First Step on My Journey

Hello everyone! I am Zaki Syamsul Ghifari, but you can just call me Zaki. I am an English Education major at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI). From the very beginning, I've had a deep passion for putting my English teaching studies into practice, and that is exactly where my journey with the SEA Teacher program began. If you are curious about this program and school, you can read all about it on the other pages of this blog. But here, I want to invite you to dive right into the story of my journey. Check this out!

The dream of setting foot abroad had been planted in my heart since my freshman year. My love for Japanese movies and anime like Kimi no na wa—put the Land of the Sakura or Cherry Blossoms right at the top of my bucket list. One day, while I was just relaxing, I received a sudden message from my lecturer about the SEA Teacher program and was called into the office. Honestly, I hesitated at first. The other candidates seemed far more qualified, both in teaching hours and international experience. The selection process involved a microteaching session in front of the head and secretary of the department. At that moment, my only capital was a leap of faith and sheer confidence.Days went by as usual, and I didn't get my hopes up too high. However, fate had other plans. Just one day before the deadline for submitting our personal data, right in the morning while I was happily buying odading (a local Indonesian fried bread), a notification popped up from the department stating that I had been chosen! The feeling was absolutely surreal.

Information from my lecturer that I've been choose in SEA-Teacher Pilot Project Batch 5.

Once the euphoria settled, the reality of preparation set in. From sorting out documents and visas to designing the teaching materials I would use there. During this phase, I crossed paths with Nabil, a friend from Social Studies Education who turned out to share the exact same destination, Japan. We quickly started exchanging information, from searching for flight tickets to navigating the complexities of visa applications. UPI also equipped us through a pre-departure session led by Mr. Fachru and his team.

SEA-Teacher Batch 5 from Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI)

Me and my lecturer from English Department in UPI

The adventure hasn't begun yet and honest, there were moments when I was on the verge of giving up because of the sheer amount of preparation required in such a tight timeframe. But thankfully, Nabil and I made it through to the departure stage. As the day approached, we also attended an online orientation by Tsukuba University covering everything from dormitories and facilities to Japanese etiquette. Equally exciting, I finally had the chance to virtually meet Kato-Sensei, who would be my supervisor throughout the program.

The long-awaited day finally arrived. On February 1, 2026, Nabil and I took off from Soekarno-Hatta Airport to Bandar Seri Begawan Airport on Brunei by Royal Brunei Airlines. After a few hours of transit in Brunei, our journey continued to Narita Airport, Japan. The moment we landed, jet lag and a spinning headache instantly greeted me. While buying some water at the airport, a kind travel agency staff member approached us and helped book our bus tickets to Tsukuba. As we waited, we looked around, still half in disbelief that this dream had actually come true. The freezing air welcomed us, a stark contrast to the familiar warmth of Indonesia. Before long, we hopped on the bus for a two-hour ride.

Departure from Soekarno Hatta - Bandar Seri Begawan

Narita Airport, Japan

Arrive at Tsukuba Terminal

Stepping off at the Tsukuba Terminal, we briefly exchanged greetings with a study-abroad student from Thailand before finally meeting Eri-san from Tsukuba University. Following her directions, we waited for a while at Tonarie, a small shopping mall nearby. It was here that our first real challenge began: food. As Muslims, Nabil and I had to make sure our meals were strictly free from alcohol and pork. Amidst our hunger and confusion, Eri-san's kindness saved the day. She brought us egg and mayonnaise sandwiches—the very first meal we had on Japan, and a taste I will always remember. The journey continued to the Guest House, where we were warmly welcomed by Mr. Nomura, the guarantor for SEA Teacher students at Tsukuba University. After a casual chat about our accommodation and life in Japan, we finally got to rest. As evening approached, Nabil and I headed back to the Tonarie mall, specifically hunting for dinner at FamilyMart. We dedicated that entire first day simply to recharging our energy and soaking in the new atmosphere around the guest house and the Tsukuba campus.

That night, while enjoying the cold Tsukuba air and munching on snacks from FamilyMart, one realization dawned on me: the real journey had only just begun. I am looking forward to the adventures ahead, especially the moment I get to teach and interact directly with the students at Sakado High School. Since this is only my first day in Japan, there are undoubtedly so many more exciting stories, challenges, and cultural surprises waiting to unfold.

Stay tuned for the next chapter of my travel journal in the upcoming post!