By Ariana Leandry ‘23, Syiah Kuala University Fellow

Returning to Aceh for my second year of my Shansi Fellowship, I felt overwhelmed. Overwhelmed, stressed, guilty. Guilt is a feeling I return to often when reflecting on my time here—whether in conversations with other Shansi Fellows or while talking to my friends back home. I can’t shake the sense that I haven’t accomplished enough. That I leaned too far into the rhythm of island life, moving at my own pace without urgency. Whole days spent in cafés, nights on the guesthouse balcony just watching the palm trees sway, afternoons at the beach with a coloring book.

By Ariana Leandry ‘23, Syiah Kuala University Fellow

In anticipation of beginning my Shansi Fellowship, I made the pre-departure decision to buy a notebook. While I wasn't one for journaling before, stepping into this new chapter of my life made me recognize the unique circumstances that lay ahead. This journal wasn't just a personal reflection tool; it was also a means to recount my time abroad with friends and family in the future. Setting a goal for myself, I committed to writing in the journal at least once a day – whether it was a succinct line or a full-blown story, I promised myself that nothing would be too trivial.