Alumni Interview with Thadeo Arlo

What inspired you to travel abroad?

My parents and grandparents are expats, so it runs in the family. My grandfather moved to Lampung, Indonesia from Long Gang, China. My father moved to Jakarta, Indonesia from Lampung to study engineering and now it's my turn to venture abroad.

Not only am I motivated by the legacy of expats but also my dream to contribute to the world’s understanding of space and aeronautics. That is why I decided to learn in a country that has great experience in the field.

Going abroad also exposes me to a variety of cultures that taught me numerous lessons in dealing with people and also learning different work cultures which will be very useful in business, not to mention the invaluable international network.

Why did you choose Technion International Israel Institute of Technology?

Mechanical Engineering in Technion is the obvious choice for me not only because I have dedicated most of my childhood into learning robotics and engineering but it is also in line with my dream to be an aeronautical engineer.

A technical reason would be that my intended goal was studying aeronautical engineering but it was only available in Hebrew, a language I wasn’t yet proficient in then. The second best thing was Mechanical Engineering.

Regarding why I chose Technion, the big reason is that it is the only institution in Israel that provides English courses for engineering, but Technion makes up for it by being the best institution anywhere in the Middle East for engineering. Technion is also commonly referred to as the MIT of Israel.

What was your favorite part about Israel?

What I love about Israel is it’s Chutzpah culture. In short, Chutzpah is an attitude that involves being straight-forward without fear, and it respects failure and brutal honesty. Chutzpah is the reason why there are so many start-ups in Israel since creating a start-up requires a strong mentality which could survive a big fall.

More practically in day-to-day life, the people of Israel are efficient but also strict in dividing family and work life. Since they are straight-forward, sometimes they come across as rude but I learnt quickly not to take things personally with Israelis. With time, I began to really enjoy this culture and even become like them.

What made your experience abroad extraordinary?

The reason I think my experience here is great is quite subjective. I am the only Indonesian and even the first to be enrolled in Technion Israel Institute of Technology and so I am the only person representing my culture back home. This results in me being quite the center of attention in group meetings with friends.

I was also not proficient in Hebrew at the time I arrived, which made every trip to the supermarket an adventure. The process of learning the culture and acquiring the language is an unforgettable experience, all the more so when done with friends which are at the same position as you are. My time in Israel was also decorated with exams and learning experiences provided by my studies.

How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?

The academic staff in Technion International is quite supportive and helpful but as we know the Chutzpah culture of Israel, sometimes reaching out to people is a bit more challenging compared to my home country. People are direct and efficient so if your case isn’t so important it might get dismissed.

That being said, they do take care and take seriously things that are important and do all their best to help you. I should also mention the people of Israel in general that are involved during my stay which acts quite similar to the academic staff: direct and efficient as are all Israelis. 

However, this also makes you more mature and independent. What I really like about the Technion academic staff is that they provide a guidance counselor, which not only helps you with academic life but also personal life; I think that’s a nice touch.

What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?

During the first few months of my stay I was so dedicated to my studies that I dismissed many invitations to parties and hangouts; as a result, I don’t have as many memories as the other peers. So as important as studies are, allocate some time for friends and fun too.

If I could've done differently I would go out more and explore Israel, visit its beautiful religious sites and nature reserves. Another important thing I wished I had done earlier was to learn the language more seriously. It is crazy to think how important a language is to a country, especially to understand the Israeli culture which is tied so deeply with the Hebrew language.

What’s amazing about Israel is that it is a country of immigrants, so you could hear Arabic, Russian, French, Spanish, and many other beautiful languages at every street corner.

Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.

As I am a student, here is what my typical day looks like: Wake up at 4:00 a.m., read a book, and take a shower. At around 5:30 I will have breakfast (something simple like an apple and milk). Then I would head back to my room to prepare my studies for the day, turn on my laptop, and spend some free morning time to do whatever my non-university projects are.

At 8:00 a.m. I walk to class and have my studies start at 8:30. At 1:00 p.m. we will have lunch and I will heat my meal which I cooked the night before in the microwave stations in the campus building. At around 7:00 p.m. the studies finish and I can head back home to rest and cook dinner and keep some portions for the next day.

If the week is busy and there are exams, I would head out again to one of the many study buildings to study with friends to prepare for exams. I go to sleep at around 11:00 p.m.

What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?

I loved robotics so a lot of my free time was used to build robots and do my personal projects. I also learnt Hebrew during the holidays and I visited amazing places around Israel. Besides that, I also visit different friends’ houses to cook and hangout, play board games and such. Working out is also very easy in Israel considering the number of pull up bars available on campus. Wherever you go you will find one. There are even work out stations in the parks of Technion, which is more like a forest.

That being said, there are actually tons of activities you could do in a country as complex and diverse as Israel. Of course, you will also study if you plan to go to Technion, and there will be tons of homework to do and subjects to study.

What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?

There are a variety of choices for accommodation in Israel. In Technion I stayed in the dormitories since that is the default option. The main benefit of living in the dormitories is that it is very close to the campus and whatever facility you need is just a walk away.

There are stores, clinics, study rooms, libraries, swimming pools, gym, and many great facilities in the campus that makes living out of campus less attractive. That is until there are cheaper options out of campus but you really have to hunt for it.

Living in the dorms also guarantees living with another student which helps you expand your network on a deeper level. Having someone nearby is also wise so that in the case of an emergency, you have a friend.

Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?

My time abroad has definitely changed the way I think and do things. I am different now, more mature and wiser. Living alone abroad teaches you to be independent and being able to do a lot of things by yourself. Many people know the big things such as having more connections and such but it really is the small things that change you.

For example: going to the store and figuring out which food to buy according to the promos, learning to cook by yourself, doing the laundry, and doing all of that while studying in university. To say the least, all of these small skills make up a new character in you which affects you to do things back home. Especially in Israel with the Chutzpah culture.

What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?

What people need to know about Technion is that it is very difficult, you will need to spend a lot of time studying and preparing for exams. Now one thing to consider is that I took the international school so it is quite different from the general Hebrew course, but I assume people who read this are also categorized as International students.

Prepare (academically) before coming and also learn the Hebrew language. Although most Israelis speak English well, Hebrew will help a lot in the markets and banks where people speak less English. Most writings are also in Hebrew/Arabic so learning one of these languages is beneficial.

Prepare also to be exposed to Israel’s straight-forward culture. I cannot stress enough how different it is from other cultures, especially Asian. I have Asian friends who cannot deal with the Israelis because they cannot work with Israeli culture.

Would you recommend Technion International Israel Institute of Technology to others? Why?

I recommend going to Israel and studying here mainly to acquire their culture. Israeli culture is emblematic of entrepreneurship. In today’s world where more and more people start their own start-up, having an Israeli attitude can help get you ahead.

Israel is also a good place to study since it has a ton of immigrants. In Judaism there is a concept called Aliyah where Jews from all around the world return to Israel. Consequently, there are a multitude of languages you can hear and cultures to learn. Among them are Arabic, Russian, French, English, and Spanish.

Besides being the entrepreneurial and cultural hot pot of the middle east, Israel is also a country where people can fail and can save face. Here, failure is as respected as success and in business or academics, it is a great attitude to have.

What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?

The best part of going abroad is the exposure to different cultures. This exposure will help you learn how to deal with people of various backgrounds and also learn different work environments which are invaluable in business in today’s globalized world.