A Glimpse of KKN Kebangsaan Experience in Kampung Laut
I have been an International student at Universitas Syiah Kuala since 2018 under a scholarship program. At the end of the semester, I was supposed to take the community service program called “KKN Kebangsaan” which was scheduled from 23 July to August 23 August 2021. It offers me opportunities for meeting new people and discovering new places by taking me far away from home, and everything to which I was used. Under the 2021 community service program in Jambi, particularly at “Kampung Laut”, I got unforgettable experiences that totally open my sight wider.
When first I reached the “Kampung Laut”, I felt like landing on another planet. The village is on top of the water. Houses are suspended, stilts houses. The people literary live in the sea which made me feel scared, but residents are at their best ease. The streets are only for pedestrians and motorcycles, no car was seen circulating in the village streets. I do not feel comfortable while walking around because pedestrians have to give the way for motorcycles and drying fish are laid out almost everywhere on streets that are small and do not have fences to prevent users from falling into the water.
Apart from that, the residents were curious about me. For several days within a monotonous scenario, I have to answer the same questions like where I come from and a bunch of questions. Another, each one was asking for taking a photo with me as the hitam (black) guest. I do my best to show enthusiasm and I recognize that it was normal for people to feel curious about me. It was fun and friendly.
As a member of the KKN program, each needs to manage one main practical activity during the time. Therefore, since my background is English Education, I decided to host the English Communication Class for the Elementary School students, called SD-30, but it was also no limit for whoever was interested to join in. They found the class and the activities were fun, maybe because the first contact with hitam teacher went well.
Personally, Universitas Syiah Kuala has given me, as a foreign student, a very great opportunity. The “KKN Kebangsaan” program in “Kampung Laut” could open doors to my better life which has strengthened my willingness to be a teacher of English. I found the impact of English on my life with real experience gives more than humble contribution, even it could bring to the tourism and culture promotion throughout the international language. I do hope that the little contribution that I brought in will increase somehow the resident’s language skills, stimulate their curiosity about other languages and cultures, and economic growth by promoting the uniqueness of “Kampung Laut”.
Mamadou Pouye – Senegal
