So first: A Test
The language final was all spoken and some listening. I personally didn't find it that nerve-racking although there were certainly people who did. It was a 20 minute test where we described our lives in our PST villages, compared a couple of pictures (usually of something native to Indonesia and what its counterpart would be in the US), and finally had a conversation with our test partner.
As a side note: My test partner was El. She was my roommate during our two night stay in CA and our overnight in HK. We bonded over our lack of appetites in San Fran, but also the mutual thought that we should have something to eat in case we got hungry. We live in different villages, but it seems that PC likes to pair us so we had the pleasure of sharing our final language test.
The test was fairly natural. I am by no means fluent, but what I was familiar with came out smoothly enough. There were certainly areas where I was less practiced and those weren't as easy, but overall I wasn't horrified by any part of my performance. I faced a few areas where I wished I had been able to recall vocabulary better than I had, but like I said before, your brain can only handle so many words a day. As El and I walked back to where all the other trainees were waiting, we joked about how our tester was on his Blackberry the entire time booking our flights back to VA.
We did get test results back yesterday and it seems like everyone is staying haha. But seriously, PC does try to work with people if their language skills aren't quite where they should be. They set up a language plan on how they can continue self study or find tutors once they end up at site. Even if you are not behind at this point, self study is still essential. Although we have learned enough to communicate our needs and have the ability to navigate transportation and markets, the best of us are still far from understanding everything that is talked about. PC provides us with funds to get tutoring during our first year at site. I will probably initially use this for bahasa Indonesian, but depending on how my Indo goes, I may also seek out tutoring for bahasa Java in a few months as well.
Although Indonesian is the official language of the country, it is fairly new and was developed as a way of unifying the islands. Each island has at least one local language, and many have multiple. These local languages tend to be even more complex than Indonesian because they have been around for so much longer. For example bahasa Java has 4 levels and almost every word in every level is different (including numbers). Almost all of the current volunteers have said that most of their colleagues and the students speak bahasa Java so it would be good to know enough to understand what they are talking about.
Well now I have gone off on a language tangent.
So back to the title: A TRIP
On Monday we went to visit current volunteers in their villages to get a feel of what village life would be like. Although every site is very different (and they really are) it gave us the ability to see what it will be like when we are on our own and a year out from where we are now. I went to visit Sa in Magetan, which is close to Central Java. Her village is a lot quieter than where we are now. This was a bit of a relief to see because our villages here are a little more urban and are always noisy.
Most of Monday was spent traveling. Because my site visit was one of the farthest I had to leave my village at 5am. Our group then drove to Surabaya where we hopped on a bus to Magetan. The trip was hot, long, and at times a little confusing. We certainly paid more than PC had allotted us for that first trip because we were put on a direct route bus. We thought we were paying more for AC, but as it turns out the cheap, bus had better AC than the expensive bus The trip on the way back was significantly more comfortable and cheaper, but there were many more stops and more sellers/ musicians on the bus trying to make money off of you.
On Tuesday I accompanied Sa to school and helped out with her three classes. It was the last week of class so they mostly did activities. I found it pretty easy to jump in and help out, though I will admit that when given the option to come up with a lesson plan and try out my ideas, I did recoil. I couldn't think of anything that I have been itching to try out and even in my practicum school I didn't feel comfortable coming up with lesson plans without first observing the class. I know that I won't have this option when the school year starts, but at least they will be my own class and I will be starting from scratch.
I also helped out with Sa's after school "Less" groups. I don't know if that is an acronym for anything, but they are essentially groups where students get an extra hour of enrichment in different subjects afterschool. The kids go to different ones everyday and it seems like Sa has a few different groups of kids who all come to her for English. The two I worked with on Tuesday were a 5th grade group and a 4th grade and under group (the under went all the way to pre-K). The kids are really cute and anxious to learn, which is very impressive. I could see this as a great way to work with different age groups.
During both my nights with Sa we talked a lot and she shared her first year experiences. It was just nice to be able to spend time with a PCV and be able to ask questions. I am sure I came off as super idealistic to her, but I suppose that is the way it goes. As I learned during my second summer at Camp Fraser, you can tell people all you want about what will come, but you can never fully prepare someone for a cross-cultural experience; it simply must be lived. I'm glad I understand that, but having that knowledge doesn't change the unknown.
Nonetheless, some time spent away from Malang and our hectic PST schedules and some time with the experienced ones was much appreciated.
On Wednesday it was back to site, and I spent the remainder of the day trying not to let the excitement of Thursday let time go by slower.
And now for the big news: A Future Home
Yesterday was the big day. After seven weeks (but really 6 months) of waiting we were told where our permanent sites are located. This process started long before we arrived in Indonesia. First they looked for good schools and then they looked for good housing situations in those school's villages. PC Indo had a huge list of them and during our second week we were interviewed for placement. Since then, we have just been waiting (and learning a lot in the mean time of course).
At this point I could explain more about the interview process and keep you hanging in the same way PC kept us hanging for the last two months. I mean I know you are all at the edge of your seats and waiting to put your extensive knowledge of Indonesian geography and cultural differences of East Java into use the second you read where I am going. Actually that tidbit of sarcasm doesn't just apply to you, but it applies to us as PSTs as well. Even with our placements in hand we still know nothing about our new homes aside from the few facts that two pieces of paper have told us. But look at me rambling, I have now postponed the announcement even further. Let me tell you that is how the PC works sometimes; you just have to role with it.
Drum roll please : drdrdrdrrdrrrddrdrrdrdrdrrdrrdrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr (is that how you type a drum roll?) and my new home is :
Situbondo . . . well kind of. It actually isn't located in the city at all it is a town west of Situbondo. I was going to write the name of it (because it is pretty amusing) but we aren't supposed to give our exact whereabouts on the internet and I am afraid that giving you the name of it might be a little too revealing. If you are interested let me know.
I will tell you what I know: This town is located almost halfway between Propolinggo and Situbondo. These cities are in east East Java on the northern coast. Although I would probably be only about an hour from the port to Bali if Indonesia had US highways, I am probably about 3 hrs away by Indonesian busses. Judging from Google earth I am about 3km away from the ocean. This hopefully means beautiful sunrises, but it also means "watch out for tsunamis." (I don't know if this area has ever had a tsunami, but after Japan I feel like anyone living close to a coast should be wary.) Now my friends, I have provided you with a map so when you hear something on the news about Indonesia, please look at the map that the news provides you and don't be concerned unless it is in a similar location with the map I have provided you.
Map of Indonesia
Map of East Java:
I don't know a whole lot about anything.
I know that I will be teaching at a MAN school. This is a madrasah, which means it is a Muslim school. From what I have been told that means that all women teachers and female students are required to cover their hair, although most schools are understanding of non-Indonesian/ non- Muslim teachers. Although I do not yet know for sure, I do not think that I will have to wear a scarf and if I am given the option I will opt to not wear it. My school is supposedly very much into volleyball/ sports in general and music.
I don't know much about my host family. It looks as if I will be living with an older (but not old) couple who have children that are in their late 20s. My sheet didn't tell me who was in the household, but one worker showed me a sheet with about 6 names. Another PC staff who went to visit the family believes that they currently have 1 daughter still living with them. It sounds like all of their children are teachers, so that should be interesting.
I don't know a whole lot else. As I said before, this really didn't tell us much. I ask if would have a church close by and it has been confirmed that I do. It also looks like I will have internet access at work, although I think I will pay for it at home too. Other than that I know how close I will be to other volunteers. It doesn't look like I will be able to reach anyone's site within an hour, but there are a few with whom I could meet half way and have it only be about 45min. This is comforting because site visits did show me (and I believe many others had the same experience) that despite attempts to integrate well, PCVs are really your support system. Although I don't know much I am content and certainly happy for the time being.
congrats on finding out your placement! when will you move there? I can't wait to read about it.
ReplyDeleteThat's great that your school has volleyball AND music programs!
ReplyDeleteIs Indonesian a tonal language?