SEA TEACHER - A Step Beyond Borders

One of the biggest milestones in my academic journey was becoming part of the SEA Teacher Program (Southeast Asian Teacher Project), an international exchange program designed for pre-service student teachers across Southeast Asia.

This program provides opportunities for student teachers to experience real teaching practices in another country, while also learning about different education systems, cultures, and perspectives. It is not only about teaching, but also about building connections, cultural understanding, and personal growth.

I was selected as one of the participants of SEA Teacher Program Batch 11, representing Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto.

In this batch, there were four students from my university who were placed at Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in the Philippines:

• Sarah Az Zahra

• Arnesya Nabila Az Zahra Irianto

• Damar Adi Wicaksono

• Raihan Ramadhan Armayoga

Being part of this program felt both exciting and challenging. I knew that I would step into a completely new environment different language, different culture, and different education system.

But at the same time, I also knew that this experience would give me something that I could never get from a classroom alone.

Through SEA Teacher, I didn’t just learn how to teach, i learned how to adapt, how to connect with people from different backgrounds, and how to grow into a better version of myself.

And from the moment this journey started, I realized that this was not just a program it was a life-changing experience.