Criminology Internship, Culture Shock, and New Friends We Made Along the Way

This intercultural experience as part of the criminology intensives internship program provided me with an understanding of Australian relations with the Indo-Pacific. The internship provided us with the capacity to conduct an academic research project that explored whether vulnerable groups could access justice in different capital crimes that challenge the central operations of Indonesia’s Criminal Justice System.

Visit to a contemporary art museum

Through this process, we were able to produce a group research paper that displayed our newly gained knowledge of how Indonesia’s societal structure contributes to the crime and criminality of the space. This trip made me realise that culture shock can be experienced both interpersonally and professionally. Whilst I understood how a nation’s socio-cultural and political sphere can impact its very core operations, hearing about some extreme cases through our interview was a whole different kind of culture shock to us. I recall visiting the local legal aid agency and Amnesty International Indonesia, and being rendered speechless when we were told that these agencies can be even at risk of being bombed for speaking up against structurally embedded issues that are persisted by governmental corruption. In understanding this aspect, we were able to approach the other local criminology agencies with a newfound sense of empathy and open-mindedness to the sensitive topics of discussion.

We all came into the program with almost no language capacity, but I was able to pick up small phrases throughout the trip and the local students and staff appreciated us for even our smallest bit of effort. Combining these connections with our existing skill sets from our degree, I was able to gain a high level of empathy in an intercultural setting whilst also learning about the criminology agencies in the local area.

Photos with the staff from Amnesty International Indonesia

Additionally, being able to try new food and make friends with people from different cultures was enriching to both my personal and professional life. While I was placed in a space where I had to learn to be open-minded, I also gained expertise in cultural humility, which forced me to reflect on my position as a global citizen. Overall, I would love to return to different parts of Indonesia and learn more about the culture and language, after noting that different parts of Indonesia have their own customs and traditions.

Ashly Liu
Bachelor of Criminology, Bachelor of International Studies
International Internships, Universitas Indonesia
New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant recipeint