Being in Indonesia has taught me that teaching and learning does not just happen in the school building and between the hours of 7am and 3pm. Learning occurs in the halls, late at night, on an airplane, and in the street. It also doesn’t have to always be related to your content area, being a teacher means not just being a history teacher, but being a life teacher. Getting a chance to know and interact with the students, staff, and everyday people here taught me what it really means to be passionate about education and about having a unsasiable thirst for knowledge. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do to come up to a complete stranger and have a conversation just so you can practice your language and get to know them a little better. It doesn’t matter if your Muslim or Christian to be able to look at each other’s beliefs and find the similarities and accept the differences.

What struck me the most was the harmony with which so many people are able to live and thrive on. Indonesia is unique because of its history and cultural make up. What you start to realize is that there are thousands of times more similarities than differences that draw a people together. Learning and sharing about these things is what makes life fun and interesting.

The other major thing that I learned here is that things don’t always go as planned and that is when life’s most teachable moments occur. Its okay if something doesn’t work out in the end the path that takes us there will teach us more anyway. Being here and seeing what people have to go through in their daily lives just to put food on the table and clothes on their backs was eye-opening and it is clear that the students understand just what an education can do for them. They don’t take anything for granted, if an Indonesia has barely any food to feed themselves, they don’t care they would share it with you even if it was their last gain of rice. They value the friendships, relationships, and knowledge that they gather throughout the course of their life. Even if you don’t think  you have an impact or aren’t teaching anything you are. Just by getting involved, sharing ideas, and being curious enough to ask questions and dig deeper demonstrates just how much you care.

I know that when I came to Indonesia I bought with me a whole lot of Ms. Fremont, returning back to the United States I know I am a very different person and educator. I now can talk to my students about what different cultures are like. I can share with them the histories of a part of the world most people in the United States don’t even know about let alone have the ability to find on a map. I now have the opportunity and skills to open up many more doors for my students to explore and discover new and different regions, foods, histories, cultures, and people. Beyond that I know what it truly means to motivate and challenge students to do their best and to mentor them along the way so that they will be successful later on in life. In the end being Ms. Fremont was just the beginning, transforming into Ibu Heather and bring her into my future classrooms will help me be more than just a history teacher or just a government teacher, it will help me strive to be a life teacher.

The first individual that I interviewed was an 11th grade girl. She hopes to become a policewoman and enjoys playing volleyball, dancing, and signing. She is from the village of Beltang, South Sumatra. She has one younger brother and her father worked n the Army while her mother is a nurse with a home clinic. Her advice for future students is to be happy everyday because you only live once and to be grateful for what God has given to you. She says people should taste pempek, visit the beautiful places outside of Bali, and visit her home if they ever come to Indonesia.

The second individual that I interviewed was a 10th grade boy. He hopes to become an architect and enjoys studying physics, playing futsol, watching movies - especially X-men or Harry Potter. He is from the village of Simbawa, South Sumatra. He has one older sister and one younger brother and his father worked in construction while his mother was a teacher. His advice for future students is to become more close with each other (treat your classmates like family), strive to travel and do well, help each other, be honest, and have a good attitude. He says people who come to Indonesia need to come in order to share their culture, exchange ideas, and study Indonesian culture because it’s rich and has a unique point of view.

The final person I interviewed was the business studies teacher. She has been teaching for 7 years and enjoys snorkeling, watching movies, and talking with friends. She is from the town of Lampung originally. Her advice for students is to stop being lazy, she says, ”We might think we have touched the moon cause we are so close to it, but actually it’s still far away. so, it’s a never-ending fight to be someone.” Her advice for people who visit Indonesia is to learn some bahasa indonesia earlier before coming here. just as the appreciation for the native Indonesian.

In the course of interviewing these individuals it is clear that there are some similarities across their educational experiences. For example when asked about their worst school memory every single one of them could give an example or time when they interacted with a horrible teacher and they could say exactly who that teacher was and what made them dislike them. The male student recalled, “My least favorite teacher was arrogant, and always wanted to fight/argue with students, he was always angry and didn’t care about his subject.” The female student said, “My teacher would always come to class late and in a bad mood and that would affect the whole class.” The teacher said, “I had a teacher that wasn’t educating people, he was abusing students because whenever we did anything wrong he would pull us to the front of class to stand there and be humiliated and punished for long periods of time.” In every instance the teacher was someone who was not passionate about their profession and not there for students. It is clear that if you do not like your job and do not like interacting with kids then the students will know it and carry that image with them for the rest of their life.

When asked about their favorite teacher all three interviewees could recall a teacher that motivated and inspired them to achieve their dreams. They recalled someone who pushed them to be actively involved and who gave them the flexibility and freedom to try new things without fear of repercussions. From their responses it is clear that if you want to be a great educator you not only have to know your material but you have to GET kids. You have to be me a life coach and support them as they grow and develop, nurturing and encouraging them along the way as much as making sure they get the knowledge necessary to be successful in the classroom and beyond.

It is also very clear that many people here find education is valuable and important in life. Both students cited their entrance into this particular school and receiving scholarships as a pivotal role in reaching their dreams and continuing on to university and beyond in their careers and life. The business studies teacher said it best when she said, “Education is the bridge to success. You can’t reach your dream without it. That’s the reason that inspired me to work in education field.” Overall I found it very refreshing to discuss education with these three Indonesians and learn that many of the things concerning education and what it means to be a great teacher and student are universal. It doesn’t matter if we’re in the United States or half way around the world, the most important thing is to take advantage of the opportunity to learn, grow, and develop. It is also clear that as an educator you have to be in this profession not for yourself, but for your students and those people who will learn from you through your mentorship and encouragement. If you don’t like kids and inspiring others’ thirst for knowledge then education is not the right field for you.

Overall the presentations went very well and it was clear that many of the students had put a lot of time and effort into their PowerPoint for the class. You could definitely tell that a large number were more confident with their English skills and had improved by leaps and bounds over the last 8 weeks. The presentations were extremely detailed and well thought out and all of the presentations were extremely well-organized. The one thing that I would probably change to make this lesson better is to have students just focus on explaining and researching about the second country and not explain about Indonesia too. This would help them avoid getting really repetitive and it would help them ensure that they did not go over the time limit.

Throughout the week classes ran as usual and for the most part things were winding down rather nicely. In Sasha’s class he decided to take the students up to Jakabaring for PE to play kickball which the kids thought was really neat. I helped him on Wednesday because his class was soo big that he needed extra supervision to walk the students up there and back. On Thursday the students and staff had a farewell assembly for us at the end of the day which was very touching. At the assembly the assistant principal gave a very nice speech thanking us for all that we had done and then gave us a chance to tell everyone thank you as well. Sasha went first and was very sincere and got the students laughing quite a bit, at the end he presented them with some new PE equipment. When it was my turn to say thanks it was hard to keep from crying because looking out over the crowd you could see all the faces of students and staff that had become my family while I was here. As I recalled all the things that I had done over the past eight weeks and reminisced about what I had done with each class I knew that I was really going to miss coming to work everyday and getting the opportunity to work with these very special people. I had already given my civics class their presents (Iowa State Pencils that they were excited too have – if they were gone they sought me out just to get theirs) so after I finished our cooperating teachers and the vice principal came up and gave us some very nice going away presents that I was not expecting. We each got a school coffee mug (that I am using very proudly at the moment ) and my cooperating teacher gave me a head scarf so that when I saw it or used it I would remember her. After that a number of the students got up and performed songs with the bands that they had created for competition. It was nice just to sit and listen and enjoy everyone’s company even if it was for a little while.

On Friday evening William, Sasha, and I were able to take our landlord and his family out to dinner by the river at a particular restaurant that is known by everyone in town because it is on a boat and provides a lovely view of Ampera Bridge all lit up at night. Overall it was pretty nice to sit and share a final meal together with the people who had taken us into their home for the last couple of months.

On Saturday our students were having their Kartini Day Celebrations (women’s emancipation) by hosting a number of different competitions following gymnastics. I actually went to school so that I could get one last run in with the students and so the groups that did not finish presenting could have a chance to present and get graded before I left. Once the run was over a number of the students who were on the committee that organized the event approached Joe and myself and asked us if we wanted to judge the fashion show so of course we said yes! After the opening ceremony and being asked to give a speech to kick off the event the fashion show started and we were given the score cards. Throughout the show we were asked to give comments as each couple came down the runway from each class. I was pretty impressed by the  students’ creativity and the flare with which they represented themselves! A couple of the students that I worked with in classes I didn’t even recognize because of their style and their confidence on the runway!

Once the fashion show was finished I headed home to change and get some things done because Sasha and I had been asked to come back that night to be a judge with the business studies teacher for the drama performances. That night the performances were hilarious! It was interesting to see the stories that each class told and the messages they wanted to communicate to the audience (most of them had to do with love and relationships or friendships). I was impressed by several groups ability to use comedy to get at life lessons, it really showed how these kids cared and are unique people yet at the same time so similar to everyone else in the world. By the time the talent show ended it was almost 11pm and the students started coming up and wanting to take pictures and give hugs before they all went to bed and Sasha and I went home for the last time. One class even gave us another thank you present (Sasha got a traditional Palembang head covering and I got a Palembang designed purse). it was sad to say our last farewells as everyone headed off to bed and since it got so late I ended up staying in my cooperating teachers room for the night.

On Monday when we left we were once again accompanied by many familiar faces because the school driver had agreed to pick us up and take us to the airport, but also coming along were a small group of students and a teacher who were on their way to a competition. In the end it was really nice to be able to have some people along for the ride to chat with before we actually boarded our plane first for Hong Kong then back to the United States. I was sad to leave everyone, but I know that I will continue to hear from this special group of people in the future because I know they will keep doing amazing things!

Before I knew it I was able to get a flight to Jakarta for Saturday and then have the school driver pick us (Joe was able to come along with me because there wasn’t much he could help with either and he hasn’t really had anytime off to travel) up and drive us back to the school which was about 2 - 2.5 hours away. Once we got there we met with the head of operations who introduced us to some of the staff and showed the rooms we would be staying in. It was actually pretty neat because the school sits on a resort and has its own waipees were the staff have their own room in a town house style furnishing. After we dropped our things and had a bit of a rest we were able to get some dinner in the main hall and listen in one a school assembly. At the end of it we were introduced and given a chance to introduce ourselves. Afterwards the teacher that Joe was staying with showed us around the grounds and explained what areas of the resort the students had access too.

I was soo taken back because the resort is at the bottom of a huge mountain and the air is much cooler there. The resort also has horse stables right near the running track (while we were walking they were doing jumping)! The students also have access to the pool when they teach swimming in PE class, the basketball courts, volleyball cour, running track, futsol field, and tennis courts. By the time we made it back most of the students were outside walking around and studying or visiting their very own house ran canteen. The house that runs it was the same house that Joe serves as a house parent for in Palembang so he instantly was taken with them. While we were visiting the canteen we had a number of students come up and chat with us and then ask if we wanted to go running. Next thing we knew we are on an impromptu run and playing a pick up game of Volleyball!

Later on that night we were invited to go to the Christian students’ Easter celebration and Bible Trivia competition. We ended up joining them a bit late because of eating dinner and discussing various differences between the two schools and their students and goals with two of the other teachers there. Once there we were able to see the final round and the championship round of the competition. I was pretty impressed because these students knew and remembered way more about the Bible than I did! After the competition there was a moment of prayer and then the students asked Joe and myself to tell a little about our Easter traditions and pretty much give our testimonials. At the end they asked us to lead the final prayer before everyone headed back to the dorms for the night.

On Sunday we were invited to attend church with the students since they were giving a performance that morning in services. We agreed and so about 30 students, another teacher, and the two of us all crammed into three cars for the hour or so ride to the facility. Once there I didn’t really understand too much about what was going on besides the usual singing and prayer since it was all in bahasa. About halfway through the service the students performed their mini – drama and I was pretty impressed. They did an outstanding job! One of the students was kind enough to translate and it was pretty interesting to see how even the songs and prayers and messages are universal.

After church Joe and I had an opportunity to tour the National Botanical Gardens with one of the other teachers who is from the Kalimantan area of Borneo Island. It was nice to just get out and walk and see some of the imported and local flowers and tress. It was kind of cool because some fo the trees had huge roots that had some of the oddest shapes and colors! We also were able to walk around the presidential palace, but it was closed to the public so we didn’t get a chance to go in. The grounds were still gorgeous though, even spotted with grazing deer! After a relaxing evening we headed back to hang out and get ready to pack for camp.

The next day everyone was up early because they were getting ready to leave for their Leadership Camp (the students there are all in 10th grade since this group is their first incoming class). Once we were all loaded into the buses we drove about an hour away to the base of an expansive mountain to a very nice and modern looking camp site. After eating lunch and having an impromptu break dancing competition (they even made me dance!) in the main canteen area the students were given time to find their tents and figure out how to set them up on their own. The staff tents were already set up so we were able to just wander around and chat a bit.

The rest of the afternoon was spent playing team building activities within the houses. The activities included playing a guessing version of rock, paper, scissors with numbers, leading a blindfolded partner through a maze of people, undoing a human knot, and getting every house member through a piece of paper (the students had to figure out how to tear it into a very large paper circle and pass it over and around all the team members). After that the students had their Yell Yell (house chant) competitions. It was fun seeing the chants and learning different things about each house and its members based on what their chants said and who was in charge and really getting into it. All of a sudden after the last house had gone the principle stood up and told all the students that the teachers would be performing their own Yell Yell for them as well. We were then given about an hour while the students had a break to come up with our own chants. In the end the girls came up with one completely in bahasa to the music of a dangdut song called Iwak Payek and the guys came up with an all English one with a section of the dangdut song Sik Asik at the end. It was quite hilarious and the kids thought it was a hoot!

After our performances the students were given time to come up with and rehearse skits they would perform during the bon fire after dinner. I walked around and was able to observe as the students’ creativity and leadership came alive. It was great to see everyone working as a team and incorporating everyone’s ideas. By dinner time the rain had started to come down so we moved the skits inside and spent the rest of the night watching performances. There were a number of outstanding dramas (again in bahasa so several students translated and helped us understand the gist of the stories). At the end Joe got up and sang with one of the English teachers Someone Like You (probably the most popular Adele song in Indonesia during our stay there, the kids loved it). When we finally made it to bed that night it was close to midnight!

On Tuesday morning everyone woke up pretty early to do Gymnastics (dancing aerobics) as a large group together. It was quite fun because we were all out there trying to do the moves as the sun was peeking out over the mountains and the mist was just starting to clear away. It was a picture perfect site and the music and laughing from the kids and staff just added to the relaxed environment.

After a quick breakfast everyone hiked down to a gorgeous waterfall and just had fun swimming and getting wet in what had to be the most bone chilling water in the whole area. The kids throughly enjoyed finding the driest teachers and students and splashing them until they were soaked. By the time we left and started the hike back to the top I don’t think anyone was left dry or not smiling from ear to ear!

Back at camp the students got changed and rested for a bit before we all headed back down to school. The students definitely enjoyed the camp and you could tell if given the chance they would go again in a heart beat. By the time we got back to school the students were all pretty tired and just ready to hang out so once everyone had gotten dinner we just walked around and talked with a good portion of students that were hanging out in the Dove house canteen.

Wednesday morning we were heading back to Palembang and the students and staff were back at class so we had a chance to observe a couple of classes before leaving for the airport. I watch the PE class and had a fun time watching them warm up and perform their Dance aerobics presentations (the class had been divided into groups and were to perform a routine they created while the PE teacher video taped it and graded them on certain elements). Joe was able to go in and help one of the English teachers during her class and then we both helped the students read and complete an IGCSE exercise during a different English class later that morning. 

At around lunch time we said our goodbyes and headed to the airport to return back to Palembang. I was sad to leave the teachers and students I had gotten to know over the last few days, but I was excited to get back to my own students and see how things were going for the 12th graders.

Overall the activity went very well and served as a good review of the voting process and offered students a chance to discuss critically the traits and characteristics we look for when picking a candidate. Throughout I was able to ask pointed questions and get students answering Higher Order Thinking questions about WHY they picked those traits and WHY those specific things mattered in a future leader or the president. As the week moved on I was able to more adequately adapt the instructions so that it was easier for students to understand and so that student discussion became more focused and critical look at the characteristics of candidates rather than just a brainstorming session and summary. I was also able to take the criticism that I received from my evaluations and add it to my lesson so that it more closely mirrored a true Jigsaw teaching strategy and actually had students teaching new items to each other in the second group rather than just repeating what had happened in the first.

Academically the rest of the week was pretty full for students because all of the 10th graders and half of the 11th graders were busy taking their IGCSE exams and the 12th graders were taking the last of their preparation class for the UN (National Exam) with the special instructors bought in by the province to help them prepare. On Wednesday we actually had a visitor from the US come because it was finally time for our Iowa State Supervisor to come and observe us teach. It was pretty cool to see a familiar face from back home and to get some really in-depth and critical feedback to use and implement into my classes here. For her two days here we had a pretty full schedule and actually got to do some neat things with our cooperating teachers and the community.

The first day after she had finished her observations we were able to show her to our lodgings and then eat dinner with her and her sister. It was nice to be able to chat and discuss all of the things that had happened so far and to discuss how our experiences in Indonesia would help us down the road as educators.

The second day after the observations were finished we were able to go out and do some volunteering at a local orphanage as well. When we first pulled up all of the children were getting ready for mid-afternoon prayer so we waited in the parlor as more and more trickled in to the musollah. At first you could tell the kids were curious about who these strange new visitors were, but that they did not want to wave or say anything. Once prayer was finished we were taken in and introduced to the children, with the help of my cooperating teacher who acted as translator.

My supervisor and my cooperating teacher then went to talk to the director while Sasha, William, and I were left to come up with some activities to do with the children for about an hour. We didn’t exactly know what to do because we had children from about 3 yrs old all the way up to teenagers. After discussing if we wanted to each take a group or stick together I finally said that we should play Duck, Duck, Goose. Once we got all the children circled up and the game explained to the photographer that came and who ended up acting as a translator we tried to explain the game to the kids. Not many of them understood and most were very shy to even get up and try it. I ended up being able to demonstrate it with William and Sasha a couple of time before one of the boys volunteered to be it. Once the game caught on everyone was laughing and running and having fun!

During a quick break William performed some magic tricks for the students and Sasha came up with a great idea for a relay race that would get all the kids running and being active again. While we were trying to set up the teams and the two halves as well as explain the rules students were coming up and wanting to take pictures and just be near us. It was funny because once my cooperating teacher explained the rules in bahasa and we said go, no one moved! I got out there and tried to help the little kids figure it out and demonstrate how to do jumping jacks, but instead ended up running back and forth each time and doing them myself as well As we were trying to leave to get back for Sasha’s final class of the day we got swarmed with kids just wanting to take pictures and shake our hand (they have their own unique way in Indonesia which younger people and children take your hand and place it on their cheek, their forehead, nose, or lips as a sign of respect for the teacher from the student and a blessing from the teacher to the student in return). I ended up coming away very sweaty and worn out but very glad I got the opportunity to meet this group of children and interact with them.

That night we all went out to a local restaurant with our supervisor, her sister, our principles, cooperating teachers, and our land lord as kind of a Thank You dinner for them from Iowa State. It was fun to be able to interact and engage with everyone and see people relax and enjoy each others company. By the end of the night we were all very stuffed from the delicious food, laughing hysterically because of all the photos, and our groups attempts at signing karaoke  We all did I Will Survive out of tradition; Joe and Sasha got up and sang a Beatles song; William gave a rap; and my cooperating teacher, William’s cooperating teacher, and I sang Everything I Do; the drivers even got up and sang too and ended up being really good! The night ended on great note and as we all left to head back home I was glad to tell my supervisor that Indonesia was one of the best decisions of my life.