Getting to Know the SMK NU 1 Karanggeneng Headmaster

One of the many ways Indonesian people show their hospitality and kindness is inviting guests over their home for a meal. This day, the headmaster of SMK NU 1 Karanggeneng by the name of Mr. Hafidh Nashrullah invited us over dinner to which my co-exchange student and I felt very honored to receive such hospitality.

We had satay or lamb meat, tofu which can be considered a staple food here in Indonesia, smoked fish and hot tea for a drink. But beyond these sultry and sumptuous dinner, it was the experiences of the SMK Headmaster that we enjoyed savoring the most. We were seated on the carpeted floor of the male living room. Yes, male and female have separate living room for each gender unless of course if the guests are relatives or family. And yes too, they don’t usually have table and chairs for accepting guests. There, we talked about the headmaster’s experiences, himself.

Mr. Nushrallah has been through several countries in Asia and so he had a lot of immersions in terms of cultural differences. He mentioned an American volunteer who used to teach here in Lamongan, whom he has seen the struggle with adapting to the rural lifestyle. He started the conversation from then that we may be experiencing the same struggle as with that American volunteer. He mentioned that later on, that American volunteer was acculturated to the environment, food and lifestyle. I reflect on these words and realized that the way we feel now maybe just a result of the differences of what we have back in the Philippines and here in Indonesia and that maybe we would feel differently as time goes by. I realized we just have to be patient and be thankful and contented of what we were offered to the best of the capabilities of the people around as part of the cultural immersion.

I am greatly overwhelmed and honored to personally meet Mr. Hafidh Nushrallah. It was such a once in a lifetime experience to be able to exchange conversations with someone who came before us in the field of education.