Written By: Shinta Permata Sari Student Number: S3066851 Position: Political Affairs Intern
Period: 6 June – 31 July 2017
Internship Supervisor: Ms. Ourina Ritonga Placement Supervisor: Drs. Bastiaan Aardema
International Security Track UNIVERSITY OF GRONINGEN
August 2017
Placement Report
2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I: Introduction ……….. 3 1.1 Motivation ………. 3 1.2 Goals ……… 3 1,3 Preparation Process ……….. 4
Chapter II: Tasks and Responsibilities ……… 5
2.1 Media Monitoring ………. 5
2.2 Research ……….. 6
2.3 Weekly Reports ……….. 6
2.4 Assisting Delegations ……… 7
2.5 Represent the Embassy ………. 7
2.6 Event Participation ………. 7
Chapter III: Evaluation ……… 9
3.1 Personal Development ……….. 9
3.2 Future Plan ……….. 10
3 Chapter I:
INTRODUCTION
During 6 June-31 July 2017, I was doing my internship at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in The Hague. I worked in the Political Affairs supervised by Ms. Ourina Ritonga, the Minister Counsellor in the embassy. However, I was also working with Mrs Ni Putu Widhia Asak, the Third Secretary, whom I was also received guidance from. In this section, I am going to explain about the background and preparation process of this internship.
1.1 Motivation
First of all, I would like to explain my decision to do internship instead of doing another research seminar in the second semester. There are two reasons on my choice to do internship. The first reason is because I am a freshgraduate. I started my master study right after I finished my bachelor degree. Therefore I have not got any working experience. I think having an idea of how the working environment might look like, is very important for my adaptation to the professional world. Internship provides a good chance for me to accustom myself to the working environment, and to learn about the working ethics. The second reason is because I realize that I like practical work, based on my activities on organization and as volunteer at several projects. I think I could perform better at working environment than in academic environment. Therefore, to obtain an optimal score, I chose to do internship.
I also would like to explain about my motivation for specifically choosing the Indonesian embassy for my internship. After studying International Relations in Europe, I realized that the Eastern-study is underrepresented in the field. As an individual born and raised in Indonesia, I found so many interesting phenomenons happened in Indonesia and in the Asian region. These phenomenons are not really exposed because it was really difficult to explain by the current theories of International Relations. These phenomenons are very interesting for me, therefore I am planning on going back to Indonesia and start my carreer, which will be focusing in Asia, there. I think chosing Indonesian embassy as the starting point for my carreer in Indonesia is the best choice.
1.2 Goals
4 be. But as I experience it myself through the internship, I would be able to obtain the experience which would help me to make the decision the decision whether it is the job that I would like to do. I would also be able to enhance my working ethics for my future carreer.
The second goal of my participation in the internship is to be able to practice the knowledge I obtained from my study. Knowledge is indeed very important, but it would be more influential if I know how to use it properly. By participating in the internship, I would like to obtain the ability to maximize the use of the knowledge I obtained. Therefore I would be able to give my best contribution in my future carreer.
The last thing which I want to obtain from the internship is networking. I think networking is very important, especially because of my passion to participate in people-related occupation. During the last five years, I had always been active volunteering in several projects, specialized in communication. I realized my potential and passion to work closely with people, where socializing is required. As I want to pursue my carreer specifically in this field, I think connection is very important. From a good networking, I could also obtain several recommendations for my future job applications.
1.3 Preparation Process
5 Chapter II:
TASK AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in The Hague is one of the biggest Indonesian representatives office overseas. This is due to the close historical relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands, which develop large number of Indonesian populations in this country. There are 40 staffs consisting home staffs and local staffs which includes the Ambassador and the Deputy Chief Minister. The embassy consists of four departments which are political affairs, economic affairs, information and socio-cultural affairs and consulate affairs. There are also severa attaches, which are transportation, defense, police, military, education, immigration, and trade. I worked in the political affairs supervised by Ms Ourina Ritonga, a senior diplomate acting as the Minister Counsellor to the Ambassador. During my internship, I worked closely with Mrs. Ni Putu Widhia Asak, the Third Secretary. Therefore I received a lot of gudance from her. We both worked to assisst the Minister Counsellor, Ms. Ourina. I worked full time, starting at 9.00-5.00, every Monday-Friday, which entails 40 hours a week. However I was also actively participating on the events held by the embassy outside the working hours and during the weekends Hereby, I am going to explain more details about my task and responsibilities during the internship.
2.1 Media Monitoring
I was responsible to monitor the media regarding the news involving Indonesia in the Dutch media. On my first week, I was also able to help the Socio-cultural affairs with their media monitoring. Starting from the second week, I focused more on the media monitoring regarding the political affairs. I was also responsible to record, translate and report the news concerning national political conditions which might affecs Indonesia. I was focusing on the cabinet formation, which would have huga influence to the Netherlands national and foreign policy. During this media monitoring activity, I was also responsible to complie the name of the potential candidate in the cabinet Rutte III. I have to give daily report, for the result of the media monitoring.
6 2.2 Research
I was also assigned to do several researches about various issues and people. The first type of research that I was responsible of is profiling. I got several profiling assignments several politicians in the Netherlands, about their potential to be the minister of foreign affairs. I have to observe their policies, political perspectives, qualification, and activities to predict their future policy if they become the ministry of foreign affairs. I also did some research for several politicians whom will be met by the Ambassador personally for the handover of the Ahok’s Petition.
Besides profiling, I also did research for the conference the Ambassador will attend. I had to provide relevant information about the conference (motivation, background, and participants) and provide my analysis about Indonesia’s position, how it will influence Indonesia, and some recommendations. It will then be reviewed by the Minister Counsellor and given to the Ambassador as the preparatory documents for the conference. Several of my researces are Indonesia’s participation as observer state at the third meeting of the Special Commission of the Foreign Judgement on November 2017 in the Hague, and the Social Media Campaign of the Rome Statue on July 2017. I was also responsible on researching several issues about Indonesia, one of them is regarding the petition for the ex-governor of Jakarta, Ahok. This specific task on researching is the task where I could use most of the knowledge I obtained from my study.
2.3 Weekly Report
7 2.4 Assisting Delegations
On the 24 June 2017, there was a delegation coming from Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs to do seminar and comparative study in The Hague. I was working with Ms. Ourina Ritonga and Ms. Ni Putu Widhia Asak to assist them during their activities. We went to several seminars at The Hague Municipality, South-Holland Province House, and Leiden University Library.
I managed to obtain comprehensive knowledge about how the local government works in the Netherlands. I was also managed to connect with people from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Leiden University’s Library, The Hague Municipality, and South-Holland Province House. The most important thing that I learned is about the task of a diplomate. I enjoyed the fact that the task to liaise and assist delegation is always coming with extra knowledge to learn and different people to know.
2.5 Represent the Embassy
I also got a chance to represent the embassy in several events and arrangement. Together with Mrs. Ni Putu Widia Asak, I went to the Leiden University Library to arrange the visit of the Minister of Home Affairs delegation. I also accompanied Ms. Ourina Ritonga and HE Mr. I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja to the International Criminal Court Social Media Campaign for the Rome Statue at the Humanity House. After seeing my performance, I was given a chance to attend two seminars in International Institute of Social Studies as the sole representative of the Embassy. During these events, I need to make reports about how it went while providing analysis about the relevancy of those events to Indonesia.
2.6 Event Participation
The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in The Hague held various events. Since these events were held outside the working hours, I did not have to participate in those events. However I volunteered myself to help out in several events to obtain as many experience as possible.
8 The second event I participated in is the Wastra Indonesia, which consists of seminar and fashion show of Indonesian traditional cloth, batik. During the seminar, my task was to assist all the guests. Whereas during the fashion show, I was responsible for the backstage area to make sure everyting on the fashion show went well. It was a whole new experience for me, since I thought the task of a diplomate is only working behind the table and assisting delegation. I enjoyed the variation of the job. I also learned a significant teamwork skill through this event. I like the way all the staffs, no matter what their positions are, even the Ambassador, work together to make this event a success.
The third event that I participated in is the Handover of the Sultan Hamid II Painting to the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia. I was chosen as the master of ceremony for this event. It was my first time performing in a formal event in the embassy. I was responsible to make the rundown of the ceremony and provide suggestion to the arrangement of the stage. It was a successful event and everybody was satisfied with my performance as the MC. Therefore I was chosen to become the MC for the Indonesia’s Independence Day Ceremony on 17 August 2017. I was also involved in the preparation of Diplomatic Reception which is going to be held in the first week of September, which is the biggest annual event of every embassy to commemorate their Independence Day.
9 Chapter III:
EVALUATION
This section is presenting my evaluation of the overall internship. I would like to explain about how the internship influence myself, positive and negatively. I divided this section into two parts, where the first part would be about the internships impact for my personal develompent, and the second part is about how it influences future carreer plan.
3.1 Personal Development
Generally, I really enjoy my internship at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia. I feel really comfortable working there. The team and the staffs are very nice. As Indonesians working abroad for the country, everybody feels like family, which makes us also close outside work.
I also like the various kind of task which I have to handle. I have a personality which prefers to work dynamically. Even tough my main responsibilities are desk jobs, the characteristics of those task are still very dynamic, because it depends on how the current condition of the Netherlands, Indonesia, and both of the states. Therefore I never felt burdened or bored on doing my job.
This internship also provides so many chances for me to enhance myself in different aspects. One day I could do a desk job, the next day I would have to work outside, conmunicating with people. Sometimes I have to work alone, and other times I need to do teamwork. In those various tasks, I would meet different kind of people whom I have to learn how to communicate with. Therefore I managed to develop my skills which are research, communication, interpersonal relations, teamwork, and most importantly, time management. Handling different kinds of tasks at the same time is not easy. Despite of the events and the outside activities, I still have my daily and weekly responsibilities. Therefore from this internship I learned a lot about how to manage my time and work effectively.
10 Therefore their stories become a significant source of consideration for me to my career choice ahead.
Lastly, I especially like how my supervisor trusted me with more responsibility as the time goes by. I was only responsible for the media monitoring and few researches on my first two weeks. Then I was given a task to write official weekly reports and participate in the event. Eventually, I got to represent the embassy at various activities and events. Since I really enjoy the job, it encouraged me to do better each time, to be able to obtain new experiences each day. The increasing difficulties of the job also encouraged me to grow and enhance myself more.
While I was approaching the end of my internship, my supervisor asked me whether I would like to prolong my internship, because of the various events following the Independence Day which I might be interested in. Since I have no other activities while waiting for the graduation, so I decided to accept the request. Therefore my internship is prolonged until the 15 September 2017, before I will eventually go back to Indonesia. I am still excited and determined to do my internship, since I will obtain more experience.
Overall, I learned a lot from this internship. I also enjoyed my job and working with the other staffs. However, there were also several negative aspects on this internship that I learned. Working in the political affairs, this department depends on how the political dynamic work. Therefore there were lots of sudden occurance of events, which would be the responsible of this department. The staffs on my departments and I were trying our best on handling that kind of sudden events, which will interrupt our daily task, such as the delegation visits or events to attend in the place of the Ambassador. It was combined with the lack of organization and unequal task distribution in the whole system of the embassy, which made anything is possible to be assigned to the political affairs. I often saw my supervisors working overtime to be able to catch up with everything. Even though I was not required to stay overtime, but sometime I would stay to help them if I could.
3.2 Future Plan
11 consist of practical matters. I could also continue to learn and enhance my knowledge by doing this job. Based on the recommendation of my supervisors and the Ambassador, I think I have the potential to excel this job. My second motivation is because through this internship I figured out the significant contribution and changes which I could make for the state and the people in my country by being a diplomate. Therefore, now I am seriously considering this job as something that I would do in the future.
However there are also several aspects which hold me back on making the decision to go to that field. From the advices I got from the staffs, I figured that I need to have a strong determination and persistence if I wanted to be a diplomate in Indonesia, It is a long term job which depends on seniority and experience. Currently I am not sure whether I wanted to do settle for a job, since I have not got many experiences working with different institutions. Therefore I am thinking of working on different institutions first to make up my mind about being a diplomate.
I am actually also got a job offer to be the local staff at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia. Unfortunately, this job would not be able to give me any chance for carreer enhancement. However, I am considering on taking this job first to obtain working experience in the international relations field, while I am making up my mind about working at the Minsitry of Foreign Affairs. I think the experience which I would obtain from being a local staff would be useful for my future carreers which required relevant international relations-related working experience. Therefore, I am hoping that I would get more choice of works after obtaining experience from this job. While I am searching for internship, I also realized how hard it is to find a job as a freshgraduate without experience. That is why I am hoping that the experience of being a local staff would help me in the future.
12 Chapter IV:
CONCLUSION
Overall, the amount of the experience that I obtained from this internship surprised me. I did not expect that I would obtain this much knowledge and skills during my internship at the Embassy of the Republic Indonesia. It had been able to help me to realize my potential. It also made me realize my determination to work after I finished my master, instead of doing another study. I realized the importance of passion to be able to deal with the repetitive daily routine of working life, and I am one step closer on finding my passion after this internship.
