Reyhan Antama Abrar | Faces of FEB
The Faculty of Economics and Business is a faculty with great diversity of people. But who are these people? Within ‘Faces of FEB’ we talk to different students of the faculty and give a little peek into the world of these FEB students. This week: Antam, who is currently participating in a learning community about the textile industry of Africa.
Written by Jessica Paas
Could you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Hi Jessica, my name is Reyhan Antama Abrar. Yes, it is a long name, so that is why my close friends just call me Antam. I am 21 years old and I am from Jakarta, Indonesia. I think that it is interesting to mention that I am doing a double degree programme. This means I have finished my first bachelor degree at the university of Indonesia and currently I am pursuing my second bachelor degree at the university of Groningen in International Business.
Why did you decide to do it in Groningen?
I think mainly because of the continent. I love the fact that the Netherlands is located at the very heart of west Europe and I think there will be a lot of opportunities that I can utilize here. Groningen is very vibrant and great for international students, which really interested me. Another option I had was going to Australia, but for us this is ‘around the corner’. The experience of being further from home interested me, so that is why I chose to go to the Netherlands. And now I do not regret my decision at all!
And how are you doing in these times of corona, still healthy?
Me and my family are very well, thanks. When it all started I was still in the Netherlands. I decided to go back to Jakarta in March, because I prefer being close to my loved ones during this very uncertain situation. Here I just keep up with all the regulations related to social distancing. Now I spend a lot of time with my siblings, which is also a good thing!
How are you managing school?
It is somehow quite tricky, because we need to do everything virtually. Many courses changed the whole curriculum, so we all have to adapt. Also, because I am ahead of time I won’t have any classes in the morning. To manage everything well I have a calendar in both Jakarta time and European time.
And you are still able to participate in your learning community, right? What is that exactly?
Yes, I am. A learning community is an extra activity you can participate in voluntarily. Within the learning community you spend two hours a week discussing and learning about a certain topic. There are several topics of learning communities you can choose.
What is your learning community about?
I am in the learning community of New Business Development in Africa and we mainly focus on the global value chain of the textile industry. We discuss how this value chain in the Netherlands can have positive and negative impacts on the African economy, society and people. We also discuss if there are more sustainable ways in which we can do business.
That sounds interesting! Why did you choose to participate in this particular learning community?
The main reason was to meet people that have the same interest as I have. Those who are joining are, in my opinion, the ones who have an extra willingness to learn. Besides that the Africa topic caught my interest, because I have interest in emerging economies and the growing market. I think by joining this community I could accommodate both.
What has changed within the learning community now, due to the coronavirus?
Within the learning community you will work together with your group on a specific output. This output was initially supposed to be a class presentation, but because of the current situation Mr. Pennink (our supervisor) suggested making short videos about the topic. Also gathering data is very different now. Before we could visit several stores in Amsterdam. It was supposed to be a very nice day together with the group. However, because of the coronavirus we only can conduct data through the internet.
Would you recommend it to other students?
I personally love it, and the highlight is that I met a bunch of new friends that have the same interest. To those who seek to meet new friends and to discuss their interests I would really recommend it!
What are your plans now?
Until the end of this block I will stay in Jakarta. I am planning on doing an internship here before going back to the Netherlands. Then I will be back in the Netherlands in September to finish off my bachelor while looking for any internship or job opportunities
| Last modified: | 31 January 2021 3.59 p.m. |