A PhD student in STEM education in the Department of Teaching and Learning, College of Education and Human Ecology from Indonesia, Aula Andika Fikrullah Al Balad shares his “Your America in 250 Words” essay.
From a dirt floor in war-torn Aceh to a PhD at Ohio State
“You will never go to university without money and connections,” a neighbor once mocked in 2011. I still remember this phrase, her attitude, and expression when she mocked me. Growing up in poverty during the war between the Aceh Freedom Movement and the Indonesian Government, which killed my father, was my reality that I am grateful for. I lived in a tiny house. During the rainy season, the dirt floor of our home was constantly flooded. The woven palm-leaf roofs were not enough to stop the water from going down. Yet, while catching rainwater in buckets, my mother, who could neither read nor write, gave me enduring hope: “Aula, I want you to pursue your degree to the highest education as you can, even in America. Once you study there, our lives will surely change, I believe.”
Her dream became my daily compass. After earning my bachelor’s in physics education at Syiah Kuala University, I secured a U.S. government scholarship to pursue my master’s in Instructional Technology at Lehigh University. Living abroad for the first time, I worked persistently to seize every opportunity and expand my skills, from serving as a Lehigh University Global Ambassador to volunteering at UN headquarters and participating in the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York.
Continuing my education and living in the U.S. taught me that it is not about money and connections, as my neighbor told me back then. The American Dream shows that equity, equality, and opportunity have become one. Regardless of your color, gender, or religion, we all have the right to achieve our dreams. Here, I am allowed to practice my beliefs safely, without distraction from the army or the community. Here, I am genuinely working to show the world that I matter and that my voice is valuable. As a Buckeye, my goals now are to serve the academic and community by conducting research that could strengthen both U.S. national priorities and worldwide problems. At The Ohio State University, in my PhD program in STEM education specifically, I am now fulfilling the promise my mother made on those rainy days. To me, living in America means transforming deep adversity into global purpose, proving to the world that where you begin never dictates how far you can go.
The Office of International Affairs invites Ohio State’s international students to participate in the “Your America in 250 Words” essay and photo contest, a unique opportunity to share personal perspectives and experiences while studying and traveling in the United States.