Foreign Students At The UMP Participate In The 78th Indonesian Independence Anniversary Commemoration Competition, No Competition In Their Country

Foreign students who are studying at Muhammadiyah University, Purwokerto (UMP) participated in a competition that was held in the courtyard of the UMP New Student Registration Building, (photo: dock. intermediate)

More or less 20 foreign students who are studying at the University of Muhammadiyah Purwokerto (UMP), Banyumas Regency, Central Java, participated in various competitions in commemoration of the 78th Anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Indonesia. The competition that was held in the courtyard of the New Student Registration Building of the UMP, Dukuhwaluh Village, Kembaran District, Banyumas, Thursday, August 17 among others in the form of a riot and eating crackers. Several foreign students who took part in the competition wore traditional clothing from various regions in Indonesia. The excitement was also seen when the foreign students took part in the gugeruk competition, because they had to wear a hat from a hook-mounted plastic basket. Furthermore, the hat they wore had to be associated with the iron circle that was hung by using a rope. Most of the foreign students looked troubled when they had to put hooks on the basket cap they were wearing into the circle, but some of them were able to do it quickly. Likewise during the cracker meal competition, several foreign students seemed to have difficulty eating the hung crackers to the end. One of the students who came from Mali, Mamodou Samgare Toofi, admitted that he was happy to participate in the gueruk competition and ate crackers because such competitions were not present in his country. "I am very happy for the first time. This is very different, because there is no, but there is a running competition, sphere, and cycling, but I have seen a competition like this," he said, who had only been in Indonesia for one year, especially Purwokerto. The same understanding was also conveyed by one of the students from Zimbabwe, Sinqobile Amanda Ndholovu, who admitted that he was very happy to follow the competition. I am very excited and happy to be involved in this momentum. This is the first time I have participated in this. This is the first time I have participated in it," he said. Prior to the competition, dozens of foreign students who came from various countries first participated in the Indonesian Independence Day of 78 at the Rectorat UMP Building page. In participating in the ceremony, foreign students used traditional clothing Nusantara.

Saat ditemui usai upacara, salah seorang mahasiswa asal Sudan, Motwali, mengaku nyaman memakai busana adat Jawa meskipun baru pertama kali mengenakannya."Belum dikasih tahu ini pakaian adat mana. Ini dari KUI (Kantor Urusan Internasional) UMP," kata mahasiswa semester 8 Fakultas Teknik dan Sains UMP itu.Selama kuliah di UMP, dia mengaku telah dua kali mengikuti upacara Peringatan HUT Kemerdekaan RI, yakni pada tahun 2022 dan 2023. Pada tahun 2022, dia mengikuti upacara dengan memakai pakaian formal, bukan busana adat seperti saat sekarang.Dalam kesempatan terpisah, Rektor UMP, Dr Jebul Suroso mengatakan perguruan tinggi Muhammadiyah di Purwokerto itu akan selalu berbeda untuk yang lebih baik."Upacara di UMP hari ini kita warnai dengan tentu kecintaan kita kepada budaya Indonesia semaksimal mungkin ditandai dengan pakaian adat. Yang kedua, semangat internasionalisasi Indonesia, kita ajak teman-teman mahasiswa internasional untuk ikut upacara juga dengan menggunakan pakaian adat," kata Jebul yang mengenakan busana adat Aceh.Terkait dengan perlombaan yang diikuti mahasiswa asing, dia mengatakan hal itu merupakan bagian dari upaya UMP untuk memperlihatkan dan memperkenalkan budaya bangsa Indonesia kepada para mahasiswa dari berbagai negara itu."Ini lho, Indonesia itu merdeka. Indonesia itu memperjuangkan kemerdekaan, bukangiven(diberi kemerdekaan)," kata rektor.