Hammad Shahin

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Hammad Shahin. I’m the Coordinator for the 2025 Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP). I studied in Indonesia from February 2023 to September 2024 through the New Colombo Plan (NCP) Scholarship, completing two iterations of the ACICIS International Relations Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada and Universitas Katolik Parahyangan, as well as the Flexible Language Immersion Program (FLIP) at Universitas Gadjah Mada. I also undertook intensive Indonesian language training and am now more fluent in Indonesian than Arabic. In 2024, I was an AIYEP delegate and male spokesperson. I’m passionate about intercultural learning and strengthening Australia–Indonesia education ties. 

Where does your interest in Indonesia stem from? 

My interest began at La Trobe University in 2018 when I took a subject called ‘Introduction to Asia, Japan and Indonesia’. It was my first real exposure to Indonesia. Learning about Pancasila, religious diversity, and some of its rich history truly put Indonesia on the map for me. Following advice from a barrister I shadowed, I decided to study Indonesian through La Trobe’s Diploma of Languages program with Ibu Linda Sukamta. My classroom experience, combined with my first visit to Batam Island for a short informal exchange in October 2019, made me fall in love with Indonesia’s warmth and hospitality. 

What is the nature of your engagement with Indonesia – are you an academic, a professional, an alumni?

I’m both an alumnus and an emerging professional in the Australia-Indonesia space. I’m grateful to Value Learning Intercultural Specialists for onboarding me as the 2025 AIYEP Coordinator. My main role these past months has been securing host families and workplaces in Melbourne for Indonesian delegates arriving in late October. It has been incredibly enriching. The delegates arrived in Sydney on 18 October for orientation and activities and will travel to Melbourne on 22 October. Shout-out to the wonderful Value Learning team, including Fran, Marcela, and Nishita, for making this journey so rewarding. 

Have you ever been to an Indonesia Council Open Conference and if so, what is your fondest memory? 

My first Indonesia Council Open Conference was this year at Melbourne Connect, University of Melbourne. My fondest memory was feeling an immediate sense of belonging among people equally passionate about the Australia-Indonesia relationship. Attending the AGM allowed me to connect with Council staff in-person and online, along with others across the Australia-Indonesia education space. It was heartening to share experiences with both familiar and new contacts who share my aspirations. I felt I belonged in a unique way, with far less impostor syndrome than I might have experienced had I attended prior to my New Colombo Plan and AIYEP journeys. 

How do you think organisations like Indonesia Council can improve Australia-Indonesia relations? 

Organisations like Indonesia Council strengthen relations by championing Indonesian studies and cultural understanding within Australian universities. They play a vital advocacy role, encouraging higher education institutions to sustain Indonesian programs and foster language learning. Facilitating academic exchanges between Indonesian and Australian educators, researchers, and students creates valuable face-to-face connections that deepen bilateral understanding. I believe Indonesia Council can further improve engagement by attracting more Australians to participate in its initiatives, particularly Australian students. Even though I don’t have a research background, my conference experience this year was very enriching. More young people must attend Indonesia Council’s Open Conferences and events! 

What are some of the challenges and opportunities in the Indonesia-Australia relationship? 

An opportunity for the Indonesia-Australia relationship is stronger engagement from the Indonesian government and private sector. Compared to Japanese and Korean, Indonesian studies receive less funding and promotion. If both governments coordinated funding, such as embedding study tours to Indonesia for high school students as an incentive to learn the language, it could revive interest in Indonesian studies. Immersive programs let Australians experience Indonesia’s diverse cultures firsthand. Once people visit Indonesia, they often fall in love with Indonesia’s warmth, diversity, and hospitality. I can personally attest to this, as can countless others who have had their own transformative Indonesian experience. 

Tell us about your favourite Indonesian food experience 

My favourite Indonesian food experience was sharing a seafood spread at Ikan Pesmol Cianjur in Bandung (August 2024) with friends. I love seafood and enjoyed a share platter featuring grilled calamari, nasi tutug oncom, cumi bakar, and nasi daun jeruk, complemented by Sundanese sambal, tempe mendoan, and more. The mix of fresh, smoky seafood and fragrant rice made the meal unforgettable. Moments like these with good friends and delicious food are some of my most treasured Indonesian memories. Grilled seafood lifts my spirits, and having hot or cold tea, with many flavours to choose from, makes these experiences feel complete. 

Do you speak Indonesian and where did you start learning it? 

I speak Indonesian now more fluently than my native Arabic. I began learning in July 2019 through La Trobe University’s Diploma of Languages, completing my first semester in person and continuing mostly online during 2020-2021 due to COVID. Unfortunately, La Trobe discontinued the Diploma in Languages in November 2021. I resumed studying Indonesian in February 2023, gaining solid fluency through nearly two years of formal and informal language learning during my NCP and AIYEP experiences. Indonesian wasn’t offered at my high school, so I’m very fortunate to have studied it at university. It has opened many doors and incredible opportunities. 

What’s your favourite Indonesian food and why? 

My favourite Indonesian food is nasi daun jeruk, rice cooked with local herbs and spices, especially coconut milk and lime leaves, giving it a wonderful fragrance. It is soft, fluffy, and light, almost melting in your mouth, especially when steaming hot. I prefer it over the more common nasi putih. Nasi daun jeruk embodies the Indonesian saying ‘belum makan kalau belum makan nasi’, which means ‘if you haven’t eaten rice, you haven’t eaten at all’. It’s not commonly found at restaurants or warungs, so I’m always a very happy soul whenever I see it freshly made and available to enjoy. 

What’s your favourite Indonesian music/song/writer? 

My favourite Indonesian song right now is Groove Bandit’s ‘Gelora Asmara’. It has a soulful, nostalgic feel, capturing the magic of many great nights spent with loved ones across Indonesia. The track matches the vibe of night drives, reminding me of cruising on my Yamaha NMAX. Indonesia’s diverse music scene is often underrated, boasting many talented artists and memorable tracks, old and new. My favourite part in the track is around four minutes in. It’s a song I enjoy playing while walking, driving, or grooving with friends—evoking warm memories, good vibes, and a keen desire to return to Indonesia. 

What’s your favourite Indonesian idiom? 

‘Jangan jadi kacang yang lupa kulitnya’ is an Indonesian idiom meaning ‘don’t be a peanut that forgets its shell’. It warns against forgetting our origins and those who helped us succeed. It criticises arrogance and ingratitude after achievement and emphasises staying humble, grateful, and aware of our background. For me, it’s a reminder to remember where I came from and the support I received to reach my goals. Supporting others and cherishing struggles are vital to remain humble and connected. This proverb inspires me to give back, directly and indirectly, to the people and the world that have uplifted me.  

[Last month’s PAY IT FORWARD question]: Who is your favourite Indonesian president and why? 

I don't have enough knowledge of each Indonesian president to answer this directly. Instead, here are favourite facts about some presidents. Sukarno was an accomplished architect. Gus Dur demanded his security minister General Wiranto resign, backed away from this demand, then turned around hours later and suspended him. Megawati's name derives from Sanskrit, meaning ‘cloud goddess’, chosen because it was raining when she was born. SBY has solid painting skills. Jokowi is known as a devoted heavy metal fan, and Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen once gifted him a signed, limited-edition vinyl record of Metallica's ‘Master of Puppets’. Mantap! [Ed: what an informative and diplomatic answer] 

And don’t forget to suggest a pay it forward question for next month 😊 : 

What is one Indonesian movie that you urge every Indonesia Council Newsletter subscriber to watch?