Writing Feedback / The number of UK residents going abroad and overseas residents visiting the UK - IELTS WritingTask 1 [4]

migration to and emigration from the UK

The graph describes the number of UK residents going abroad from the UK and overseas residents visiting the UK between 1979 and 1999, whilst the bar chart provides information about how many UK residents traveled to the top five popular countries in 1999. Units are measured in millions of people.

The number of UK residents visiting overseas commenced nearly 15 million in 1979 and increased sharply to reach over 50 million in 1999. Furthermore, around 10 million overseas residents visited the UK in the first year before rising gradually to just under 30 million by the final year.

In 1999, France was the foremost visited country by more than 10 million UK citizens, followed by Spain at approximately 9 million. The USA and Greece had about 4 million and 3 million the UK visitors respectively. Turkey was the least popular country visited which had only about 2 million UK residents traveled there.

In brief, there was an increment in the number of visits to and from the UK and there were more visits abroad by UK citizens than visits to the UK by foreign people over the period given. Moreover, the most popular visited country by UK residents was France in 1999.

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Writing Feedback / [REFERENCES LETTER] She has demonstrated an exceptional ability to grasp the rigorous demands of job [7]

Hi EF,
I was asked to draft a letter of recommendation for Chevening application by my former Project Manager. Input from you will be welcomed.

The reference should cover the following:
1) How long have you known the applicant?
2) In what capacity do you know the applicant? (e.g. professional, educational, supervisory, voluntary, religious)
3) When you last had regular contact with the applicant?
4) A brief overall endorsement of the applicant.

she will be an asset to your program

It is with great confidence that I write this letter of recommendation on behalf of Sehat Dinati Simamora.

In my capacity as her former Project Manager of APINDO (The Employer's Association of Indonesia)-EU ACTIVE (Advancing Indonesia's Civil Society in Trade and Investment), a highly respected project for preparation Comprehensive Economic Parnetship Agreement (CEPA) between EU-Indonesia, I have supervised Sehat's work directly since she joined us in February until November, 2014. Until now, Sehat and I stay keep contact because even though we are not working on the same project anymore, our current jobs are still related on economics and development areas. Therefore, we still meet often with our former team to discuss current issues and also update each other's work as a mean of knowledge sharing. Hence, it is appropriate in this letter of recommendation to review Sehat's contributions to our project.

Since the first day of her tenure with us, Sehat has demonstrated an exceptional ability to grasp the rigorous demands of the job. A Junior Economist at APINDO-EU ACTIVE Project must undertake research on and analysis of the needs and strategies of business sector in Indonesia, conduct policy oriented research and develop relevant policy recommendation on issues on a range of topics (trade issues, investment, services, and barriers to competitiveness, logistics and transport and capacity building requirements for business), assist in the preparation of negotiating positions and submissions to Government of Indonesia, prepare presentations and policy position papers for the APINDO Board in cooperation with the Public Outreach and Media Officer, work with member survey information and economic data for the APINDO Board and for the publication, and participate in capacity building programs for small-medium-enterprises for certain sectors in regions (Medan, Semarang, Surabaya, and Jakarta). Beyond the complex policy and economic analysis that Sehat has performed in our team, she showed a distinct learning skill, determination towards perfection, unquestionable passion in industrial and environmental economics. Among Sehat's two strongest attributes is her communication skills, and she demonstrates a balance of a pure scientist and marketer with her personal and intellectual qualities.

Sehat often became the assistant Shinta Widjaja Kamdani (APINDO Board who is also the President of Indonesia Business Council for Sustainable Development) in preparing presentation materials and attending the relevant national and international forums for sustainable development. It gave Sehat great opportunities to learn many things and meet key figures that related to sustainable development movement in Indonesia. I am convinced this network will be very useful and certainly utilized by Sehat in her career as an economist and policy makers in the future.

Sehat was also responsible for handling capacity building for SMEs businessmen for coffee, cacao, textiles and textile products, footwear, furniture, handicrafts, shrimp, tuna and other seafood products. She was in charged for the content material presented by speakers and led the survey for the participants that related to industry conditions. Within the framework of capacity building, Sehat prepared two market brief market about the strategies of exporting to the EU as a guide for SMEs to exports and/or to increase their exports.

Here, I saw Sehat's personal, intellectual, and interpersonal qualities. Months before the event, Sehat took advantage of her networking to collect SMEs data in various cities. After gained, she had to contact and convince them to participate in this capacity building. With a wide variety of backgrounds of participants, Sehat showed an excellent interpersonal qualities in dealing with the SMEs' employers who are far more senior than her either before or during the activity. She could be flexible in leading the participants to attend each session and mediated debates that took place during the discussions when needed.

In summary, Sehat is well-suited to study in a graduate program aboard. She has not only the capability, but also the motivatioin to succeedd. Consequently, I am confident that Sehat will be an asset to your program and I recommend to you in the highest terms.

Scholarship / After finishing my postgraduate, I plan to go back to my current company - CHEVENING CAREER PLAN [3]

Chevening is looking for individuals who have a clear post-study career plan. Please outline your immediate plans upon returning home and your longer term career goals. You may wish to consider how these relate to what the UK government is doing in your country. (minimum word count: 50 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

my expectations for the future

After finishing my postgraduate, I plan to go back to my current company, CReco Research Institute, which one of the focus is conducting research for policy brief. Working in CReco enables me to work closely and learn directly from Mr. Raden Pardede (Chairman of Indonesian Forum) and Mr. Chatib Basri (Former Minister of Finance Indonesia). This opportunity would enrich me more in applying theoretical knowledge I gained during my study to applied economic analysis, especially in conducting policy research. In specific, I want to be involved in research for designing policy in macroeconomics and industrialization. With their support, I would also able to expand my network among Indonesian economists and policy makers.

Currently, I am conducting a research on revitalization of Indonesia's manufacturing sector. As is well known, Indonesia is suffering premature de-industrialization due to the commodity boom that occured from 2000-2010 which resulted Indonesia's dependence on commodities without regard to the development of the manufacturing sector. In this research, I found what happens was that Indonesia's economy evolved from agriculture to low value-added services sector directly, although there were few cases where the labor moved from manufacturing sector to low value-added services sectors. But, nevertheless, what is expected after getting into the manufacturing sector (from agriculture sector) is the shift to the high value-added services sector. I should also propose policy options that should be taken by the government to revive the manufacturing sectors as one of the Indonesia economy pillars, so the economy sectors can transform perfectly.

Therefore, upon my return from the UK, I I plan to strengthen my knowledge and skills in macroeconomics field, especially in industrial economics. I know that I can take a big advantage by working in CReco, because in this organization I learn directly from the economists who are exposed to Indonesia economic sector development since early 1990s.

In addition, after two years returning home, I have set my next target to take doctoral degree in Oxford University or Cambridge University. I plan to take a further study in industrial economics. I want to learn the sectoral linkages of agriculture - manufacturing - services to respond the industrial revolution 4.0. I aspire to be an expert in this field, that is really needed in Indonesia. Together with studying industrial economy, I also would enhance my capacity in macroeconomics, which is often avoided by young economist because its complexity. Thereupon, in the long term I pursue to be a good Indonesia's macroeconomist who specialize in industrialization field and its supporting components (such as labor, minimum wage, human development, etc), and who also capable to analyze the situation from helicopter view.

Afterward, with the education background, research experience, and the network, that I gain during my study and work later, I expect to become an adviser to government, particularly for Coordinating Minister of Economics Affairs to design Indonesia economy sector policy and also someone who could share my knowledge as lecturer in university.

Scholarship / CHEVENING ESSAY NETWORKING QUESTION: One of my most prominent character is extrovert [3]

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong networking skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your networking skills, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future. (minimum word count: 50 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

being extrovertic

One of my most prominent character is extrovert, so I am a typical person who is friendly, sociable, like to meet new people, and talk about anything. This leads me to love reading to broaden my horizons beyond my discipline, because I know when I meet new people, the extensive knowledge will allow me to join into a variety of topics of conversation.

When I was on campus, other than I was active in various student organizations. I also participated in several competitions, both at national and international levels. All those experiences made me have a lot of friends not only at the campus level, but also profesional. In fact, I had been able to get along with international academics when I presented my paper in an international forum, namely IRSA PRSCO 2013.

My undergraduate experience was a good exercise before I entered the worklife, because the range of networking that I should build and expand has to be wider with skilled person in his/her discipline. During my career as a junior economist at the EU-ACTIVE project in APINDO (Indonesia Employers Association), I came face to face with the famous Indonesian entrepreneurs, like Sofjan Wanandi, Shinta Widjaja Kamdani, and Chris Kanter, which often participating in taking economic policy from the private sector side. For some events, I assisted them in preparation the meeting, and sometimes they delegated me to attend meetings with the ILO, World Bank, UN, Government of Indonesia, and others.

Nowadays, working with Indonesia's top economist give me many chances to meet with other Indonesia's economist and even international economist, and many policy makers, whom I can not imagine before. Simultaneously, I could discuss with them in small meetings. One interesting experience recently is that I work closely with the lecturer of my boss from Australia. It was really an honor for me, to learn from the teacher of my teacher. Moreover, Creco, as a consulting firm also serves scenario planning for our clients, and because of this, I should always be ready to meet clients from various types of companies, which generally are top management board, which are certainly much more senior than me. In many opportunities, I had to present in front of them and it made them know me well.

In daily life, I join a few communities, which makes me know a lot of people outside my discipline. We often discuss the hot issues in the society and argue according to our disciplines perspective respectively.

For the future, I hope to utilize this networking very well with the breadth of networking that I have. Associating with distinguished economist and outstanding policy makers since young is influencing my career that I am accustom to become an excellent one as early as possible. Furthermore, when I become a policy maker, I would need other people from various disciplines to hear their opinions regarding the economic field which is of course in contact with many other disciplines, for instance legal, educational, health, etc.

Scholarship / I have a dominant character with good personality. CHEVENING ESSAY LEADERSHIP AND INFLUENCE QUESTION [6]

Several activities I was involved in

I have a dominant character with good personality that make people who surround me feel comfort with my presence. People also know me as someone who has wide knowledge. The combination of favorable personality and wide insight cause me effortless to get an exposure in order to lead and influence people. Furthermore, these following experiences are clear evidences that indicate I have the capacity as a leader as well an influencer.

During college, I was appointed as one of the academic team who responsibled for students academic. In my sixth semester, we faced a difficult condition, specifically many of my friends from the same year as me, were evaluated by the campus and received warning letter either because of their GPA or credits were below the minimum requirements. Based on it, I recommended each member of academic team to take responsibility as a tutor for certain number of students. Since then, I had to lead about 15 students for three courses, namely: mathematical economics, statistics, and microeconomics. Along one semester I had to make sure that they would pass the course and did not take remedial class on the next semester. I prepared their teaching materials and also arranged weekly meeting (besides their official class with lecturers) to teach them and discuss problem examples, and of course gave them homeworks as an evaluation. At the end of the semester, I made it, and they passed with very satisfying score.

During my work life, I was involved in several social activities. When Sumatera and Kalimantan were blanketed from land and forest fires in September 2015, I initiated a fundraising action for the area where the people got less attention and the aid was not distibuted well. I was driven to help out when one of my friends, who came from Tembilahan (Riau Province), told me about the condition in her hometown. Hence, I focused on the needs of the people there. I coordinated with my college friends to design the pamphlets and shared this action through social media as a campaign to invite whoever to participate. The action was carried out well and beyond my expectation. The funds collected was allocated to buy drugs and sent immediately to Tembilahan and distributed through the local church. In fact, there was surplus funds that could be used to help victims in Palangkaraya (Central Kalimantan Province) and had been channeled via one local NGO.

The other social activities that I took part recently was mission activities in inland Nusa Tenggara Timur, namely Sei Village. Sequentially, we gave free medical treatment, provided training for processing their agricultural products, and held a fun class for children. All the journey of this mission was written on my blog and I shared it widely. Evidently, this sharing led to tangible results by inspiring a few of my friends to do similar activities in our hometown in North Sumatera. We are developing the idea currently and on progressing to execute the project on this next December.

Writing Feedback / The figure illustrates the number of three kinds of fast food eaten by youths in Australia [6]

The line graph below shows changes in the amount and type of fast food consumed by Australian teenagers from 1975 to 2000.

pizza, fish and chips, and hamburgers - which are more preferable among teens?

The figure illustrates the number of three kinds of fast food (pizza, fish and chips, and hamburgers) which were consumed by Australian youth from 1975 to 2000. Unit are measured in number of times eaten per year.

Overall, the consumption of fish and chips decreased over period given, while for pizza and hamburgers, they rose. At the start of the period, fish and chips was the most popular junk food, which was replaced by hamburgers from 1985 to 2000, and followed by pizza became the second most widely consumed fast food since 1990 until 2000. With regards to the amount of fish and chips eaten, it peaked at around 100 portions per year in 1975 before falling sharply to about 41 portions per year in 2000. Likewise, approximately 15 pieces of hamburgers were consumed in the first year after which the figure rocketed, climbed minimally, and remained constant 100 pieces from 1995 to 2000. On the other hand, the consumption of pizza only started in 1975 at nearly 10 slices. This graph, which increased sharply and stabilised over 80 slices since 1995 until 2000.

In brief, as it presented in the line graph, number of times pizza and hamburgers eaten was a dramatically increasing in 2000 compared to 1975, while eaten number of fish and chips is dropped gradually from 1975 to 2000.

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Writing Feedback / IELTS Writing Task 2: Some parents buy their children a large number of toys to play with. [7]

Some parents buy their children a large number of toys to play with.
What are the advantages and disadvantages for the child of having a large number of toys?

Children surrounded by toys

Toys are very good medium for children to learn many things. Certainly, parents will strive to facilitate their children by providing playthings so that their children can know new things through toys. However, it is often that parents tend to spoil their children by giving too many, even those which are not necessary.

Apparently, we can not ignore the positive role of playthings. Children could recognize, differentiate, and learn how to use things. Some other times, they are not only as an entertainment article for kids but also as psychological development tool. Additionally, nowadays toys has an education function also. It means that children get both fun and educational with playing the toys.

On the other hand, we can not deny if there are parents who desire to give their children all the latest and greatest things so that the children have a large number of playthings. They do not want their children lagging behind others. This things is not well anticipated by the parents sometimes that may have negative impacts on children. This habit could develop an unpredictable consumptive attitudes of the children. Children are taught to be greedy since they were young.

Moreover, another negative effect is when a child becomes addicted to the playthings. This bad habit will form their characters that are difficult to control themselves and wasting their time and they can not be separated anymore from their toys in the next stage. Eventually, the parents are not able to handle their children and creates new problems, such as the children do not socialize with their friends or children to ignore to finish their homeworks.

In conclusion, everything has a positive side, including toys. However, it is important to keep in mind, parents have to discipline themselves not to spoil their child which give negatice impacts in the future that can be anticipated since early stage, by buying toys that are appropriate for children as the functions and needs.