My first day of school at SMA Negeri 39 was September 3rd, 2013. But that day was a first for a lot of other things too… the first time I wore a school uniform, the first time I’ve spoken in front of 300 people, and the first time people got excited over the color of my hair and the shape of my nose. In the beginning, it was all pretty strange to me.
Although school in Indonesia proved to be very different from school in the U.S., I was quickly made to feel comfortable. From the moment I entered SMA Negeri 39, I was welcomed and looked out from by teachers and students alike. The kids in my class were very helpful while I was trying to figure things out in my first month here. At first communication was done mostly through English, but that got tough. After the second week, I started to try and use bahasa Indonesia instead, which was still pretty difficult. The difference was, when I used bahasa Indonesia the conversation involved a lot more laughing- either because I was making improvements on the language, or because I made some hilarious mistake…both ways were fine by me! Overall it’s been a rewarding experience, and keeps my sense of humor active.
In addition to being helped by the kids in my class, I’ve also benefitted from the teachers at school. They, too, have been very welcoming and patient. I’m thankful that my teachers understand that I can’t yet participate in class due to the language difference. In addition to this, PPL in my Geography and Economy classes have gotten me bilingual versions of the class material, this was a very nice thing for them to do and I’m grateful. I’m excited for when I can understand the lessons in school, so I try to spend class hours learning bahasa Indonesia so that I may quickly learn the language. I pick up more and more every day.
Outside of class, I’ve joined in a few practices of futsol and menari traditional. These are both things that I’ve tried because friends of mine have asked me to join- and so far I enjoy them! In the U.S., I didn’t dance or play soccer, so these activities are both very new. Either way, it’s been fun and I’m excited to continue with them.
My first month of school was filled with so many new experiences, each one giving me new insight to Indonesian culture. SMA Negeri 39 is a beautiful school, and by the end of my first month, I’m looking forward to spending the upcoming ten months learning here.
Tulisan Ellen dalam bahasa Indonesia
Bulan Pertama Saya di Sekolah Indonesia
Tanggal 3 September 2013 adalah hari pertama saya bersekolah di SMA Negeri 39. Di hari itu saya mendapatkan banyak pengalaman baru, antara lain pertama kali saya pakai seragam, pertama kali saya berpidato di depan seribu orang, dan pertama kali seseorang gembira kerena warna rambut saya dan bentuk hidung saya. Mula-mula semua itu aneh sekali buat saya.
Meskipun sekolah di Indonesia berbeda dari sekolah di Amerika Serikat, orang-orangnya membuat saya merasa nyaman. Dari saat saya masuk SMA Negeri 39, mulai dari guru-gurunya hingga siswa-siswanya ramah dan memperhatikan saya. Anak-anak di kelas saya membantu sekali ketika saya mencoba beradaptasi untuk belajar di sekolah dalam bulan pertama saya disini. Pertama kali, saya berkomunikasi menggunakan bahasa Inggris, tapi itu sulit. Pada minggu kedua, saya mulai menggunakan bahasa Indonesia. Ternyata, masih sangat sulit. Ketika saya menggunakan bahasa Indonesia, banyak tawa di obrolan kami. Mungkin karena saya banyak melakukan improvisasi atau karena saya membuat kesalahan yang lucu. . . namun keduanya baik! Secara keseluruhan, pengalaman ini bermanfaat dan membuat selara humor saya meningkat.
Di samping itu, saya mendapatkan banyak bantuan dari guru saya juga. Mereka menerima dengan senang hati dan sabar. Saya bersyukur karena guru saya mengerti bahwa saya belum bisa mengikuti kelas dengan baik karena perbedaan bahasa. Mengetahui itu, guru PPL untuk pelajaran geografi dan ekonomi memberi saya materi bilingual. Mereka melakukan hal baik tersebut dan saya sangat berterima kasih. Karena saya ingin bisa belajar di kelas, maka saya belajar bahasa Indonesia pada saat pembelajaran berlangsung. Saya menjadi lebih baik setiap hari!
Di luar pelajaran, saya ikut di beberapa ekskul seperti futsal dan menari tradisional. Saya mencoba kedua eskul ini, karena teman-teman saya mengajak saya untuk ikut berlatih. Sejauh ini saya menyukainya. Di Amerika Serikat, saya belum pernah mencoba menari atau main futsal, jadi kedua ekskul ini baru sekali. Ternyata, saya senang dan gembira untuk terus ikut.
Bulan pertama saya penuh dangan pengalaman baru yang memberi saya wawasan tentang budaya Indonesia. SMA Negeri 39 adalah sekolah indah, dan di akhir bulan pertama saya, saya tertarik untuk menghabiskan sepuluh bulan ke depan disekolah ini.
Ellen Janda
Latest posts by Ellen Janda (see all)
- My First Month of School in Indonesia - 11 November 2013
Whoa student from Wisconsin? It’s great! Maybe I’ll find some time to meet her at school ^^