Bali and Erasmus+? Sure!
Hi everyone, my name is Katarina Benkovicova. I am PhD. student in UEBA, Slovakia. I’ve studied in amazing tropical island in Indonesia, named BALI! I got the chance to participate in research and teaching in a famous University of Udayana in Bali for one semester. I was there for 4 months and time was flying by. First of all I went through the cultural shock as the Asiatic culture is very different than European. It took me a few days to get used to the huge traffic, different food, and behaviour. But after a while I felt like a local person in Bali.
The main aim of this program Erasmus+ was a research stay, teaching and working on my dissertation thesis.
I’ve gained new ideas to my dissertation in an international context. I’ve taken part of several classes as a guest speaker in International Business for bachelor and master’s degree students. Every lessons was very interactive. I've really enjoyed to cooperate with them.
I got many other experiences. I did not only discover the culture in Bali, but I also met many really nice and interesting people. I’ve evolved in many kind of sights, in personal progress, life-long knowledge, studying in international context, aspects of the culture,…
I felt like this island had something more than I expected prior to my arrival here. Some people has unique and magic power. That evokes something strangely magical. But have you ever heard that Bali is an “Island of Gods”? Now, believe me, that’s really true. The Island transpires and lives through their religion and culture. I was invited in many ceremonies of praying. You get yourself immersed into an incredible ambience of these rituals.
Let me tell something about local people. They are very friendly and talkative. They start to make conversation on the street. It doesn’t matter that you can’t understand their domestic balinese language. The most important is, they always want to make you smile. That is real Bali.
Erasmus+ had been a unique chance to get to know a new perspective of different life in abroad. It can help to get to know yourself better. I've learnt and have so many amazing experiences that I'll be ever grateful. Thanks to this program, I became closer to finishing of my dissertation thesis because of the exposure to the local markets, university teaching oportunities and interactions with professors who have a novel outlook on the economy.
I really recommend to take a part of this study program abroad for other future students. I am very much thankful to prof. Caplanova that gave me this possibility to participate in this program. I would like to thank to prof. Bendesa, from Bali for his support and every help he provided to me during my stay in Bali.
Katarina
