Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo (UMPWR) - 5 (five) foreign students from Mali studying at UMPWR, namely Lassana Diawara, Jean Rene Azar, Mamadou Diakite, Bakary Sacko, and Soulemane Diawara conducted a meet and greet with students of SMK Negeri 1 Kebumen who are members of the Smensa English Club, on Saturday, October 19, 2024. Located at SMK Negeri 1 Kebumen, the event was themed “The Power of Connection: Unlocking Opportunities”. The five foreign students were accompanied by the Head of UMPWR's Foreign Cooperation Section, Abdul Ngafif M.Pd.B.I.
The event began with a warm welcome from the Vice Principal for Student Affairs, Imam Sujarwo S.Pd., who represented the Head of SMK Negeri 1 Kebumen, and the Chairperson of Smensa English Club, Dwi Rahma Sari, both of whom expressed their gratitude for the presence of the guests and hoped that this activity could add to the insight and experience of the participants. Meanwhile, Abdul Ngafif M.Pd.B.I., a lecturer at UMPWR shared tips and tricks for learning English. Abdul Ngafif emphasized that learning English is easy. Abdul Ngafif also encouraged the students at SMK Negeri 1 Kebumen to be more active in interacting and not be afraid to make mistakes when speaking. The participants were also invited to get to know Indonesian culture more closely, especially in Kebumen.
The UMPWR international students were also invited to take a virtual tour of Kebumen city, visit famous tourist attractions through videos, and were also treated to traditional Kebumen cuisine. This is intended to introduce the richness of Indonesian culture and natural beauty to foreign students.
The highlight of this event was the Cross-cultural Understanding session with UMPWR international students. In groups, the students of SMK Negeri 1 Kebumen enthusiastically asked about daily life in the country of origin of UMPWR foreign students, ranging from food, clothing, to unique traditions. The activity not only broadened the students' horizons, but also honed their English skills and strengthened the relationship between the students of SMK Negeri 1 Kebumen and the foreign students.
“This event is very useful for us. We not only learn English but also learn about different cultures. We are very grateful to Smensa English Club for giving us the opportunity to invite and collaborate with Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo so that we can meet and speak directly with foreigners in English” said one of the students of SMK Negeri 1 Kebumen.
