Bandung School Visit

This week all of the ETAs had the opportunity to go visit Indonesian high schools in Bandung. We split into groups based on the type of schools that we are going to be teaching in so that we could visit similar classrooms. Since I am going to be teaching at a vocation school, I visited SMKN 3 Bandung--a vocational school focusing on business and travel.

Erica and I visited a classroom of 10th graders. The class was all girls--38 of them! We sat in the corner of the room and observed their hour long lesson. The girls were giving presentations on directions for how to do things (take money out of an ATM, put a SIM card in a cell phone, send a text message, make a paper airplane, etc.). I was very impressed with their English. We have been told repeatedly that Indonesian students have a good grasp of the grammar of English, but don't really speak English. These girls spoke quite well. They were quiet and shy, but they were clear and understandable.

Everyone at the school was excited that we were there. Like all Indonesians we've met, they were so open and generous. The girls in the class I visited gave me a doll that they made from a water bottle. Isn't it cute?!?!

One of the boys from another class shared some traditional foods with us. We had a delicious banana wrapped in sticky rice and a round sort of pastry with sesame seeds on it that might be my new favorite snack.

Our visit made me very excited to start teaching! I can't wait to meet my students and learn with them.