[Chapter 1:
Title & Introduction]
My name is Nayarini Estiningsih,
originally from Central Java.
I graduated from National Nuclear Energy Agency
(BATAN) in Yogyakarta in 1997,
earning a 3 year-diploma (D3) degree.
After working for 3 years in Semarang,
I eventually found another job in Bekasi
where I worked for a further 5 years,
whilst at the same time
continuing my education in Industrial Engineering
and finally earned my Bachelor degree.
I then pursued my education
into a higher Master degree
with the funding from
Erasmus Mundus scholarship.
I was accepted into the
MSc of Environmental Sciences, Policy and
Management (MESPOM), batch 1 in 2005.
The course was completed within 2 years
throughout 3 different countries.
The batch spent the 1st year
in Budapest Hungary,
then a month of summer school
in Aegean University in Greece.
In the 2nd year, I chose
to continue the program
at the University of Manchester
in the United Kingdom.
Soon after I have earned
my Master degree from MESPOM,
I worked in an automotive company in
Durham, UK, for almost 1.5 years.
Economic recession in Europe
at the end of 2008
had forced me to search for another job,
and soon I found one in a company
who design and develop medical devices
in Cambridge, where I have been working
for almost 1.5 years until now.
[Chapter 2:
Journey to Erasmus Mundus]
When I finished highschool,
to be honest I did not really understand
my own desire to continue my education
in a particular field of study.
Firstly, I realised that my parents
would not be able to fund the course;
secondly, I have interests in
too many different areas.
Finally, I was satisfied enough
when I could continue my education
to a higher level with a scholarship
from the government,
through the National Nuclear
Energy Agency (STTN BATAN).
I graduated with distinction
and started to understand that
my interest in education mostly focuses towards
engineering, science and its applications.
Unfortunately, due to the
limitation of the recruitment quota,
two batches of the students
had to find their own job
rather than become government officers.
After working for 3 years in Semarang,
I started my professional career
in an electronic company
in Bekasi in 2000.
In this company I started my new journey,
not only working but also learning
about the industrial knowledge
and its insight.
That was also the reason
for me to continue my education
to achieve my full-bachelor degree in
Industrial Engineering whilst working.
This has also successfully
supported my career achievement.
My ambition to keep learning
did not end there.
While studying, I began to search
for opportunities
to pursue and fund
my education even further.
Then the opportunity finally came for me
to study a Master degree in Europe
for 2 years with MESPOM scholarship
from Erasmus Mundus.
[Chapter 3:
Erasmus Mundus Course]
In MESPOM, I did not only learn
about the environmental sciences,
but I also learned the policy
and the management aspects,
from global warming, energy,
waste management etc.
I successfully completed the program by
carrying out research for my dissertation,
titled: "Quantitative Hazard Mapping of Arsenic
in Groundwater in Java Island, Indonesia".
At that time, there was limited
reference material available,
so I had to utilise reports from
similar cases in Bangladesh and India.
With the help of friends
and families in Indonesia,
I managed to collect groundwater samples
from many places in Java,
which were then sent to Manchester
via DHL, for laboratory testing.
I successfully mapped
the arsenic concentration
from Java Island’s groundwater,
although with a limited resolution.
My research has become one
of the pioneer studies in this field.
[Chapter 4:
Erasmus Mundus Experience]
Other than studying,
to be a student abroad
was an extraordinary experience for me.
Erasmus Mundus scholarship is special,
the awardees have many opportunities
to study in many different countries and cities.
Moreover, they will have the opportunity
to be in a classroom with many colleagues
from all around the world with various races,
religions, cultures and lifestyles.
Their behaviours sometimes
made me feel amused, wonder-stricken,
other times felt awkward, embarrassed,
surprised, or I could just
stare at them in disbelief.
It was a learning curve to be more tolerant
and to understand other culture’s lifestyles
from many other places.
This was really an unforgettable
experience for me, and
one special chapter in my life.
Living abroad requires a strong mindset.
Thankfully, I am one of those people
who is flexible and easy to adapt.
The extreme changes in climate,
weather and temperature
once became a problem
in the first few months,
but eventually the body adapts itself.
The opportunity to visit
the major cities of Europe
was there due to
good transportation system.
The beauty of the European continent
which I have only known through TV,
magazines and newspapers,
was finally in front of me.
Travelling then became a must-do agenda
in between studying.
I cannot remember
how many cities I have visited,
and how many photos I have taken
with my humble camera
that always accompanies me
wherever I go.
[Chapter 5:
After Erasmus Mundus]
It never crossed my mind
to stay longer in Europe
after I graduated
from MESPOM in 2007.
Firstly, due to the high living cost
as the scholarship would only be paid
until the end of the course.
Secondly, at that time, I thought that
it would not be easy for me
to compete in professional
job market in Europe.
But life has its own way
of working out.
I was then convinced that
everybody has equal opportunity,
so I decided to stay
a bit longer after graduation.
I tried to apply for a job equipped with
my previous experiences and my master degree.
Later I found out that job hunting
is a similar process wherever you are,
regardless of the geographical location.
Somehow it is easy but yet it is also difficult.
If it was meant to be yours, then it will be.
A month after graduating, I started my career
as a permanent employee
in an automotive company.
Currently, I work in a company
which designs and develops medical devices
in Cambridge, a famous student-city.
In this company,
I have been working for about
1.5 years now, and I love my job.
At the moment, we are in
an ongoing process of researching
and designing a breakthrough medical device.
The previous generation of the devices
that have similar function
have been produced by companies
such as Bayer and Siemens.
But our device is portable
with much smaller size and disposable.
The company strongly believes that
this device could become a breakthrough
in the medical world, reducing
the mortality rate of critically-ill patients.
Erasmus Mundus scholarship
has changed my entire life,
from a humble highschool student
who had no direction after school,
who then earned a D3 degree
with a scholarship from BATAN,
and who then had a chance
to continue study
to obtain a Bachelor degree
whilst working, 
and finally received a prestigious award
from the European Union
to take a Master degree,
and now has a career with
a leading medical innovator in the UK.
[Chapter 6:
Outtro & Credit Title]
