Introduction to UNISDA’s sister institutions – MA MATHOLI’UL ANWAR and SMK NU 1

Being a teacher requires readiness and preparedness to speak up in front of a crowd (for instance, students in a flag ceremony) anytime even when not on schedule.

               This morning was really unexpected, as I knew beforehand that SMK NU 1 where I was assigned to do my practicum teaching doesn’t hold flag ceremony on this day. I was under the impression that I only have to introduce myself to the school aforementioned. However, surprise as I was, I was asked to introduced myself to MA MATHOLI’UL ANWAR students who happened to have their flag ceremony conducted, which really goes back to the first statement of this blog that I always have to be innovative and flexible in delivering public speeches even when you haven’t actually prepared for it.

There I was, even when I wasn’t technically prepared, I poured out all my personal reflections of the travel experience I had back from the Davao to Manila then to Bali just to get to the exact spot of the institution where I was standing and introducing myself. I started my speech with:

“Good morning everyone! Or in your language Bahasa, Selamat pagi! Assalamualaikum!”

Von

               Then I continued it with introducing myself in English then translated it to Bahasa. Please see table below:

English	Bahasa
My name is Von.	Nama saya Von.
Saya dari Filipina.	I am from the Philippines.

Since this was still my third day in the country, I haven’t learnt a lot of Indonesian words yet and so I started the speech with the best of how much I have. I knew that greeting them in Bahasa with a very perky and upbeat tone of voice would helped me establish connections with them.

               It turned out beyond my expectations as they were intently listening to the short introduction I delivered. Their faces are filled with the appropriate facial expressions done at the right time. They laugh, gasped and smiled all throughout my short speech. We also had a little question and answer session to which we were able to express our motivations as to why we joined in the program.

               Mr. Hilmi, an English teacher of the institution presided our introduction. He also translated for the students at some part of our speeches and answers. Finally, we’re done! And so I thought. Another unexpected thing was asked of me and that is for me to sing in front of the students. Although I felt shy to showcase my singing ability, I did in the end to make the students happy. As soon as I ended it, they much obliged gave their applauses. Thank you very much!

               After meeting with them, I went to the original institution where I was assigned to do my practicum. As mentioned, I needn’t to introduce myself to students here since they don’t have the chance to be in one place at one time. I was only able to introduce myself to some of the English teachers here in SMK NU 1 who were Maam Emmi and Miss Titin Alfiyanti. Mr. Alwi, my student buddy accompanied me and all three of them showed me around the campus.

               I saw a lot of programs under the vocational school. Some of these are automotive, multimedia, and computer technology. After the tour, we sat down on the teacher’s room and Ma’am Emmi discussed the types of students I will soon be facing and dealing with. I felt a little challenged but excited at the same time to meet them as was mentioned to me, they don’t really find English subject important in their courses. I tried to understand where the students are coming from and so I was told that it was because of the students’ mindset that they only need occupational or practical skills and should not be inclined to learning oral English at all. I thought my main challenge here is how to get them more interested and engaged to my lessons considering their motivation to learn or the lack thereof. We had the discussion over some snacks and fruits. The fruit that made this day remarkable was “Kalengkeng” otherwise known as cat’s eyes due to its shape (see picture below). It was a really good experience today knowing the educational system of Indonesia more. I am more excited in fully immersing myself in the teaching and learning process.

Universitas Islam Darul Ulum Lamongan: Our Receiving University

If you give a good thing to the world, then over time your karma will be good, and you’ll receive good.

Russell Simmons

As soon as we got ourselves settled and rested after the long haul of our first day, my co-exchange student and I woke up around noontime in preparation for the short welcoming program as stipulated in our itinerary. We were picked up from our homestay going to the university by Mr. Fariq Shiddiq Tasaufy, who happened to be our assigned supervisor and who is also holding the office of Program Head in English Department of Universitas Islam Darul Ulum (UNISDA) – the university in Lamongan, Surabaya who received us in exchange to their two students sent in the university I came from. We were cordially welcomed by the university’s administrator, management and some teaching staffs spearheaded by Dr. Hj Irmayani M.Pd. (see bottom right picture below). We were served with familiar delicacies and fruits and a traditional fruit from Indonesia which is called Salak (see top right picture below). We were also served with lunch after the snacks, which I personally find extremely flavorsome as the spicy taste of their traditional cuisines goes along well with my favorite spicy taste back in the Philippines.

We had a great time enjoying ourselves in knowing each other on a personal level over a sumptuous lunch. After which we had pictorial sessions and we were showed around the university by Dr. Irmayani, the dean of the Education Program herself. What an honor! The welcoming program was a little overwhelming for us knowing that we are dealing with big and important people of the institution. They showed their genuine and bright smiles and never hesitated to show cultural literacy by their gestures and choice of words. Humility is one character that make Indonesians unique and distinct people of the world. I have never felt anything like it! Having stayed here in the country for a couple of days, I learned that most Indonesian people believe in “Pahala” or Reward which means that if they do good even by just simply giving a smile to new people or strangers then it has a corresponding reward that they will receive in what most people here believe as Paradise. Good Karma! Plus, the university looks oddly great which contributed to the overall Indonesian experience! Take a look at the University with me through the pictures below. Enjoy and “hati-hati!“

The Long Haul

When we could have chosen to book a flight directly landing in Surabaya, Indonesia (Juanda International Airport) we have chosen a much strenuous and longer haul – that is from Davao City, Philippines (Francisco Bangoy International Airport) to Manila, Philippines (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) then to Bali, Indonesia (Denpasar International Airport).

               From Davao, we had to stop for a 12-hour layover in Manila before we leave for Bali, Indonesia. That 12-hour gap between my hometown and Manila seems to be very dragging and time seems to run extra slow, considering both my  exhaustion of the layover and excitement in finally seeing Indonesia. At last, it was time for boarding the plane and I wasn’t seated next to my co-exchange student. This is when I started to internalize everything that is going on – thoughts and questions played around my mind. Will it be difficult to communicate with the people knowing what I know about their language? Can I make it out in one piece until the last day of the program? What awaits for me in Indonesia? How does everything there look like? The way they dress? Their foods? Buildings? Schools? I doze off on my seat over these thoughts and was only able to get back to my consciousness when an announcement told me that we are landing to Bali in a few moment.

During the first few hours of stay in the foreign country, some questions that boggle my mind hours before the arrival were answered. Bits and pieces of answers solved the puzzles in my mind as to how for instance their country looks like, the people, and their language.

               We arrived in Bali early in the morning but the bus going to Surabaya will leave by 12:00 noon. This gave us the opportunity to have an interaction with the local people over our lunch. Although the people serving our lunch can’t fluently speak English, they tried to speak with us to the best of their capability. Due to the language barrier we had to use Google Translator to pay for our bill and our land-travel to Surabaya from the beautiful island of Bali began.

               From Bali, we’ve seen a lot of unique and artistic architectural structures – statues, welcoming gates and arches, houses, road intersection landscapes and other structures on the way. We crossed the strait between Bali and Surabaya on a ferry boat. It took us 10 hours to get to Terminal Purabaya by bus. This is not the end of our journey as we have to travel 1 hour and 30 minutes more from the bus terminal to where we will stay for the entire duration of the exchange program. I looked at my phone and the time zone automatically switched to Indonesian time. It was already 12:00 midnight that we were able to finally rest for a new adventure and journey in Indonesia the next day. We put our luggage aside, freshen up a bit and jumped on to our comfortable bed and said at last The Long Haul is over.