My Story in APPS 2019 Bandung

APPS 2019 - BANDUNG, INDONESIA SPECIAL NEWSLETTER

From 6th to 13th July 2019, the Asia Paci c Pharmaceutical Symposium (APPS) had come to the IPSF APRO members yet again. This 8 days event was organized by one of the IPSF Member in Organization, HMF AP ITB, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia. Attended by more than 350 pharmacy students from main countries of the Asia Paci c region. The theme for the APPS is Forever 18, indicating youth and good health always. APPS hosted various exciting and bene cial activities such as Anti Aging Race, Public Health Campaign, Educational Symposiums, Workshops, International Night and Indonesian Night.

Other than to gain knowledge, APPS also has always been a place for friends to meet and also create new ones. APPS have always been mentioned by the previous participants to be one of the best events they have attended. Therefore, let us read the testimonies of some of the participants in the 18th APPS 2019, Bandung, Indonesia.

REO KISHI APS - Japan

“The APPS was very ful lling, and each day of the event was splendid !”

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Hi everyone~! I'm Reo Kishi from APS-Japan. For me, it was my rst APPS. So, it made me feel so anxious.

Not only because it was my rst time to attend the APPS, but I also had to gure out how to spend time in Indonesia and whether I can communicate with others in English.

But ever yone gave me a warm welcome from the rst day. Even though I am not con dent, I tried to speak with poor English to express my opinion properly. By the time APPS ended, I could communicate properly and talk a lot about cultural differences and so on.

About the workshop, there were many parts that I could not understand during the days, but with Anti-Aging Workshop, I and my groupmates were given a task to m a k e a p r o d u c t . We t a l k a n d interacting a lot with each other while carrying out the task!! That was the most fun workshop that I had.

Besides, I also went for sightseeing and buy souvenirs in a smaller and private group. There were a lot of wonderful places and large facilities that could not be found in Japan. I thought that Bandung is a nice city with such facilities.

A b o u t t h e n i g h t , r s t l y, t h e Indonesian Night. During the Indonesian Night, there was various traditional dance and I was surprised to know that Indonesians had so many different types of dance.

Traditional Indonesian food was amazingly scrumptious and I got to discover new different avours depicted in every dishes. However, I was a little taken aback by some of the foods that gave unique impressions on my palate that might not be my cup of tea. In this way, I touched on Japanese culture and talk about how it differs with Indonesian culture. Subsequently, I realized that it was interesting to nd o u t t h a t t h e re we re s o m a ny differences between these two cultures. Next, the International Night. During the International Night, each country performed their dance and fashion show. It was so exciting!! This is a special night where everyone brought and displayed their country's sweets and alcohol. I was able to see and experience various cultures. Furthermore, the BBQ Night. On this day, we moved to a different hotel venue and we ate delicious food.

The hotel is very clean and I was wondering, how could I be in such a nice place? Lastly, the Gala night.

The farewell was close, and everyone enjoyed the amazing night. The performances were great and now, I look back at the videos, trying hard not to forget the APPS 2019.

I am very lonely every day after the APPS ended. I wanted to talk more with everyone, I wanted to do various things, and I think it would be better if I took a lot of photos. Anyway, the APPS was very ful lling, and each day of the event was splendid !. I think it was really good to meet ever yone. I am looking for ward to talking to everyone again someday!!

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NAPAPATT LHAOSOMBAT (Sugar) PSUT - Thailand

First of all, I would like to say thank you to the event committee for organizing an event that impressed me. APPS 2019 gave me the oppor tunity to obtain a lot of knowledge, fun, new friends and the idea for implementing the knowledge to work in the future.

At rst, I was not sure how the activities would look and after I went to Bandung, I received massive support from everyone. The committees and all participants were very nice. I'm in the Star sh Team and everyone in my group was from different countries but we helped each other to carry out the activities.

This event also taught me about how to mingle with other people who have different cultures.

“This is such a fun event!”

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I'm impressed with many things in APPS 2019, such as how to make batik, how to make handmade soap, how to mix the ingredients for anti-aging cream, traditional sports day and the most impressive thing was the International Night. Ever y countr y showed its per formance on the stage and performed the fashion show with their country's traditional costumes. All participants dance together on the stage during the International Night and they brought signature things from their country to give to friends from dierent countries.

Ultimately, the last day in Bandung had nally arrived. We went to the Intercontinental Hotel for Gala Night before we had to leave each other. Some of us will go to Bali for post-symposium but not all of us. So, this would be the last night for everyone to be together and I felt so sad during this time. We had our last dinner together and we danced together on the stage again. We sang and danced crazily like there is no tomorrow. This is such a fun event! I won't forget all the beautiful memories from APPS 2019, I promise!

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ANGELA BEM KMFA UGM Indonesia

So, post-symposium depression is real, I guess. It's been 2 weeks since the symposium ended and I still just can't get over it. My name is Angela and I'm from BEM KMFA UGM Indonesia. This year I had the privilege to be a part of APPS Bandung 2019, and attended as an official delegate, which truly is my honour. This is my rst APPS and I enjoyed every bit of it very much, it was tiring but it was worth it.

Since I'm an official delegate (OD), I joined Regional Assembly most of the t i m e, s o I d i d n' t k n ow w h at t h e workshops were like. Regional Assembly wasn't boring, to be honest. I actually enjoyed it, I loved the fact that I got to know more about IPSF APRO because that is one of the reasons I wanted to be an OD. All the other OD's from the other countries were also humble and easy to get along so I was happy to be a part of it, although one thing I wanted to improve next year if I get another chance to be an OD is for me and my association to be more active during open discussions - for us to come out with more great ideas.

“It's a lifetime experience and I'm so grateful to have become a part of the APPS Bandung family.”

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The rst two days felt like forever, perhaps because of the symposium, I guess.

The topics were interesting but the speakers if I must say are a bit less interactive with the audience, so it felt like a 2-hour college lecture with a heavy topic which of course made everyone sleepy and bored. But apart from that, everything else is fun. I enjoyed Indonesian Night and International Night so much. I really liked how they were all set up very nicely. International Night is one of my favourite events during APPS. I had a chance to eat free food (and drink) from countries all over Asia Paci c which is interesting. It was also very nice to see people all dressed up; I was amazed by the euphoria. Oh, and the Aussies, very cute out t guys! Starting from the third day, this is when things start to move very fast, maybe because a lot of things are happening at once. Moving on the fourth day, I could say it's one of my happiest days because I got to spend the whole day with my group, Kangaroo. The rst time I met them which was during the welcoming party, I thought they were very quiet people but turns out they're actually very funny and agreeable. Having a whole day spent with them gave me a chance to know them better- we had so many laughs, especially during the antiageing race. The games were hilarious, so was my group, so yeah it was fun. On the fth day, I didn't join traditional sports days and recreation because I had to join RA, kind of sad though but it was alright. On the 6th day, not a lot of things was going on, and of course, my favourite event was Gala Night! I get to see everyone dressed up and stu. It was a fun night, really it was! At the same time, it was also sad, since it became the last night for all the delegates.

I also joined a couple of competitions during APPS. I'm amazed at how organized they were all laid out, star ting from the guidelines up until the execution.

I'm so thankful. Educational poster competition was the only competition I got an award on, but I'm grateful for it and I'm de nitely ready to join the competitions again next year as now I know how they all worked.

I came to APPS Bandung because of many reasons, wanting to know more about APPS, nding new friends, sharing experiences, learning new cultures and I got all that. I found what I was looking for and another fun thing is that we're all majoring in pharmacy, so we pretty much understand each other. There were a lot of things that I learnt that I think might be good to be implemented in my association so yeah, once again thank you very much APPS Bandung. To all the RCs, RWGs and everyone who made it possible, thank you so much. It's a lifetime experience and I'm so grateful to have become a part of the APPS Bandung family.

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VICKA GALUH F. ISMAFARSI Indonesia

Hello, everyone! I'm so excited to share with ever yone about my experience participating in the APPS 2019. Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who interacts with me during APPS 2019. To be honest, it's my rst APPS and I had so much fun!

Everyone I met in the APPS was so friendly and I enjoyed every moment, starting from the rst night during the welcoming party, where I met my “panda” group and Group Leaders too. I enjoyed every workshop and I'm blessed for being one of ISMAFARSI delegates. I loved every part of APPS. It was so wonderful! I got a chance to meet pharmacy students from other countries.

As aforementioned, this is my rst international event. Before I submitted the application form to be one of the APPS participants, I hardly thought that I was quali ed enough to attend to this event. However, I'm thankful that I got strong support from the people around me. It some sort of giving me the energy to let my nger dancing on my keyboard and diligently to ll up the form to apply for the event. Ah, the feeling is so indescribable! I could not believe that I actually surrounded by positive people who lead me to do a positive activity.

“APPS is one of my life moments that I would never forget.”

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After I submitted the form, I was accepted as one of the APPS participants but there was another thing that bothers me. I'm afraid to greet other people or just simply say “hi�. I'm so stressed, I thought that my English is the worst one. But, when the welcoming par t y began, I was greeted by someone who found me in the crowded situation, it was so memorable. I'm still keeping in contact with her till now.

To be honest, sometimes I felt tired attending the workshops, but every time I looked at the schedule of the event, it made me feel excited again and over again. I often rushed from the room because I didn't want to miss every moment. The happiness that I felt on each day of the APPS made me forget that I actually have a class schedule following. I really enjoyed every activity organized by the committees, whether it's the workshops or leisure activities. I spent many moments with the amazing people and to our surprise, time ies so fast.

Finally, we were having our last time together at the Gala Night. It was fun and sad at the same time. I hate that it already reaches the nals, but it would be the most memorable night for me. I hate to be apart from the loved ones and the most special would be my panda group. I felt that APPS was only a fraction of a second. I would certainly miss every activity that I did during the APPS. After this APPS ended, things I miss the most would be every people that I met and our memories participating the APPS activities together. I thought if I miss the venue, I would just come to ITB or Harris Hotel because I live in Bandung. However, it would never be the same without my APRO-pharmily. I would like to thank to those who up until now still keep in contact with me, especially for those who still persistently teaching me their country's language. APPS is one of my life moments that I would never forget.

I really hope that we can still meet at APPS Singapore and World Congress Korea 2020. I hope I could attend and meet my APPS 2019 friends again in the future.

Finally, I wanted to express my gratitude for the gift given to me and please don't forget our moments together. Please come again to Indonesia as soon as possible!!!

Indonesia will always welcome all of you anytime and any days. Till we meet again! From Bandung, with love.

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ERLITA PUSPA KINANTI BEM KMFA UGM Indonesia

It was a gradual build-up of everything I didn't know I wished for.

It all started with my vision. A vision for myself to escape from the false sense of security that my comfort zone has to offer; to grow beyond my self-expectations and broaden my perception of how the world is. Then, it came to the realization that I actually aspire to carry out something that I can be proud of. Simple, subtle and personal, but those were the things that encouraged me to sign up for this year's APPS. As a rst-year student with minimum experience, it was a challenge for me to ght against the countless doubts that went through my head. However, I kept convincing myself that my worries were just mere thoughts and that the efforts I made were going to be worth it. And yes, you've guessed it, the week-long time I spent in Bandung couldn't prove me right any better.

“Taking part in the APPS was probably the best decision I've ever made.”

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To be surrounded by the community from all around the AsiaPaci c with the same discipline as mine, yet dierent insights and points of view, was an experience of a lifetime that I wouldn't trade for anything else in the world. It didn't stop there, APPS 2019 had also taught me about how friendship transcends diversity. We all came from various backgrounds and cultures but here we were united, as our dierences didn't matter and that, I think, was such a wonderful thing to witness. The language barrier was something inevitable, it did occur here and there, but somehow we managed to nd a way to communicate, to exchange our ideas and knowledge with each other steadily. Here I found a new family, or I should say pharmily, that I shall cherish forever.

Taking part in the APPS was probably the best decision I've ever made. To be honest, these seven days lled with joy were something that I've been looking forward to since forever, so it's quite hard to grasp that it's actually over now, especially when we've grown fond of each other throughout the process. The people who I met and the moments that we shared, they will forever remain in my memory. This might be my rst APPS, but it won't be my last. One time certainly is never enough, so what I'm about to say is- see you in Singapore next year!

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CHAN YOUNG PARK KNAPS South Korea

“I view APPS as a good seed that helps me envision my future. ”

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There is an old saying, “If you want to look back on your own world, go to a remote island to see the world where you belong.” This explained why I decided to participate in the APPS in this summer.

People say that we are living in a global world, but for me Korea has been the only world I have lived in.

Therefore, I thought by participating APPS, it would be a great opportunity to understand a bigger world and to look back on my life in Korea. Also, I wanted to explore the similarities and differences between pharmacy schools from different countries regarding education, lifestyles, cultures and so on. I wish I could learn many things through APPS and hoping that it would meet my expectations. I was very excited, thinking about making foreign friends, especially friends who study the same major as me. As I arrived at the airport in Indonesia and received a friendly welcome from the Reception Committee, I nally began to realize that I was in Bandung.

The schedule included symposium and workshops during daytime and social events every night. Starting with the opening ceremony, the schedule has nally begun. At APPS, different types of symposium and workshop were provided. All schedules took place at the Bandung University of Technology (ITB) which approximately 10 minutes bus ride from Harris Hotel. All participants did not participate in each designated program. However, they were given the opportunity to choose and participate in the programs that suit their preference.

The rst symposium was held in the morning of the second day of APPS. It was a lecture about “The Fourth Industrial Revolution and The Pharmaceutical Industry”. I still vividly remember what the speaker said, "We need to be a new pharmacist. The curriculum that we learn in universities today will not cover all the drug ideas that will change due to the fourth industrial revolution. So, you need to go and merge yourself into new areas, for example, data science."

In Korea, there are voices concern over the future roles of pharmacists. Both pharmacists and pharmacy school students are actively participating in lectures and symposium related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution on their own. When I recalled this fact, I felt that we were all in the same boat. During Q&A session, I was very impressed by the students' active participation and excellent questions. Frankly, Q&A session at APPS was quite different from other symposiums in Korea. Here, students are very eager and enthusiastic asking questions and this experience served as a motivation for me to strive to be a better person.

The greatest advantage of participating APPS was the opportunity to have conversations with pharmacists from other countries. The conversation could be about the knowledge that we obtained from the APPS symposium and workshop. Interestingly, we also get a chance to share our ideas and thoughts about pharmacy education as well as personal concerns about career after graduation. As we shared these concerns, we could feel the bond between us and that we were indeed, a pharmily.

The International Night was the event that I most looked forward to. People from all over the Asia Paci c wore their traditional clothes, performed their prepared dances and songs, and even shared the food together! It went exactly as I had expected and the International Night has become the most special experience in my life. Whenever I see the pictures of these special moments in my phone, I would de nitely nd myself smiling. This memory would be the best reason why I never want to miss any other upcoming IPSF events.

"Global Talent" is a familiar slogan to young generation like us living in the 21st century.

Personally, being global is a goal that I look forward to. However, I had stopped thinking about being global, and just choose to live as a normal Korean. Since it has been a year and a half for me as a pharmacy student, I decided to move forward and get out of my comfort zone. As I previously mentioned, "If you want to look back on your own world, go to a remote island to see the world where you belong," so, here, through APPS, I am challenging myself. I tried my best re ecting my life that I had in Korea at a beautiful and vast country, Indonesia. However, I found that this is still not enough as the word “global” or “international” still feels awkward to me.

Nevertheless, I did not regret participating APPS as good seed makes a good crop. I view APPS as a good seed that helps me envision my future. What I see right now is not the entire world as there is still another side of the world yet to be explored. Thanks to the technology revolution in this modernized world, it enables us to explore any part of the world. It makes me feel that we are not far away from each other in this wider world. Thus, it should not be a problem for anyone who wants to explore the world. I sincerely believe that this good seed (APPS) would nurture my behaviour and skills in a good way. Let me bring the goodness of the seed together with me so that I could embrace and nurture it wholeheartedly, to give rise the best of me. Let us hope that the greatness of the good seeds from Bandung will become fruitful and greener in the near future.

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WENDY JIAN NZAPS New Zealand

My APPS journey in Bandung this year was very much different from the journey I experienced last year in Japan. This year, I began my journey in Bandung earlier than most by participating in Leaders in Training (LiT). LiT is an extensive inter- and intra-personal training programme, with the aim to strengthen participants' leadership skills through a variety of engaging talks, games and public health projects. This year, LiT was held at a different venue to APPS, which allowed participants to further experience the warmth Indonesian hospitality has to offer.

After three days of LiT, APPS nally began! The Symposium started off with enthusiastic Official Delegates taking the stage with pride during the Flag Ceremony while the crowd cheered loudly to each of the countries. This was then followed by avid beauty pursuers frantically tak ing notes from informative seminars about anti-aging secrets and products. More anti-aging secrets were also revealed at hands-on and informative workshops. Did I also mention; the registration pack included an anti-aging face wash?!

“For those who were unable to participate, I can assure you, it only gets better every year!”

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H o w e v e r, u n l i k e m o s t participants, most of my time was spent at the Regional Assembly (RA).

To some, RA might be their last choice when it came to ll out workshop preferences on the google survey but for some (including myself ), this was a place lled with great discussions, to-be-leaders and life-long friends.

As much as I enjoyed my time at RA, it was important to stand up, stretch, and get some exercise into the day – I mean, we all need to play a part to ght NCDs! For most of the OďŹƒcial Delegates, apart from the spectacular show on Indonesian Night, the blurry-memories from tipsy International Night, and the nger-licking food from BBQ night; the public health campaign day was the only time to stretch our legs.

Reunited with the rest of the group members, we raced to compete with one another in various brain toggling and body aching games. I am proud to say that my group was the rst to complete all the quests.

To wrap up all the amazing memo r ie s made, A PP S e n de d gorgeously with Gala Night; having our very own APPS Chairperson, Erick, entering the stage from the ceiling on a lavish crown. Being a huge fan of spicy food, Indonesian cuisine suited my palate. My plate was cleaned after every meal, every snack and that is not to say, the food at Gala Night exceeded all of my expectations.

Overall, I had experienced the best and the most memorable time at APPS Bandung. For those who were unable to participate, I can assure you, it only gets better every year! Looking forward to APPS 2020 in Singapore, and I hope to see you there!

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