Purposes

The photo shows the exchange student teacher interns during the welcome ceremony.

When I first submitted my application for this internship, it was not really just to teach, but more so to learn. I wanted to find an environment that was entirely different from any that I'd ever seen in the Philippines. This one urged me to plunge into a new culture, come to terms with new ways of teaching, and behold a wholly strange education system. I believed it was the right moment for me to go forth beyond my comfort zone and challenge myself as an educator.

I want to grow as an educator, but being a participant in the ongoing discussion of how education touches the lives of students in a different cultural setting would be a whole new experience. How do Indonesian students learn? What do their teachers do? What parts of their teaching techniques could I translate back to my own teaching, once I return? Those were the questions inside my head as my journey began. I wanted to expand my view of teaching beyond the limits of my own background and enrich it with other experiences that traverse borders.