Just to make this easily accessible, make sure you head for the address below. Also, it's a little different from the previous post but really its the same. AH!
Jl. Duku II/CA 190 Pondok Candra Indah Surabaya 60400, East Java, Indonesia
phone +62 31 8683714
Bu dian +62 81 334743870.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
AHH! SO SOON!!!
Hey Guys!
I am leaving for Indonesia tomorrow!!!!! I will be getting a new SIM Card but until you guys all arrive there, you can call/text me at my american# 2674027226.
GET PSYCHED!!!!!!!!!!!! Any questions, quickly send them my way within the next 14 hours and I will get them answered but read through the past posts and make sure you got everything under control! In case I forgot, remember to bring bug spray and your toilet paper to increase the comfort level of your orientation stay.
AHH! JUMPA-JUMPA!
I am leaving for Indonesia tomorrow!!!!! I will be getting a new SIM Card but until you guys all arrive there, you can call/text me at my american# 2674027226.
GET PSYCHED!!!!!!!!!!!! Any questions, quickly send them my way within the next 14 hours and I will get them answered but read through the past posts and make sure you got everything under control! In case I forgot, remember to bring bug spray and your toilet paper to increase the comfort level of your orientation stay.
AHH! JUMPA-JUMPA!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Bring Photos and Trinkets to share with your host family
Hey Guys!
Your host family will be super interested in you and will be highly curious about life in America. I definitely suggest bringing pictures or other interesting little easy to carry trinkets to share/give to your host family. Having a host family is one of the most enlightening parts of your stay in Indonesia. They will love and take care of you like you are one of their own. We haven't had a horror host family story yet so lets not start that!
Just remember to be courteous, respectful, and flexible regarding host family living situations! We will figure this out when we get to Surabaya but don't worry too much about it! Think of it as a very exciting transition from life at home!
-Teresa
Your host family will be super interested in you and will be highly curious about life in America. I definitely suggest bringing pictures or other interesting little easy to carry trinkets to share/give to your host family. Having a host family is one of the most enlightening parts of your stay in Indonesia. They will love and take care of you like you are one of their own. We haven't had a horror host family story yet so lets not start that!
Just remember to be courteous, respectful, and flexible regarding host family living situations! We will figure this out when we get to Surabaya but don't worry too much about it! Think of it as a very exciting transition from life at home!
-Teresa
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
MOre Last Minute Questions! (Material and Amount of English)
1. What kinds of teaching material do you suggest we bring?
Most students will bring notebooks, pens, pencils, the basics. I definitely recommend magazines like I said before in an e-mail because they open the door to many different fun engaging projects. I would also recommend just a few pairs of scissors, a box of assorted coloring material (crayons, colored pencils, markers), and construction paper if you feel like you are going to need it. Last year, I salvaged a whole ream of Resume Paper from my room mate and I gave it to the students to make flags, passports, constitutions of their nations, etc..
2. how much english is spoken there? a little or none at all?
A little. Most high schoolers know a few phrases and so do those who work at more public institutions (airports, malls, taxis, etc. etc.) but sometimes, its near unintelligible. I say look up Bahasa-Indonesia on google and learn a few key phrases. ( http://home.mira.net/~wreid/bali_lng.html )
Thanks for the questions! Keep them Coming!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Last Minute Questions
1. What kinds of clothes should we wear to the schools? Would a T-shirt and jeans be okay? Or should it be more formal?
2. I saw you mention the Power Adapters on the blog..what would we need the adapters for?
3. Should we have cell phones there? or is there no need?
4. Just in general, what are the houses we will be staying in like?
5. Do girls need to wear head coverings?
1.) t-shirts and jeans are fine. that's what i wore when I taught last year but i definitely dressed a lot more casually than some of the other volunteers. dress comfortably but in general, girls must either wear a skirt or long pants; so for guys, long pants are a must. for both sexes, closed toed shoes are required.
2.) adapters are just in case you bring any electronics with you. i know volunteers lasst year brought laptops, iPod, digital cameras, etc.. you are welcomed to bring them but at your own discretion. two years ago, a volunteer lost her iPod. I don't know the circumstances though.
3.) Cell phones are very helpful and I would recommend getting one there. Students will ask for your number and constantly call/text you, hahaha. I would get a cell phone there, perhaps buy a used one for about $30US and then all calling plans are pay-as-you-go. if your US phones allows it, you can just buy an indonesia sim card and place it in your phone. I don't which phones allow this and which don't though.
4.) hmmm, they differ. some have hot water, some don't and you'll have to boil a pot for yourself when you need it. some have flushing toilets, some you have to dump a bucket of water in manually to flush out the contents, haha (that was my situation last year). in general, the host families will accomodate you the best they can. the houses will be in neighborhoods only a few streets away from a main city road. the houses are gated, as are most houses in malang, so you feel secured.
5.) Nope! As you will soon see, Indonesia practices a very liberal form of Islam. Girls have the choice of whether or not they want to wear a head cover. It is definitely an interesting topic to bring up with students. I asked about it last year to three of my students and was enlightened thoroughly. It's amazing and beautiful how mature Indonesian children are about their religion.
Okay, keep sending in questions! Oh! One last note, bring your own toilet paper for orientation week! i remember going to the bathrooms when i first got there and all I saw was a hole in the ground, a bucket of water, and a hose. i couldn't do the math.
2. I saw you mention the Power Adapters on the blog..what would we need the adapters for?
3. Should we have cell phones there? or is there no need?
4. Just in general, what are the houses we will be staying in like?
5. Do girls need to wear head coverings?
1.) t-shirts and jeans are fine. that's what i wore when I taught last year but i definitely dressed a lot more casually than some of the other volunteers. dress comfortably but in general, girls must either wear a skirt or long pants; so for guys, long pants are a must. for both sexes, closed toed shoes are required.
2.) adapters are just in case you bring any electronics with you. i know volunteers lasst year brought laptops, iPod, digital cameras, etc.. you are welcomed to bring them but at your own discretion. two years ago, a volunteer lost her iPod. I don't know the circumstances though.
3.) Cell phones are very helpful and I would recommend getting one there. Students will ask for your number and constantly call/text you, hahaha. I would get a cell phone there, perhaps buy a used one for about $30US and then all calling plans are pay-as-you-go. if your US phones allows it, you can just buy an indonesia sim card and place it in your phone. I don't which phones allow this and which don't though.
4.) hmmm, they differ. some have hot water, some don't and you'll have to boil a pot for yourself when you need it. some have flushing toilets, some you have to dump a bucket of water in manually to flush out the contents, haha (that was my situation last year). in general, the host families will accomodate you the best they can. the houses will be in neighborhoods only a few streets away from a main city road. the houses are gated, as are most houses in malang, so you feel secured.
5.) Nope! As you will soon see, Indonesia practices a very liberal form of Islam. Girls have the choice of whether or not they want to wear a head cover. It is definitely an interesting topic to bring up with students. I asked about it last year to three of my students and was enlightened thoroughly. It's amazing and beautiful how mature Indonesian children are about their religion.
Okay, keep sending in questions! Oh! One last note, bring your own toilet paper for orientation week! i remember going to the bathrooms when i first got there and all I saw was a hole in the ground, a bucket of water, and a hose. i couldn't do the math.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Hostel #!
Just in case you need, and you might in case you get lost or want to check up on things before you arrive, here is the phone #: +62 31 8683714
and here is the owner's, Bu Dian's, #: +62 81 334743870
Time is approaching! If you have any questions, please send them to me asap so I can address them before you leave!
-T
and here is the owner's, Bu Dian's, #: +62 81 334743870
Time is approaching! If you have any questions, please send them to me asap so I can address them before you leave!
-T
Saturday, June 14, 2008
$$$$$$
what is the best type of money to travel with? Do you suggest just to bring cash or credit cards or what?
I'm not sure if you all are thinking ahead to the whole money while in
Indo issue, but I figured I'd send along my thoughts since I am
getting it all squared away right now...
- While you are in Indonesia, you should only use cash to make
purchases or transactions. Credit card fraud is rampant in Indonesia,
and I just think it would be best to avoid using your credit card
while in country.
- You have several options to access cash in Indonesia:
1. Bring the currency with you. You can order foreign currency at most
banks in the U.S. and they should have it for you in less than 5 days.
Pros: You have your money when you arrive in country and you don't
have to worry about using money changers or anything. There is
something to be said for not having to worry about changing your money
the second you arrive at the airport, when you are exhausted and
disoriented and probably cranky.
Cons: Probably the worst exchange rate you're going to find. However, if you want
to just order a little bit of currency and change the rest when you
get in country, that's not a bad option either.
2. You can exchange your money when you get to the Surabaya airport, however the exchange rate is better in Jakarta Airport.
If you choose this option, definitely bring the crispest, cleanest,
NEWEST $100 bills you can find. Go to the bank to get these. If your
bills are from before 1996, too worn, or torn in any way, they will
not accept them. And that would suck. You get the best exchange rate
on $100 bills, then $50 bills have the next best rate, and they may
not accept anything smaller than a $20 bill.
Pros: Good exchange rate.
Cons: It's a hassle, and sometimes their English is pretty bad.
There's a higher risk of getting fake currency, although this is unlikely.
3. You can exchange money at a local bank in Indonesia. The same
wear&tear issues from #2 apply here.
Pros: Best exchange rate you can find.
Cons: A really really really big hassle. I do NOT recommend
doing this, as it is time consuming and just annoying to try and find
a good bank.
4. Traveler's cheques.
Pros: Good exchange rate, very SAFE.
Cons: big hassle
5. You can withdraw your money at ATMs. This is a really nice option
because ATMs really are all over the place at airports and shopping
malls and other places like that. Most ATM cards will work in
Indonesia (those associated with Visa, MasterCard, Plus, Cirrus, etc.
are all accepted).
Pros: Good exchange rate. You don't have to
actually deal with real people, which is nice and safe when you're in
Indonesia (that came out wrong, but I think you know what I mean).
Cons: You might get charged with fees all over the place. Anything from your
bank charging you a transaction fee bc it's not one of their
ATMs, then you'll have an International Transaction fee, then you will
most likely get charged a fee from the Indonesian bank whose ATM it
is, etc. etc. For the record, I really like this option. However, this only works if your pin # is 6 digits or less which is unfortunate for a 7-digit pin # person like me.
6. Beg for money on the side of the road.
Pros: You'd probably get a nice tan.
Cons: It's hot and could be really boring.
Other thoughts on money:
- You will want to bring at least $300 with you, probably more
depending on your spending habits. I have moderate spending habits (I
tend to buy a lot of music there, though), and I usually spend about
$400 total each summer. You can choose to exchange it all at once, or
wait. Once we leave Surabaya to go to Malang, it will be EXTREMELY
difficult to exchange your currency, so that's something to think about.
Remember: you will have to pay for yourself through orientation, but
once we make it to Malang you will not have that many expenses. If you
have to use public transportation to get to school, that costs about
$0.20 per trip (if I remember correctly). If you want to eat out with
friends or something, you'll have to pay for that. But your host
family will pay for all of your meals if you take them with your HF.
These were just things I was thinking about. You may want to Google
some things about spending money in Indonesia just in case.
I'm not sure if you all are thinking ahead to the whole money while in
Indo issue, but I figured I'd send along my thoughts since I am
getting it all squared away right now...
- While you are in Indonesia, you should only use cash to make
purchases or transactions. Credit card fraud is rampant in Indonesia,
and I just think it would be best to avoid using your credit card
while in country.
- You have several options to access cash in Indonesia:
1. Bring the currency with you. You can order foreign currency at most
banks in the U.S. and they should have it for you in less than 5 days.
Pros: You have your money when you arrive in country and you don't
have to worry about using money changers or anything. There is
something to be said for not having to worry about changing your money
the second you arrive at the airport, when you are exhausted and
disoriented and probably cranky.
Cons: Probably the worst exchange rate you're going to find. However, if you want
to just order a little bit of currency and change the rest when you
get in country, that's not a bad option either.
2. You can exchange your money when you get to the Surabaya airport, however the exchange rate is better in Jakarta Airport.
If you choose this option, definitely bring the crispest, cleanest,
NEWEST $100 bills you can find. Go to the bank to get these. If your
bills are from before 1996, too worn, or torn in any way, they will
not accept them. And that would suck. You get the best exchange rate
on $100 bills, then $50 bills have the next best rate, and they may
not accept anything smaller than a $20 bill.
Pros: Good exchange rate.
Cons: It's a hassle, and sometimes their English is pretty bad.
There's a higher risk of getting fake currency, although this is unlikely.
3. You can exchange money at a local bank in Indonesia. The same
wear&tear issues from #2 apply here.
Pros: Best exchange rate you can find.
Cons: A really really really big hassle. I do NOT recommend
doing this, as it is time consuming and just annoying to try and find
a good bank.
4. Traveler's cheques.
Pros: Good exchange rate, very SAFE.
Cons: big hassle
5. You can withdraw your money at ATMs. This is a really nice option
because ATMs really are all over the place at airports and shopping
malls and other places like that. Most ATM cards will work in
Indonesia (those associated with Visa, MasterCard, Plus, Cirrus, etc.
are all accepted).
Pros: Good exchange rate. You don't have to
actually deal with real people, which is nice and safe when you're in
Indonesia (that came out wrong, but I think you know what I mean).
Cons: You might get charged with fees all over the place. Anything from your
bank charging you a transaction fee bc it's not one of their
ATMs, then you'll have an International Transaction fee, then you will
most likely get charged a fee from the Indonesian bank whose ATM it
is, etc. etc. For the record, I really like this option. However, this only works if your pin # is 6 digits or less which is unfortunate for a 7-digit pin # person like me.
6. Beg for money on the side of the road.
Pros: You'd probably get a nice tan.
Cons: It's hot and could be really boring.
Other thoughts on money:
- You will want to bring at least $300 with you, probably more
depending on your spending habits. I have moderate spending habits (I
tend to buy a lot of music there, though), and I usually spend about
$400 total each summer. You can choose to exchange it all at once, or
wait. Once we leave Surabaya to go to Malang, it will be EXTREMELY
difficult to exchange your currency, so that's something to think about.
Remember: you will have to pay for yourself through orientation, but
once we make it to Malang you will not have that many expenses. If you
have to use public transportation to get to school, that costs about
$0.20 per trip (if I remember correctly). If you want to eat out with
friends or something, you'll have to pay for that. But your host
family will pay for all of your meals if you take them with your HF.
These were just things I was thinking about. You may want to Google
some things about spending money in Indonesia just in case.
Hey everyone!
My name is Danielle Gonzales and I just finished my sophomore year at Stanford. I am super excited about Indonesia and just traveling in general. This will be pretty much my first time outside the country and I can't wait! I have always loved traveling but I have swam competitively most of my life and my training didn't allow me to travel much, until now! This year I am planning to travel to Indonesia (obviously!) and then I am heading to Paris and a study abroad program in Madrid. I am studying Human Biology and I will probably be focusing on Sports Rehab. So yeah, that's a little explanation of who I am and I can't wait to meet all of you in a couple weeks.
Also, I just got Skype and am obsessed with it, so if any of you want to chat and get to know each other better then we should Skype! :) And I am arriving in Surabaya on the 27th, a day early (I think). So if anyone is getting in that day or will already be there, let me know and we should hang out!
See you soon
Danielle
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Power Adapter
I told another volunteer this but definitely invest some money in a power adapter if you're going to needing one. Cheap ones short circuit and like, blow up whatever you're powering. That's an exagerration but the point is that good ones are well worth the money. I know REI sells pretty trustable ones. The type of outlet they use in Indonesia is
Indonesia | 110/220V | If 110V, then use A If 220V, then use E |
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
8 Things to Remember
hey Crew!
we are fastly approaching departure date and I want to give REMINDERS FOR VOLUNTEERS -
8 things you must not forget!
- Passport
- Insurance documents
- Some foreign currency and your bank card
- Access to emergency funds (e.g. credit card)
- Prescription medication (packed in carry on bag)
- Gift for your host family (souvenir from your home country max cost $20 (£10))
- Name, address and phone number of orientation place (below)
- Your Program Directors email address and phone number (teresatarn@gmail.com and I will post the phone number for the hostel as soon as I get it)
So soon!
-Teresa
we are fastly approaching departure date and I want to give REMINDERS FOR VOLUNTEERS -
8 things you must not forget!
- Passport
- Insurance documents
- Some foreign currency and your bank card
- Access to emergency funds (e.g. credit card)
- Prescription medication (packed in carry on bag)
- Gift for your host family (souvenir from your home country max cost $20 (£10))
- Name, address and phone number of orientation place (below)
- Your Program Directors email address and phone number (teresatarn@gmail.com and I will post the phone number for the hostel as soon as I get it)
So soon!
-Teresa
Thursday, May 29, 2008
IMPORTANT: Surabaya Hostel Information
As promised, I posted the hostel address and parts of my last e-mail below!
Anyway, below is the address of the hostel we are staying at for orientation:
Jalan Duku II/190 Pondok Tjandra Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
Show your taxi driver this at the airport and he will drive you there. Some tips on traveling:
Last year, I hired a taxi from the official taxi rental place for a fixed price of 70000 RP (about $8US). If you are going to get a taxi from the taxi circle, choose one that looks legit (i.e. Blue Bird taxis). These will charge based on a ticker. As a warning, sketchy people will accost you and try to get you to their service. If you and another volunteer get in at around the same time, you could split the cost of a taxi and get in together.
Anyway, below is the address of the hostel we are staying at for orientation:
Jalan Duku II/190 Pondok Tjandra Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
Show your taxi driver this at the airport and he will drive you there. Some tips on traveling:
Last year, I hired a taxi from the official taxi rental place for a fixed price of 70000 RP (about $8US). If you are going to get a taxi from the taxi circle, choose one that looks legit (i.e. Blue Bird taxis). These will charge based on a ticker. As a warning, sketchy people will accost you and try to get you to their service. If you and another volunteer get in at around the same time, you could split the cost of a taxi and get in together.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Hey, I'm Josh Feola. Originally I was going to direct a pilot program in Yunnan, China through LE, but that fell through for the summer due to some bureaucratic difficulties. Luckily there was still space for volunteers in this program, so I am psyched to be teaching in Indonesia this summer. I'm kind of travel addicted at the moment, and I definitely plan on roaming SE/East Asia for a while after the program ends. My tentative plans are to spend about a week in Bali after August 4, then head to Bangkok for a few days and finish out the month in China. Uh... I'm currently a super senior at Boston University planning to graduate in December. I study Art History and Archaeology. Right now I'm taking a class called "applied math" to fulfill a general ed. requirement. It sucks.
See you soon
Josh
leantimes@gmail.com
See you soon
Josh
leantimes@gmail.com
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Hi all,I'm Brianna, a rising junior at the George Washington University, born and raised in Boston, MA. I'll graduate with a bachelors in International Affairs with a concentration in Development studies and minors in Human Services and Spanish. I am SO excited to have the opportunity to travel to Asia for the first time this summer, and be afforded with the chance to experience a new culture and teach.I'll actually be heading to Ghana from Indonesia for study abroad for the fall 2008 semester. Kelina, I know you mentioned you will be hanging out until the 10th, I will actually be too! My flight leaves from Surabaya then as well, so coordinating a trip to travel around a bit is definitely something I'd be interested in doing.Hope to hear from the rest of you before we meet in 5 weeks (crazy it's so soon!)Teresa- is there any way we will know what age group we will be teaching BEFORE leaving the states? Because I'd definitely feel more confident organizing lesson plans during the time leading up to departure..Hope everyone's finals went well, and that you are all enjoying the start of your summers!Feel free to email me briannac@gwu.edu, or hit me up on facebook.All the best,Brianna
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Hi All,
My name is Caitlin Ryan. I just wrapped up my sophomore year at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service and am so excited to meet all of you and be in Indonesia(!). At Georgetown I study international politics with a focus on international law. I am originally from Minnesota and have spent time in Japan, Thailand, and of course Washington, DC. I am also working towards a certificate (similar to a minor) in Asian studies. I love the city and am shocked and saddened to realize I am already halfway through my time here. I have no idea what I want to do post-graduation.
I will actually be arriving a day or two late for orientation because of obligations at school, so please don't forget about me! I look forward to getting to know more about you via the internet until we finally get to meet in June.
Best wishes for the start of summer.
Peace,
Caitlin
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Class Structure and some Essentials
Hey guys,
during the conference call the midpoint break was mentioned. will we be in malang the entire time or will we be going?
From here on out, I'll be posting general questions onto the blog. So here are some I received recently.
how many hours a day/different classes/age groups will we be teaching?
This all depends on what school you get assigned to and how we divide up the teaching duties according to your comfort levels. As of right now, the schools we have listed break down like this:
SMAK5 - public high school 55
St. Albertus - private high school 30
My little island - Elementary School 64
SMP Kosayu - Jr. High 27
SMPN 19 - Jr. High 134
SMPK Mardiwiyata - Jr. High 50
SMK 7 - Vocational 142
Adult Evening Classes 20
The number that follows is the class size.
what type of clothing is absolutely inappropriate? for instance are sleeveless shirts considered inappropriate? what about bikinis?
Bikinis are not totally inappropriate but they might attract unwanted attention. Sleeveless sirts are frowned upon and don't get me started on low-cut shirts! Generally, try to cover your knees and shoulders. Try to remember that as you pack for the hot climate. It is not uncommon to see women who wear suits that only show their face and their hands.Knee length skirts/dresses, capris, and jeans are all good to go.
are we expected to bring gifts for our host families?
Yes! Good ideas for gifts are picture books, little souvenirs like keychains and magnets, and other items that you can tell a story about your home with. My host family loved the postcard book of Vermont the other volunteer I lived with gave. They also liked the Stanford shirt I gave.
during the conference call the midpoint break was mentioned. will we be in malang the entire time or will we be going?
Unlike the other programs, we will be in Malang the entire time.
Sweet! I think i'm getting the hang out this blogging business. Anyway, another important point i like to make is that the outlets in Indonesia are different from the ones in US so I highly recommend bring an Adapter if you are going to bring any electronics.
Anyway, keep checking for updates and PROVIDE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF!
:-D
Friday, May 9, 2008
hi everyone,
my name's kelina jones, i'm currently a grad student in new york, studying creative writing at syracuse university.
i'll be flying into surabaya on the 24th and staying for a few days before orientation, i'll also be returning to surabaya after the program is over and hanging around until the 10th of august. anyone interested in meeting up? i still haven't set up accommodations, though i'm running on a low budget and planning to stay somewhere besides a major hotel.
can't wait to meet all of you.
kelina
Monday, May 5, 2008
Welcome to LE Indonesia Blog!
Hey Guys,
After a much too long period of time, the LE Indonesia Blog is finally up and ready for action!
Here, you can post any questions you have to get mine and the other volunteer's opinion on the matter.
You can also post interesting articles or links that you come across.
You can also post your travel plans to see if any other volunteer wants to join.
I have sent you the log-in information via e-mail so please, if you do log in and post, please remember to sign your name at the bottom of your message so we know who it is from.
The blog is definitely like a community forum for you guys to know and help each other!!!
Can't wait for summer!!!
-Teresa
After a much too long period of time, the LE Indonesia Blog is finally up and ready for action!
Here, you can post any questions you have to get mine and the other volunteer's opinion on the matter.
You can also post interesting articles or links that you come across.
You can also post your travel plans to see if any other volunteer wants to join.
I have sent you the log-in information via e-mail so please, if you do log in and post, please remember to sign your name at the bottom of your message so we know who it is from.
The blog is definitely like a community forum for you guys to know and help each other!!!
Can't wait for summer!!!
-Teresa
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