I can't believe it is almost February

WOW. I have been at site for about a month and a half now. I realize it has been quite some time since my last post so this will serve as just a general update. I am still getting mosquito bites like nobody's business which is always a point of conversation when I meet new people haha. I have continued to spend time with my family both at home and in surrounding cities. A few weekends ago, I went with my family to a city about 2 hours away to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousin. Ibu Evie is the 3rd child in my Ibu's family. We stayed the night and spent the morning picking fresh fruit from the backyard. I mentioned that I loved "Es Degan," which is iced coconut water, and my uncle grabbed a machete type knife, attached it to a long piece of bamboo and knocked 5 coconuts off of the tree right then and there. It was incredible. My little cousin who lives next door to me in Situbondo, came with us on the trip as well. She is 4 years old and the two of us have grown very close as our vocabulary is at about the same level. I got to see my sister who is at school in University and meet new cousins all around.

The biggest update I have is that school has started!!!!! This is huuuuuge. Finally, everything that I trained for and the reason I am here has begun. AND I AM STOKED. My initial impressions: the students are incredible, my campus is breathtaking, and the teachers are extremely generous.

Every day I am greeted by endless smiles and "Good morning, Miss." I am teaching at a public high school. I teach 3 classes from 10th grade and 5 classes in 11th grade. I see the 10th graders for 2 hours in a week and the 11th graders for 1.5 and while our time is limited, we make the most of it. My students are so creative, full of excitement and always happy to learn. The material from the student textbooks can be difficult and dense, and this has been a challenge for me to pull apart the important parts and what will help them learn best. Each day comes with new trial and errors, but learning nonetheless. In the afternoon classes, it is very hot, and I am always sweating, but the sweetest students in the world bring me cold water and gifted me a mini electric fan. They are truly the greatest. I have started having informal tutoring lessons at my house (LES) for a couple 12th graders who want to practice for their national exam. They bring me food every time. I often think about how lucky I am to have found such a beautiful community of people. I have made new friendships with teachers and attended a regional aerobics competition. You could say I am having a good time.

Besides school I have officially made my first friend that isn't a teacher, student or family member. Her name is Eva and she runs the English Club at school on Thursdays. Her English is fantastic and today she invited me to bike around the city and to have coffee. We talked about education, movies, and the differences between Indonesia and the US. Sometimes it is nice to have conversations completely in English. She has already taught me so much and I am so grateful to have her as a friend.

A funny side note that I will continue to touch on is the concept of jam karet or rubber time. Everyone in Indonesia runs on rubber time. This means that any activity that involves a time is 100% flexible and usually just a suggestion. Sometimes even school. When my family or school makes plans or has an event, there is a start time, but it can almost be guaranteed that said event will begin at least 45min to 1 hour later. If there is rain (which there almost always is since it is rainy season), even later. The funniest part of this new concept of time is my ability to fall for it every single time. When I make plans, I arrive on time, if not early, knowing damn well that it will not begin on time. I am so hardwired to be early for things (thank you soccer or thank you mom for always being late) that I cannot help myself. I am actually bad at being late. When I went on a trip with my family, out ETD was 1pm, we left at 2:30pm. Or the school aerobics event was set to begin at 8:00am and the first group went on close to 9:00. It is hilarious and I laugh at myself every time. However, this is a new cultural exchange that I am doing my best to embrace. I am not exactly sure, not yet at least, why Indonesian culture runs on rubber time. However, someone did tell me that in the US, we have four seasons so most activities are effected by the weather. But in Indonesia, its just wet season and dry season and even though there are insane down pours during wet season, it doesn't change the way people navigate each day. So, they told me what's the rush if everything is the same year round. I think that makes sense, but I am not completely convinced. Either way, I will let you know when I find out more. Maybe I’ll be late one day, who really knows.

I promise to update more often. Also, I added new pictures. As always, please reach out if you want to chat about anything. xo Sarah

Me and Eva on our bike ride through the rice fields