A Unique Perspective with Yosua Husodo

Yosua HusodoMy name is Yosua A. Husodo and I am currently a senior at Eckerd College. While much of my teenage years were spent in the U.S., I grew up in Indonesia where my family still resides. My parents gave me the opportunity to move to Austin, TX when I was 16 to continue my high school education. Part of the reason they wanted me to pursue this opportunity was to develop my tennis game, and the other was to experience the Western educational system. I attended St. Stephen’s Episcopal School and the tennis academy associated with the school for my last three years of high school. While many may think that attending boarding school across the world was a crazy decision, I have learned a lot from this experience and have valued the opportunity that was given to me.

Here at Eckerd College, I am involved with the housing department as a Residential Advisor. I play for the tennis team and take part in the Eckerd College Organization of Students Financial Affairs Committee. I really enjoy taking a leadership position that not only challenges me to be bold, but also gives me the opportunity to learn from each and every one of my residents. On the other hand, I really like to balance myself between my social life and academics. Being a part of the tennis team not only gives me an opportunity to compete at a high level, but it also creates another family which consists of my teammates and my coach.

Now that I am on my home stretch of my college education, searching for job opportunities, and getting ready to enter the real world, I have found my passion on sustainable development and green design. I will be receiving a degree in Environmental Studies with minors in Biology and Coastal Management. Much of this realization came from my experience away from home. I had very little appreciation for Indonesia prior to my high school experience in Texas. As I’ve learned more throughout high school and college, I have really learned that Indonesia has numerous natural resources and a broad range of biodiversity.

My future goal is to give back to Indonesia in any way that I can. I am fortunate to be able to experience the opportunity of studying abroad for almost 7 years now, but I know that my heart is still in Indonesia and I want to help Indonesia develop sustainably. I have the distinct advantage of being able to relate to the local people. I can also see sustainability from the Western perspective that they may not be able too.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to travel to one of the most remote islands in Indonesia that I have ever been to called Hoga. It was truly an eye opening experience to see how people live their lives through two perspectives: me as a fellow Indonesian and applying my Western education towards the issues they face.

Stay tuned to learn all about the Island of Hoga…

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