if I know nothing about them and vice versa. I found OIA so helpful ever since I was still in my country until today.

Compared to my country, I know this country is not that big. But this fact totally makes me happy because it is not that difficult to travel to different places. The transportation, tourist center, applications and other innovation of South Korea always ease my journey. No wonder, on the first month I spent living here, I have ticked almost all must-visit places that I found on Korean Tourism website.

Besides studying and traveling, there were some weekends I spent by volunteering in Regional Council of the National Children’s Center in Seoul. I shared Indonesian culture to almost a hundred children in 4 children cares about Seoul. Together with International day, I found this volunteering had helped me to get greater awareness of my own national identity. This is also a thing that I should be thanked of.

It is very hard for us to meet, but it is even harder to say goodbye. Goodbye everyone, but this is not a real goodbye because I promise I will come back to South Korea in the future and I will see you all then. I will never forget us nor forget what we did. I hope all of us here keeping contact with each other and never forget if it is not everybody who has friends all over the world like we do.

A journey of self-discovery and personal growth filled with unforgettable memories of experiencing a different culture, a different lifestyle, and a different language. I have gained more experience, confidence, independence and life-long knowledge. I am so much more aware of the world now, I honestly can’t think of a better way to have spent these last 111 days. I would recommend time abroad to absolutely everybody.

I will proudly state if one of the biggest dreams is ticked, which is to come here also make friends with the world. I would happily welcome a new calendar because the 2015 dreams are now successfully completed.

At the end, I would like congratulates other exchange students on your successful completion of the exchange program and have a safe arrival in your home country.

Here is the link of my speech performance : https://youtu.be/s__uHOQbfnA

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Thank you!

Sella Lametta ♡