Education, English, and Indonesia: A Teacher’s Perspective

It is easy to look at Peace Corps and focus on the volunteers, but every Peace Corps Volunteer’s success depends upon the members of their host-community. No matter how big our dreams and good intentions are, it all comes down to the people around us – their passion, their need, and their support. They are the ones who welcome us, and they are the ones who will carry on long after we volunteers have all gone home. There is one woman here in my community who supports me more than any other: Bu (Mrs.) Isna.

Bu Isna and me at a Peace Corps training.

Bu Isna is my counterpart teacher: we plan lessons, go to class, and work together daily. She also answers my endless questions, patiently listens through my broken Indonesian, and makes sure I don’t get left behind – quite literally. As I have struggled through language and cultural differences, Bu Isna has always had my back.

Bu Isna and her family (plus one adopted American).

What’s more, she seems to have everyone’s backs.  Bu Isna is that special kind of person who is so competent and reliable, that they are often asked to take on extra responsibilities. A mother of two young children, she is always on the go. Bu Isna is a committed teacher, a devout Muslim, a community leader, a mother, a wife, an Indonesian, and – as if she didn’t already have enough on her plate – my go-to person here in Ngawi. Sometimes I feel like Bu Isna is giving me way more of her time and attention than I can ever offer back to my school and community, but I know that, in the hands of caring, capable people like Bu Isna, Indonesia’s future is bright. Who better, then, to spotlight this week on my blog? Bu Isna and I sat down together to talk about education, English, and Indonesia. Here is a little bit of our conversation… What is the role of teachers in the community? Why are they important? All of us know everything from teachers. I think teachers in Indonesia have a good position to make the community better with their behavior, with their lifestyle. For example, we as teachers have to be different from other people, because we are a role model for the students, for the community, for our neighborhood. So I think it’s a little bit hard, but it’s a really good profession. It’s really important. What do you think is special about being at a Madrassa [Islamic school]? I think I’ve been really blessed coming here, because I’m learning a lot in this place. I can ask [the other teachers] anything about Islam. I can learn Islam deeper here. And for the students, the lessons in Madrassas are different, so they can learn about Islam more than if they study in SMP [non-religious public middle school]. Even though MTsN [Islamic public middle school] is a public school, they have [extra religion classes] – they won’t learn those subjects in other schools.  What do you like about English? I still remember when I was in junior high school, I liked watching English movies and listening to western songs. I can’t say for sure why –it just came to me. But when I was growing older, I realized that English is an international language. Just like I say in class: if you want to go around the world, you will never be lost when you can speak English well. I think I have been blessed if I like English, because right now it is really important for us in this era. I like English because, yeah, I like it! It’s part of me. What do you hope for your students? I think just like other teachers hope: that they will have success in their future. And then, even though I’m here as an English teacher, I just want them to be a good person. I don’t know what will happen in the future, but if they behave well, if they do what our religion says, for example, [I hope that] will send them to success. That is my hope. What do you hope for Indonesia? Of course just like everyone’s hope, we hope that Indonesia will be better and better. And all of Indonesia will be more tolerant. We don’t have to get involved in [other people’s] business, but just respect their activities. I hope Indonesia will be better in each part – politics, economy. We need something better in the future. Better place, better environment, better people. What is something you wish Americans knew about Indonesia? When I read news, I don’t know, some people divide us – divide Islam into radical, into liberal, for example. Actually, it makes me uncomfortable. Islam is one. And as a Muslim, I just want that someday [we have] just one Islam, not radical Islam. Indonesia as a big country, but beside our beautiful views from Sumatra to Papua, we have a lot of cultures and a lot of languages and habits. But we are one: We are Indonesian. If I met an American, just like you, I would want to show you about Indonesia: it’s very rich with its culture, with its people.

That’s Bu Isna with her family in the waves, living life to the fullest!