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Goshen College

Language classes and other university experiences

February 25, 2024

Friends, I will first confess that I am behind on blogging, but I fully intend to catch up in the next 24 hours.  Watch for blogs on our visits to Prambanan and Borobudur Temples, as well as our final farewell at UKDW!  They are coming soon!

But for this post I want to share some of the amazing classroom experiences that students have been having.  First some photos from language learning:

Ibu Mega watches over Peri and Lindsey at work
Ibu Arida interacts with Johanna, while Jonathan, Carlos, and Evan participate in group work

Ibu Mega and Ibu Arida have tirelessly worked with our students.  Both of our teachers have an ongoing relationship with Goshen College, and we so value their dedication to helping our students learn Bahasa Indonesia (and to making it FUN).  Students met 4 days each week for 2 hours and Ibu Mega and Ibu Arida used the time wisely.  We could tell that students’ language skills were growing in leaps and bounds when we heard them talking!

Pictures of language class happenings:

Active learning! Carlos mines catching a ball.
Jacob demonstrates throwing a ball
Jonathan is miming something here (any guesses?)
Gavin strolls….
Camila jumps….
Ibu Mega assists Brenton
And checks in with Evan.
Jacob, Francisco and Brenton prepare a conversation
Avi and Peri act out a scene
Ibu Arida explains a new concept
Gavin, Peri, and Avi

The other class experience we have had over the last 3 weeks of study was a weekly trip to the nearby state Islamic university, UIN.  Each Monday afternoon we took buses or go-cars over the university, where we engaged in a number of activities.

Here Professor Vice Rector Abdur Rozaki speaks with us.
Kendra Yoder from GC was visiting at the time and was called upon to speak to the room
Students listen
and take turns introducing themselves

Highlights included new university friends (we have already been enjoying language buddies back at UKDW, our language university).  Not only did these friends translate lectures, they also played games and chatted with Goshen students.  A couple even showed up later on our Borobudur trip!  Here are some pictures of our games session:

On our final Monday, we participated in a number of artistic activities at UIN.  We got to try our hand at gamelan again:

We had the opportunity to practice calligraphy and Indonesian traditional martial arts (pencak silat):

Jacob and Gavin try their hand at calligraphy.
The student group demonstrates their skills
GC students were coached through pencak silat skills
Jonathan holding a pad for protection while Johanna aims a kick
Gavin practices– watch out world!
One half of our group with their instructors.

On our last day at UIN, Brenton and Camila had the opportunity to put on traditional Indonesian dress clothes.  It was not a quick process (there were a lot of steps in getting all these clothes on just right), but the result was pretty outstanding.

Camila demonstrates a traditional hand gesture found in Javanese dance.
Our last day at UIN– thanks all!

We have been blessed over and over with creative and innovative teachers and learning experiences.  Thanks to the many, many people who have lectured, taught, modeled, and interacted with us in these classroom experiences!