WEEK ONE
Embarking on exchange: Chronicles of the first-week in a Foreign Land that will serve as my Home for the next 28 days
As someone who will travel out of the country for the first time, I must proudly say that I somewhat led our batch to safely land on our destination since we are all first timers. As one of my professors always tells me- as a language major, being good at communication is our edge amongst other people since we can converse at all times, with everyone. After the four hour flight from Philippines to Singapore, staying there for a 9-hour layover, and spending almost five hours in transit from Singapore to Indonesia - it was a very fun first experience.
The most tiring (almost) 24 hours of my life was soothed when we were warmly welcomed and accepted by the receiving university; I will always remember Mba Yunda’s reassuring smile when she was holding our names and waiting for us at the gate. She was very kind - a good start for this adventure! After the long drive from the YIA to Purwokerto, we ate at one of their recommended restaurants around the city; everything was good. We were joined by the pioneering faculty members that will be in touch with us Sea Teachers for the next 28 days.
After telling us all the essential things we need to know through the meetings and conferences that they arranged for us, one of the highlights for me this week is that they already sent us off to Puhua. This week is full of new faces, brand new ideas, and great people!
A great week-ender for this first week is the surprise tour that the UMP arranged for us; we went to Menara Teratai or the Lotus Tower. By the time we were still on the ground, I was just feeling happy, but the moment we rode the lift and witnessed the wholeness of the city - I got real emotional but I handled my tears. I was repeatedly thanking them for bringing us there. God knows how happy my heart is, how healing it felt to my soul, and how refreshing it felt to my mind; right then there I knew that Indonesia is a place that will feel like a home to me.
We ended the night by eating at the food park near there wherein we ate a lot of Indonesian Cuisine, but as someone who loves Chinese dishes so much, I still ordered dimsum but the highlight for that night is my precious Mendoan. A delightful spoiler alert: I ate Mendoan any chance that I got for the next 28 days.
Core memory: They made me sing at the Madang park!
WEEK TWO
From Observing to Teaching: A Week with Curious Minds and my First Demo Delight
It is normal to miss home when you are away from it, but, will you believe me if i say that I think I found a home in a place that I just got in. Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto and Puhua School are really making us enjoy learning and teaching, especially the students, they are softest and kindest among all. I may not disclose their names, they may not remember me nor read this blog, but they will forever be in my mind and heart. The children made me fall in love with Indonesia, even with the language barriers, I can see their effort to tell me things and know details about me.
I was really surprised that I successfully accomplished a teaching demonstration even though I was just observing for four days, it is all thanks to Miss Ari and Miss Novie, they always check on me and helped me with the things that I had to prepare. They did not just tell me what to do, they also lent a hand so that I could accomplish my task.
This week, also, Cath and I went on an adventure! We went to Rita SuperMall unaccompanied by anyone, it actually went smoothly because the Indonesians are kind. If they talk to us, we will just say that we can only speak English then they will get someone who speaks the language or bring out their phones for translating.
Another thing to talk about is how I believe that one of Indonesia’s pride is their good coffee shops- the menu is very unique and the place is very beautiful. As someone who loves drinking coffee outside, I appreciated the coffee shops in Indonesia, I will miss Houtrs! At dinner, our Mba Shofi took us out for a steak night and a live singer. The food was delicious, but what I enjoyed the best was their company. Our Mba Shofi did not run out of inspiring and entertaining stories, I will never get tired of hearing them, and her responses to the things I tell her are just exquisite; the best thing about speaking is the feeling that you are actually being heard. I will miss you until we see each other again, my Mba!
WEEK THREE
Whirlwind in Indonesia: Teaching, Surprises, and Cultural Bliss in Our Penultimate Week
This week passed in a total bliss, maybe because we got really busy with all the things that needed to be done. Also, they told us that when your time to come home is nearing, days will pass faster than usual. In this week, my Monday was a real surprise because i was tasked to be a judge for their language month, I really am happy about that because come to think of it, months/years ago I am just one of the students who joins such competition and now i will be one of the people grading students.
I finished classroom demonstrations and I also surpassed a surprised classroom supervising alone because a teacher was not around. I got through all these confidently because I believed that all the things I needed to know so that I could supervise the secondary students were told to me by my cooperating teacher, Ms Mei. She is a very bubbly and happy soul, she just makes everyone smile in every room she enters; her students loved her for that and so am I.
It is not just us Sea teachers who are busy, but of course our host university, but even with that they still managed to plan out this week’s cultural immersion which I think one of the best days I had for the Sea Teacher Program. At first we went to a nature cafe with two of my best Indonesian girlies, Aulil and Shinta. Then we had lunch at Pa Won Ku, a fusion of modern and traditional Indonesian cuisine where food is being prepared right in front of you. The food is really good and the place is really breathtaking, I could not thank Sir Furqon for bringing us there, amidst his busy schedule, he still managed to be there. That day is filled not only with learnings about the traditions of Indonesians and Javanese, but also with laughter due to our Tiktok video.
WEEK FOUR
Farewell Flourish: Exploring Indonesia's Gems in Our Final Week as Exchange Students
This will be the last full week that we will be staying here. During our classes here we extended our farewells and told the students that we will not be around anymore for their next class. No one expected it but it did not come easy, there are times that I could not hold my tears anymore because of the reactions that the teachers and students give me. AS I said in my farewell speech, I was not crying when I left the Philippines because I know that I will go back there. But I will be crying hard when I leave Indonesia because I am not sure when I will go back there again.
The UMP and Puhua arranged farewell meetings with us. All of the important people who made our stay best in Indonesia were there, they gave their messages and we gave ours too. I will forever stand by what I said there, “Indonesia is a beautiful place (the reason why it is easy to love), but I loved it more for its (beautiful and kind) people”. The farewells looked as if it was a party for me and Cath since they generously gave us gifts that will make us remember them, and we could not thank them enough for all of it.
Before we left, one of the teacher’s at UMP invited us to a traditional Indonesian Wedding which turned out to be very beautiful and a great place to go. It is nice to see people decide that they want to be together for the rest of their lives. Mas Novan’s family is very welcoming and kind, with us in the event are the other faculty and staff of the university.
Then, it was time to go, we had a hard time fixing our luggages, good thing Aulil came to rescue us. But even with her great packing skills, I had to leave a lot of things behind because I could not bring them anymore. They cannot fit in my luggage, but I was really planning on leaving a lot of things for our Indonesian Mother for a month, the sweetest Ibu Bachtiar. She made the UMP Mess a home for us. We are comfortable and well taken care of during our stay. She is one of the people who kind of pinches our heart as we leave the place, but as I told her we will meet again.