
I really have nothing to go by for comparison, so I can’t say whether this month has been busy or not in terms of normal village life. It’s definitely been easy to settle in. The local people treat you like you’ve always been here, always saying “hello” with a smile. And the children are so wonderful! Being able to interact with them during sessions such as Drama Club is one of the reasons why I’m so grateful for the opportunity. Obviously there’s a slight language barrier, due to the fact that my Bahasa Indonesia is abysmal. But I’m slowly learning, and having the opportunity to learn another language is another bonus to being here.
A personal highlight of the past month regarding village life has been having the opportunity to cook with some of the locals and learn some authentic Indonesian recipes. It’s so different to any way I’ve ever cooked before and the flavours are just beautiful – herbs and spices and roots that I’ve never heard of; it leaves me wondering where I’ll be able to find them when I return home. And obviously I wouldn’t be able to describe the cooking without a mention of cassava, my new favourite food.
All in all, the first month in the village has been an amazing experience. I’ve made new friends from across the globe – America, Australia, Canada, and of course, Indonesia. If the next eight months follow in the footsteps of this first one, I can’t imagine I’ll ever want to leave.
Katy Elsom – Student Volunteer