1st week in Indonesia

• October 1, 2024

At 3 AM, we departed from school to Tan Son Nhat Airport to prepare for our flight to Jakarta. The ticketing process went smoothly. 

My friend and I sat next to a kind Vietnamese stranger who helped us a lot during our journey from Jakarta to Semarang. I was pleasantly surprised by the flight to Semarang; the flight attendants were very friendly and eager to assist us, especially since we didn’t speak Indonesian. Just before landing, they even distributed snacks and drinks, which amazed me—perhaps because it was my first time flying?

When we arrived in Semarang, it was already dark. Our friends Inna and Linda were there to welcome us. They were very sweet and took us to try “Nasi Padang.” At that moment, we were both tired and hungry. After eating, we went to school to take a few photos before heading to the dormitory. Opposite our room was the room of some Filipino students. We exchanged simple greetings before going into our room to unpack and prepare for the next morning.

On the way to the airport

Arrived in Semarang

Inna and Linda picked us up

Nasi Padang

The first photo at school

• Wednesday

This morning, I met with the teachers at Universitas PGRI Semarang. After that, we held a meeting in another room to introduce ourselves and meet the supervisors. Our supervisor is Mr. Wawan, who provided an overview of Supriyadi 02 Elementary School. He is very attentive and cheerful.

Before coming to Indonesia, I had injured my leg, and today the wound has swollen and is quite painful. My buddy Natasa took me to the school's health office. The staff there were very kind and friendly. One of the medical staff examined my leg, and although my English is not very good, she made an effort to explain things so that I could understand. I am very grateful to her.

In the evening, we had a meeting to go to the supermarket with our Filipino friends, and we all met our buddies. We enjoyed eating and chatting together. A lot happened today, and overall, everything was wonderful.

First meeting

Meeting the supervisor

Dinner

• Thursday

Today was my first day at the elementary school. The teachers were very cheerful and helpful in guiding us. The students were friendly, energetic, and adorable. Many students gathered around us, asking us to write and sign on their papers. Some even wanted our phone numbers. They are just like students in Vietnam.

One of my buddies, Natasa, accompanied us to several ATMs to withdraw money, as we encountered some issues with this. I felt like I was bothering her a lot, but she was very kind.

In the evening, we had another meeting with our buddies, where we enjoyed food and went to the supermarket together. They treated us to a traditional Indonesian cake, which was very sweet, and I really liked it. Today was yet another wonderful experience for us. Despite my limited English, everyone was very cheerful and patiently explained things to us.

First day of school

Meeting the students from UPGRIS who are also interning at Supriyadi 02 Elementary School

Take a picture with student

 

The students say "Xin chào"

Dinner with the buddies

• Friday

On Friday, we went to school and were allowed to leave early. In the evening, we returned to school to participate in a camping event. The atmosphere was quite solemn; the students performed many lively acts. I took photos with many people. Jack, who is interning at a different school, still joined us. The atmosphere during the campfire was fantastic. Near the end of the event, Mr. Taufiq took us all back.

Campfire

Together saying "Hello Việt Nam"

• Saturday

Linda and Chris took our Vietnamese group to buy SIM cards. I had quite a memorable experience during this SIM card purchase. After that, we went to Queen Mall, which is very large.

Buy a sim

Lunch

Queen Mall

• Sunday

Our Vietnamese group, along with our Filipino friends, went to visit the Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah. We had lunch with 'Nasi Ayam'. I was really impressed with the chicken at this place; it was very crispy and melted in my mouth.

In the evening, I went shopping with my Filipino friends at the supermarket. They had already prepared a meal for us, and afterward, we gathered at a small "shelter" to enjoy our dinner. While we were eating, Lei played the guitar for us. She is truly multi-talented—not only skilled in music but also very friendly and sociable, which made the atmosphere even more enjoyable.

Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah

Nasi Ayam

Thus, my first week in Indonesia has come to an end. Although I initially felt a bit unfamiliar with the surroundings, I had a series of enjoyable and remarkable experiences throughout this period.