WEEK 2

We had a productive second week at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI). We began preparing for our teaching practicum, which will start next week. In terms of communicating with my cooperating teacher to discuss lesson plans, classroom management, schedule and other aspects of teaching - we communicate through the use of WhatsApp.

The labschool invited us to join their study tour. On September 26, We attended a briefing with Prof. Nurbi and Bapa Dean to discuss what will happen. I learned about the itinerary for the study tour and what to expect. Penerbit Erlangga is a leading Indonesian publisher of educational materials, and also they are one of the publisher that provides books for SMA Labschool. Dufan Ancol is a popular amusement park in Jakarta.

September 27, we went on a study tour to Penerbit Erlangga and Dufan Ancol. At Penerbit Erlangga, I learned about the process of publishing educational materials in Indonesia, we visited their factory where they make the books. They had also a small cafe inside and we also had our drinks, which is for FREE! Who wouldn't love free things right? I ordered Matcha, some of my friends had their coffee or latte. After that, we went to Dufan Ancol. We watched a clown show, rode the rollercoaster and enjoyed the photobooth.

In terms of food, from breakfast to dinner they provided us meals from KFC, McDo and some local meals.

For September 30, we went on an excursion to Saung Angklung Udjo, a cultural center that specializes in the angklung, a traditional Indonesian bamboo musical instrument. We were accompanied by our Sahabats: Kinan, Ben and Ziqo. At Saung Angklung, we learned about the history and culture of the angklung. It preserves the Sudanese art and culture prospering worldwide. The event showcase a sequence of short presentations, starting with the wayang golek wooden puppet show, followed by the festive helaran agricultural celebration, traditional dances, engaging children's performances, an introduction to the angklung, an orchestral angklung performance, an interactive opportunity for visitors to play angklung, and an arumba show.

We also had the opportunity to play the angklung ourselves, which is the most interesting part of the show. After that, we had dinner at Waroeng SetiaBudi, a popular restaurant in Bandung. Waroeng SetiaBudi is known for its traditional Indonesian cuisine, such as nasi goreng(fried rice), mie goreng (fried noodles) baso (meatballs in broth) and surabi (sweet or savory pancakes).

Overall, I had a successful second week in the exchange program. I learned more about the Indonesian education system and culture, and had the opportunity to experience some of the amazing things that Indonesia has to offer.