Summer with Friends

This summer brought interactions with lots of friends - old & new.  I especially enjoyed joining 3 friends from Kansas State University as they came to learn about and experience Indonesia!  Here's a look at our summer! 

Me, Kevin, Katie, and Elyssa
Kevin and I came together to Indonesia in the summer of 2009,
but this was the first time for Katie and Elyssa.

 Madiun, East Java
 -They had Indonesian lessons, and I was pushed in my Indonesian during translation
-Living with an Indonesian host family was probably the highlight of the trip as these three have the opportunity to draw close and get real life encounters with their extremely hospital host family.
-Visiting Indonesian schools to exchange culture and encourage the students in their English language learning

Here the girls are learning to dance while I give a try at
singing a song in their local language, Javanese.
Photos are probably better than videos in this case :)

-Interactions with they young and old throughout our time in Madiun.  Below visiting a kindergarten and getting to know one of my neighbors during our stay.

-While we were challenged mentally to learn Indonesian, study culture, and build relationships, probably the certainly the most physically demanding part of our trip was climbing Mount Lawu (10,712 ft).

 Pangalengan, West Java
-The second part of our trip we joined a group of 40+ Indonesian high school students for Summer English
-We stayed at Mount Malabar for 9 days
-There we taught English, learned about the local culture, and had lots of fun!
-The first few days included living with an Indonesian host family in the village area and joining the people in their work in the tea plantation (difficult work with long walks, cold mornings, and hot afternoons)

-The second part of Summer English we were camping and continuing to enjoy interactions with the local villagers as we camped on their soccer field.

-Remember this is Mount Malabar, so we got to learn survive the cold nights in the tents.  

-Below, we got to learn aerobics with the local women as we joined for Sunday afternoon exercise

 -The last portion of Summer English concluded by living in cottages on Mount Malabar, while not much warmer than the tents, they were much more comfortable ;)
-We also took a trip to a local lake and finished by spending a day in the city of Bandung.

Bandung, West Java

-After Summer English, our group of four continued our journey in the city of Bandung by connecting with college students who showed us more of the culture and local sites

-Below, we watched a show of the local dance and music -angklong at Saung Angklung Udjo

 -Visiting Tangkuban Perahu, a dormant volcano north of Bandung, was a fun site and trip with new friends
-And how about a trip to the zoo, riding elephants isn't something you often get a chance to do in Kansas!

-Helping out at a local orphanage also proved to be a highlight and another opportunity to learn what life is like for another group of people in Indonesia

-These friends made our time in Bandung happen as they opened up their homes to us, took us on tours of their campus, watched a choir performance, ate some of the local cuisine, and enjoyed many other interactions.

Thanks to all for enriching our trip with your friendships and generous giving of effort, time, and warm hospitality!