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KangGURU Magazine for March 2008

Kevin's Welcome Letter
Design and Architecture
Kang Guru Voices - SMS, letters, emails and the Kang Guru FORUM
Idioms Inggris
Quick Fix
Design
Fashion and Trends
World Fashion
Fashion and Trends in Indonesia
The Australia Indonesia Partnership
Oz-Indo Connections
University Page
Kang Guru Connection Clubs
The Joeys Club
Kang Guru in the Classroom
Entertainment and Fashion
Different Pond Different Fish
Kang Guru News Room
Trends in Fashion & Design

Kevin's Welcome Letter

The Kang Guru Team - December 2007

 

Another year gone! Goodbye 2007. First of all, from all of us here at Kang Guru, we hope that your 2008 is already a great year for you, your family, your friends and your school. We wish you all the best with your studies. We sincerely hope that Kang Guru is helping you with your English. For example, listening to our radio programs on a regular basis will help your listening skills for sure. Be sure to tune in every week with the thousands of other English language learners. Did you know that there are over 140 radio stations broadcasting our program every week. There are on average 29 Kang Guru radio broadcasts every day of the year somewhere in Indonesia. Isn't that great!

In this edition of the Kang Guru magazine you will find many of the regular features including Quick Fix, Idioms Inggris, Different Pond Different Fish, the Kang Guru NewsRoom, Joeys and Kang Guru Voices. As for the latter, can I remind you that we love to get your emails, letters and SMSs – keep them coming and although we cannot answer all of them, we DO read them all. Check out just some of them in this edition.

The theme of this magazine is Fashion and Design. Many of the articles will deal with fashion and clothing, designing of buildings and ‘things’, iconic designs from the past and the present from around the world plus an Australian-Indonesian perspective on these topics. Kevin Dalton

Design, Fashion and the School Curriculum


Fashion is featured in the SMP 1 curriculum under the topic of Shopping. Classes look at the many types of clothing and fashion, jewelry and accessories, patterns and colours, both Indonesian and Western. Hopefully a lot of the information in this magazine will be of use in SMP classrooms in particular. TEACHERS! Be sure to order the March 2008 ‘Listening and Reading Class Set’ – it is free and fantastic! There are great activities for your classes to enjoy and all taken from this magazine AND complete with audio as well - cassette tape or CD.

June 2008 - SPORT

The theme for the next magazine has to be sport. Why? Well, the 2008 Olympic Games are being held this year in Beijing and all of us here at Kang Guru are quite excited about that. If you would like to contribute any articles or photographs following the theme of SPORT, then send them to us before April 30th. Articles do not have to be about the Olympics either. They could be about sport in your province, at your school or even from another country. Just write and help us to make the June 2008 magazine the best Kang Guru magazine EVER!

Design and Architecture . . .

Designing and building with .....?

It is 50 times stronger than oak (a type of wood), lighter than steel or concrete, flexible and looks good. It can be used to build bridges, buildings, create floors, walls, clothing, paper, jewelry, in aeroplane construction, scaffolding, medicine, musical instruments, weapons, vinegar, cosmetics, animal feed and it is also a vegetable.

It is a favourite meal for elephants and pandas, it is sustainable and environmentally friendly and some varieties can grow up to a meter a day and the plants prevent soil erosion.

What is this magic material? It’s bamboo of course!

Bamboo has been used for many years not just as a construction material but for other uses too. Did you know Thomas Edison used a carbonized bamboo filament in his experiments with the first light bulb - and that light bulb still burns today in The Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.

Authorities encourage the use of bamboo in building low-income housing after natural disasters. These houses are strong in both hurricanes and earthquakes. Traditional beliefs say that being surrounded by bamboo can restore calmness and stimulate creativity. Be careful though, bamboo is also a favourite hiding place for snakes.

LEGO - building blocks of fun

Even in this age of computer games and digital toys, LEGO is still a popular toy all around the world. Seven LEGO sets are sold every second! LEGO was designed in 1932 by a carpenter from Denmark. The name LEGO comes from the first two letters of the Danish words Leg and Godt – which mean ‘play well'. LEGO was introduced in 1948. The basic design of the bricks haven’t changed since then so if you bought a LEGO set today they would still connect to bricks bought in 1950!

In 2006 a team at LEGO Land Park in Denmark built a model of the world’s largest passenger plane, the Airbus A380 super jumbo. It was made in eight different colours and used 75.000 bricks. It was about 3 m long and took more than 600 hours to build. This just goes to show toys which have a classic design don’t have to be high tech and on screen for children (and some adults) to enjoy.

 

Are you a shopaholic?

You probably can not find this word in the dictionary. It's slang for someone who is addicted to shopping. If you prefer to spend time in the mall than at home, if you often buy something that you really don't need and if you have clothes that still have tags on them... then you might be a shipaholic

Match the famous buildings with the facts

A. These buildings have at least two uses. One is for pumping water and the other is for grinding grain. They are also used as lookout towers. You can find these buildings all over the world but mainly in just one country, Holland. It is famous for these unusual buildings. Picture No ___

B. This building was named after the largest of the five bells inside the tower. It took 13 years to build and was completed in 1856. It is 316 feet high. Picture No___

C. An architect from Denmark took four years to design it. The model took 7 years to build and the real building took fourteen years to build. Picture No ____

D. The building was completed in 1975. It is called the National Monument. It is 137 meters tall and has a museum in the basement. On the top of the building there is a flame covered in 35 kilos of gold. Picture No ___



E. In 1192 a wealthy widow left 60 coins to start building this bell tower. Construction began in 1173 and the building was eventually finished in 1350. Picture No ___

F. These buildings are some of the biggest man made constructions in the world. It took about 27 years to build each one. The most famous of them can be found in Egypt. Picture No___


G. This structure was built, rebuilt and maintained between the fifth century BC and the 16th century. Its main purpose was for protection. It is about 6.500 kilometres long. They say that one million men used to stand guard along it. Picture No ___

H. This building has a striking modern design. It is 321 metres high. It is used as a hotel. It cost 650 million dollars to build. It has become the iconic building of this Arab state. Picture No___

 

click here for the answers

 

Kang Guru Voices - SMS, letters, emails and the Kang Guru FORUM
letter
email
SMS
forum

This decorative envelope is from Qurrotu in Situbondo, East Java.

Thanks Kang Guru!

I am an English teacher at SMA Budi Utomo Perak, Jombang, East Java. I am a really motivated teacher of English and really want to have my students motivated in learning English as well as me. Several months ago Kang Guru gave me a book and two stickers. I kept them till one day I decided the gifts could be a tool to motivate my students. When I offered the book and the stickers to anyone who can do the assignments, they were really spiritful and motivated. Then I read the Kang Guru magazine to the class and the students didn't go to sleep as they sometimes do. They listened carefully.

Abdul Aziz Kusaini
Jombang
EAST JAVA

Fantastic, that's just what we like to know is happening in classrooms.

How?

I am Aditya Wirawan. I am a STKIP student of English in the first grade in Banjarmasin. I live in Pangeran Gg. Rahman RT. 13 RW. 05, No. 62 Banjarmasin Street. I am interested so much in English but I have no better way to study English. My marks are always bad. I hope you can give me advice, ways or methods of how to study English in order to be better at it. That’s all for my letter. I wait for your reply.

Aditya Wirawan
Banjarmasin
SOUTH KALIMANTAN

Hello Aditya, learning a new language is not easy. You need a lot of practice. There are so many ways you can do to improve your English. One way is to read English magazines such as Kang Guru and be sure to listen to English radio as well. You know that you can get a free Kang Guru magazine and you can also listen to Kang Guru radio every Sunday on FM 97.6LPP RRI Banjarmasin at 16.00. Don’t forget to practice your English with people around you, your teachers, your friends and even your family. Good luck with your English!


What a great calendar!

I just want confirm that I received the amazing calender from Kang Guru. I was so surprised to get a package from the postman. I was impatient to open it. Thank you a lot for that. I gave one calendar to my office, one to my club headquarters, two for my English teachers and some for my most active students. They are very, very interested and want to know even more about Kang Guru now. If I’m allowed to give suggestion. I guess it’d be better to make it bigger and what about making it a folded calendar so that we can put it on our office table?

Wawan
Durenan, Trenggalek
EAST JAVA

Hi Wawan, it’s great that you have received the magazines and the calendars. I hope you stay in touch with Kang Guru and thanks for your suggestions about the calendar. Hopefully we will make one for 2009.

My Club and Youth Center

I am Gama and I represent my English Club. We want to be part of the KGCC. Our English Club called Cemara, is part of our West Sumatera Youth Center Program. We have about 20 active members but it could more since so many teenagers come to our youth center. Our activities are watching movies, discussions, and giving some training about HIV to teenagers in
English. Please help us.

Gama
Kerinci
RIAU

Dear Gama, the KGCC network is currently under review. Please stay in touch with Kang Guru and we’ll let you know as soon as any decisions are made. In the meantime - stay active and interesting!


• Hi Sue and Ayu

Hi my name is Dian Wahyu Dinata. I’m the winner of an English Poetry Reading Competition in Sempu. I live in Maron. I was very happy to meet Sue and Ayu (early February 2008) and I’m very comfortable speaking English with you. I have one question for Kang Guru when can I invite KG to our school in SMPN 1 Genteng.

Dian Wahyu Dinata
Sempu, Banyuwangi
EAST JAVA

Dear Dian, we remember you from the competition, congratulations! I’m afraid Kang Guru has a very busy travel schedule this year. We don’t know when Kang Guru will be able to visit Banyuwangi again, okay? We will let you know if we plan to go back there again.

 

Come on, talk!
I am an English instructor at an English course in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. Some days ago I read your article about how to start English Club on your website. I think it is an interesting article for me because I plan to make an English club in my English course. I have been teaching English for two years, and the most complicated problem I have is the way to make my students speak English well. I go to the internet to browse any useful articles. I have tried many methods of teaching in my class. I always try to support my students to speak English. By making an English club in my English course, I hope my students will have bigger motivation in studying English.

Nur Sodik
Balikpapan
EAST KALIMANTAN

Dear Sodik, motivation is the key element in learning English. How can students be motivated? By creating interesting materials that suit their interests and create different activities in the classroom like games, discussion, pair work practice etc. You have to get them interested first by applying different method of teachings. Good Luck with your English class!

 

Idioms Inggris with Sue

In the Kang Guru office we brainstormed for idioms and phrases about fashion, dressing or clothes and here are just a few of the idioms we came up with!

Keep your shirt on, give you the shirt off my back, all dressed up and nowhere to go, dressed to the nines, dressed to kill, done up like a dog's dinner, the bee's knees, hot under the collar, at the drop of a hat. And these are not all of them! Amazing!

Let’s start with giving someone the shirt off your back. Look at this example: I know I can always depend on my friend Harry. I can call him whenever I need help. He would give me the shirt off his back. This idiom suggests that Harry would give me all his money, possessions even the shirt off his back – that's a real friend, right?

Would you give someone the shirt off your back?

The second idiom is to get hot under the collar. A collar is at the top of a shirt or jacket and is often fastened around the neck (kerah). If someone gets hot under the collar it usually means they are very angry. Sandy got very hot under the collar when his brother pointed out he was wrong. Have you ever been hot under the collar? The opposite meaning to hot under the collar would be to keep your cool. This means staying very calm.

 

Do you like to wear formal clothes or are you more comfortable in casual gear? If you heard someone say –‘Wow look at those two people, dressed up to the nines’ would you think they were wearing formal or casual clothes? To be dressed up to the nines means you are wearing formal clothes - or very fashionable clothes. They must have been going to a wedding or something, they were dressed up to the nines.

Just imagine if you put on your best clothes and sat waiting for your friends to call. But they never arrive. Someone might say – ‘Oh look at you, all dressed up and nowhere to go!’ Here’s another example – Kevin phoned to say he had to work late, so there I was, all dressed up and nowhere to go! Has this ever happened to you?

Another pair of words which English learners sometimes find confusing is to wear or to use.

People quite often say:
I like using blue jeans and a T-shirt.
I like using a hat that is fashionable.
I will use my favourite shirt tonight.
I’m using a skirt and black shoes.

Whereas to wear / wearing means to have something on your body as a piece of clothing.

For example:
I’m wearing a hat.
Yana is wearing a wedding ring.
Roni likes wearing sneakers.

 

To use / using means to do something with a machine, a method, an object, etc. for a particular purpose.

For example:
I’m using my dad’s car.
Can I use your phone?
I have some equipment you can use.

Sinta and Budi from the Joeys went to the Fashion Show last night. Sinta ____ jeans and a floral shirt. Budi decided to ____ his favorite checked shirt with his Levi jeans. They both ____ Kang Guru caps too. Budi was late because he was ______ public transport. Sinta ______ her friend's handphone to call him to see where he was.

But don’t forget when you describe a piece of clothing using patterns, remember the order of adjectives:

colour pattern origin material noun
red   Spanish leather boots
brown floral   cotton shirt
blue checked     jacket
colourful   Italian   bag


Design

The world of fashion and design is a huge world indeed. Think about this: every man-made object that we use, or see, has been designed by somebody. People have thought how it should look, how it should function and how it can be improved or modified. Objects don’t just happen. Buildings, cars, clothes, furniture, machines, computers and electronics have all had to be drafted, designed and developed. This process generally takes quite a long time. Trends are also the result of fashion, designs, and people’s ideas – hairstyles and makeup, for example.

Have you looked at the front cover of this magazine? What are some of the trends, fashion items and icons, and designs in the collage from Kang Guru.

Here’s one – the Chrysler Building in New York, an architectural icon since the 1930s. It is art-deco in style and always immediately associated with the Big Apple.

Designing Big Things and Little Things

Can you imagine how long it takes to design something really big? What about a new jet such as the huge Airbus A380? So, just how BIG is the A380? Check out these facts: 74 meters long, 80 meters wide and 25 meters high. It can carry a maximum of 840 passengers. Each wing, for example, has a surface area of 845 square metres with 25,500 different components. There are 360,000 metres of wiring, piping and ducting to control the hydraulic power systems in addition an astounding 750,000 fasteners (nuts, bolts and rivets).

 

And what about a cruise liner such as the Queen Mary? It is 339 meters long and 72 meters high and can carry 2,620 passengers and 1,253 crew. That’s a lot of people! On the ship there are 2,500 kilometres of electric cable, 500 kilometres of ducts, mains and pipes, 2,000 bathrooms, 80,000 lighting points, 3,000 telephones, 8,800 loudspeakers, and the ship has 17 decks that tower 60 feet meters above the water.

Imagine all of the components - nuts, bolts, wires, rivets - needed to make these two huge 'people movers'. But what about little things too? Imagine the thought, planning and design that needs to go into a new operating system for a computer OR an iPOD or even a new model handphone. Amazing! They don't just appear by magic, you know!

 

‘Striking’ buildings

Architect designed buildings are usually unique. Each
architect has their own style and taste of design.

Architect designed buildings quite often create a lot of criticism. One major criticism is because of their unusual or futuristic design. Some people might enjoy those buildings but some don’t. These innovative works of design raise questions, create criticisms and even controversies. Look at some striking buildings in different places in the world. You can judge yourself whether you like these buildings or not.

Casa Milà, commonly known as La Pedrera in Barcelona, is the largest civil building designed by Antoni Gaudi. The apartment block was constructed between 1906 and 1910. It was built for Roger Segimon de Milà. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

audi designed very unique buildings. As you can see it’s unusual and very curvy. The outside of this building is shaped like an ocean wave.

Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia

Federation Square is a cultural site in the city of Melbourne. It was first opened on the 26th October, 2002, so it’s fairly new. It consists of various buildings including a radio station, art galleries, a museum, cinemas, exhibition spaces, restaurants, bars and shops. Federation Square is right on the edge of Melbourne's city centre just opposite the Flinders Street train station. The open space is popular for all kinds of performances, rallies, cultural gatherings, celebrations, and for just 'hanging out'. This striking building always draws attention from passing pedestrians. Some people like it and some don't. What do you think?

Tetaring Restaurant in Nusa Dua, Bali -
a unique construction using bamboo.


Did you know that Australian designed and made clothes are popular in Indonesia? Well, they are and can be bought in places such as Jakarta, Suarabya and Bali. Late in 2007, an Australian Fashion Show was put together by Velvet Boutique (Plaza Indonesia) in collaboration with the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade), ANZ Panin Bank and Harper’s BAZAAR Indonesia. Indonesian fashion lovers had a unique preview of the latest spring/summer collections from some of Australia’s leading designers. The fashion show featured the latest collections from talented Australian designers such as Eileen Kirby, Fleur Wood, Jayson Brunsdon, Mad Cortes, Marnie Skillings, Melanie Cutfield, Moss & Spy, Nevenka, Peter Lang, Vallen & Mint and Stellini.

Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy, Ms Louise Hand (in black jacket) said she was very pleased by the level of interest in Australian high fashion following the inaugural Australian fashion parade in South Jakarta.

Ms. Hand said the show featured a number of eye-catching designs that had been extremely well received at the recent Rosemount Australia Fashion Week in Sydney.

Australia’s fashion industry has grown tremendously over the last decade. Some 60 Australian labels are currently exporting their designs to boutiques and department stores in Asia, Europe and the United States”.

In another event, the first Australian Fashion Parade, held in Kemang, 12 prominent Australian designers showed their designs to an Indonesian audience. Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr. Bill Farmer, said he was delighted to see this latest collection of Australian fashion designs on show in Indonesia.

Our fashions also take their cue from Australia’s outdoor lifestyle and environment. This is particularly the case for the new, maverick generation of designers who take their inspiration from Australia’s surf and beach culture, graffiti and street art.

The akubra comes from Australia. What is it? SMS the answer with your name to Kang Guru before April 31st and you could win caps from Kang Guru.


Melbourne, the Shopping Capital of Australia

It is reasonable to call Melbourne the shopping and fashion capital of Australia. During my six-months study here, I have found so many varieties of shopping, so much more than I have ever found in other cities/places I have been in Australia, even in Sydney, my most favorite city. It ranges from very cheap and bargain prices up to very expensive branded-goods, that I can only imagine in my dreams. The most popular shopping areas in Melbourne include

Chapel Street, South Yarra is renowned for its award-winning restaurants, stylish bars and cool cafes, and of course fashion. Bridge Road, Richmond is the place for shops and bargain warehouses. Each season’s range of clothes, shoes and homewares is on sale at clearance prices. It usually takes me the whole day to explore the shops on both sides of the road. Smith Street, Fitzroy is well-known for sports factory outlets with bargain prices, such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, Converse, etc. Various cafes, bookshops, bars are spread along the street. It is very busy at the weekends and I often drop by there on my way home from the city. Queen Victoria Market (QVM) is a must-see place in Melbourne and has over 1,000 traders selling bargain priced fashion and souvenirs, fruit, veggies, seafood and meat. It also sells imported gourmet foods to tempt our taste buds. Meanwhile second-hand shops such as Savers, the Reject Shop, Opportunity Shops, and Stavros (Salvation Army) are the right places to go for second-hand items. Remember that in Australia most shops only open from 10 am to 5 pm from Monday to Friday. Many only open for a half day on Saturdays.

Adi Witono Waluyo, an ADS awardee studying for his Master of Adult Education degree at La Trobe University, Melbourne is an old friend of Kang Guru.


 
The EX Plaza Indonesia is a part of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Jakarta but it also extends quite a distance away from that hotel.
The line of shops is enclosed in several brightly coloured and connected structures that, from the outside, look like huge cubes of colour. The design is quite innovative for Jakarta and if you ever go to Jakarta, be sure to go and have a look.

 


Did you know that the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing plans to hold a fashion show in Beijing and Shanghai next April? One of the main aims of the show is to promote the traditional wardrobe of Indonesia, including batik, to the Chinese people. The fashion exhibition will promote Indonesian batik as not only a commercial product but also an Indonesian work of art.

 

 


World Fashion

Truly Australian made?

If you travel to Australia you might find it difficult to find souvenirs which are made in Australia. If you go to souvenir shops most of the things (like key rings, T-shirts, toys) are made in China. It’s sometimes hard to find something which is actually made in Australia. What about UGG boots then? Yes, UGG boots are Australian designed and made. What are they? Well, they are actually soft, warm boots made from sheepskin.

They are normally worn in winter but actually people like to wear them throughout the seasons. They can be used from indoor slippers to everyday shoe wear. UGG boots are not only popular in Australia but also all over the world. UGG boots are very comfortable, the inside texture is soft and they keep feet warm. Sheepskin is naturally thermostatic and a good insulator. These boots will keep bare feet warm in temperatures as low as –1°C and cool in temperatures as high as 26°C. So if you go to Australia buying a pair of UGG boots will be a great souvenir/oleh oleh for yourself. They are Australian made and you can't find them anywhere in Indonesia! They are a bit expensive but they last forever.

Clothing stores in Thailand have seen a rush to buy pink shirts, thanks to a fashion craze sparked by the country’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Thais have been queuing in their hundreds to buy the shirts (40,000 pink shirts in the first month) ever since the King left hospital last month wearing both a pink shirt and blazer. The rush for pink shirts is not the first fashion craze he has started. Since King Bhumibol’s 60th anniversary on the throne in 2006, many Thais have worn bright yellow shirts every Monday, because that was the day of the week on which he was born.

 

Ethnic Fashion

Different cultures have always had their own style of dress related to the way they live. Here are some examples of clothes around the world. The Tuareg people, who live near the Sahara desert in Africa are unusual because the men wear a veil. The blue cotton veil is three metres long and covers the Tuareg man’s head and face. They wind it around themselves to keep out sand during sand storms. The Japanese national dress is the kimono. There are no buttons or fasteners on a kimono. It is held in place with a sash called an obi. In Argentina cowboys are called Gauchos. They wear baggy trousers called bombachas which can easily be tucked into their boots. If a South American woman decorates her hat with flowers it means she is looking for a man to marry. Batik, famous in Indonesia, has been made in Java for more than 1,200 years.

Pictures from top to left: Tuareg man, Gauchos, Kimono and Batik.

 

 

Do you realise that these paintings are actually painted on people's hands?

Guido Daniele an illustrator, painter and photographer was born in Soverato, Italy and now lives and works in Milan. He attended Brera Artistic High School and graduated from Brera School of Arts in 1972. After graduating, he lived in India, where he attended the Tankas school in Dharamsala. Since 1968, Guido has been painting and participating in individual and group art exhibitions. In 1972 he started working as a hyper-realistic illustrator working with major editing and advertising companies and began testing different painting techniques. It takes him three hours to ten hours to complete his hand paintings. His favourite painting is the cheetah. It was his first hand painting. AMAZING!

Fashion and Trends in Indonesia

DISTRO

What is the most popular place to buy clothes in your area? Based on a survey of 100 teenagers aged between 13 to 19 in IALF, Bali, 80 % say they like to go to “Distros” for shopping. Distros have become very popular in Indonesia since they first started in Bandung back in 1998. Distro is derived from the word “ distribusi” or distribution in English. Distros are actually independent fashion outlets. Why independent? Distros create their own designs and even brands and of course with affordable prices for students. What other features does a Distro have that make it? Well every Distro always has a unique name like “Bengkel Gaul”, “Reform Posse”, and “Chantique”. Distros also sell other accessories like wallets, bags, necklaces, belts, watches and belt buckles.

KG interviewed Age, the owner of “Grind Corner” Distro in Bali. He told KG he started his business twelve years ago. His love of music inspired him to open a clothes shop. “Clothes are closely related to music, people like to wear clothes that represent certain music” Age said. His business is now very successful. In his funky Distro he sells a variety of clothing and accessories including the trendy low rider bicycles (see article on the right).

One great thing about Distros is that they have the freedom to select things they want to sell in their shop, change the design anytime and follow the market trends.

 

What is the most popular Distro in your area? Write and tell us what is so unique about it.

 

Low Rider Fever

Maybe you are wondering what a Low Rider is. It’s not a car or a motorbike but it’s actually a bicycle. On Saturday nights groups of youngsters in Bali like to ride in convoy through the city. They find a spot to sit and display their bikes. What is so special about these low rider bikes? They are a type of modified bicycle originally from America. They became popular in Indonesia in 2006. ‘Superman is Dead’ popularized the bikes in their music video clip. Many people have become interested in Low Riders because of their unique shapes. There is an unusual gap between the saddle and the handlebars. The bikes have a colorful design and unusual accessories. There are three different types: The Low Rider, small, quite low to the ground, The Cruiser which is little bit higher than the Low Rider and The Chopper, which has high handle bars. These Low rider bikes are good for leisure cycling but not for a long distance cycling. The original low rider, from America, cost up to 12 million Rupiah which is the same price as a motorbike. Wow!

The low riders have inspired kids in Bandung, Jakarta and Bali to create their own low riders. Alit, a fifteen-year old SMP student was interested in making his own low rider bicycle. He used his own old bike and repainted and modified it. He said he spent 2 million Rupiah on it. He painted his unique bike bright red and gave it sparkling silver wheels. Since the low rider trend is booming in Bali, kids now spend their time either modifying their bikes or riding them around the town. A good way to get exercise and I think it’s a good way to help fight against global warming – don’t you think so?

 

The Manga Culture

Manga has become increasingly popular all over the world including Indonesia. Manga originally came from Japan. It has existed in Japan for many years and has become part of the Japanese lifestyle and culture. A Manga character has big eyes, a small nose and small lips. People from all age groups are interested in Manga in Japan. You can find Manga cartoons in comic books, video games and cartoon films. The topics in Manga cartoons vary from action and adventure to romance, sports and games, historical drama, comedy, science fiction, mystery, horror and many others. With the increasing number of Manga fans in Japan there are also new cafés called Mangakissa or Manga cafes. These are coffee shops with a mini library of Manga comics. Manga fans can not only drink coffee and read Manga but they can even stay overnight if they miss a train or a plane. There are also Manga clubs, Manga clothing and accessories, and students can even study Manga at university.

In Indonesia, Manga became popular when cartoons like Dora-Emon, Candy-Candy, Kung Fu Boy, Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon appeared on TV. The most popular Manga comic among teenagers is “Detective Conan” but there are hundreds of Manga comics to choose from. Some original Manga stories have been translated into Indonesian but you can find original Manga comics drawn by Indonesian Manga artists. Machiko Maeyama is a Manga artist who owns the first and the only Manga school in Jakarta. It’s called ‘Machiko Manga School’. People of all ages come to learn how to draw Manga. Machiko gives workshops across Indonesia including a very interesting workshop for children at the Ubud Readers and Writers Festival in 2007. Are you a Manga fan? Who is your favourite Manga character? Write and tell us at KGRE.

The Australia Indonesia Partnership

Designing Schools with AIBEP

The Australia Indonesian Basic Education Program (AIBEP) is building 2000 schools in Indonesia. AIBEP is providing improved and equitable access to basic education through the construction of these 2000 junior secondary schools and facilities in the poorest and most under-served provinces and districts in Indonesia. In constructing new junior high schools, AIBEP follows the technical guidelines from the Indonesian Ministry of National Education.
The objectives of this construction are not only to complement the lack of infrastructures but also to improve the community role in the program in planning, implementing and maintaining. The program construction also improves the capacity of local government and community to coordinate. A new AIBEP-constructed school provides not only classrooms but also:

AIBEP's SDN Nunkurus, Kupang

  • administration rooms - one room for teachers and one room for the principal
  • a library or media room
  • a canteen/store room
  • a student activity/resource room
  • a praying room
  • toilets - 2 for girls and 2 for boys and 1 for teachers
  • a guard room and
  • a residence for the Principal and a dormitory for teachers (these are optional, but as these schools are often built in remote areas, the teachers can stay close to their place of work)

Other design considerations also taken into account include a land tilt is less than 10%, easy student and teacher access, free from flood, swamps and potential landslides, plus have a good water source close by.

Sekolah Satu Atap Tarbiyatul Muhidin, Srono, Banyuwangi - an AIBEP-constructed school

 

 

Building Bridges in Indonesia under the Eastern Indonesia National Road Improvement Project (EINRIP)


Australia is providing Indonesia with an interest free loan of $300 million. This money is being used to improve the condition of the national road and bridge network in most provinces in Eastern Indonesia. Australia is also providing about $28 million in grant assistance to help with the planning and design of these roads and bridges. Some existing bridges are being repaired although in many situations new bridges will be built to replace bridges in poor condition.

At the moment, EINRIP is designing a 98 metre long bridge that will be part of the Tohpati-Kusamba road in Bali. This bridge will be a pre-stressed concrete girder bridge. The bridge will cost around 12 billion rupiah.
Another bridge which has just been designed is a 260 metre long bridge in North Sulawesi. This bridge crosses a wide river that often has very high and rapid floodwaters. The new bridge will be higher and longer than the old one. This bridge will cost around Rp 31 billion.

Even though these two bridges have different styles and designs, they all are constructed to support their own weight (dead weight) and the weight of the traffic that must go across them. Bridge designers or civil engineers must also consider other factors such as the weather, strong winds and earthquakes when designing bridges.

Before an engineer or bridge designer at EINRIP can begin working on the design of a new bridge, a substantial amount of information is needed first –

  • a plan of the site
  • physical requirements of the bridge
  • weather and environmental
  • topography of the environment
  • soil and substrata conditions of the planned site
  • local conditions like the accessibility for the transport of equipment, materials and structural elements that must be used for construction
  • environmental requirements regarding the aesthetic quality of the bridge
  • health and safety requirements such as noise, vibrations and its compatibility with adjacent sites near the bridge.

Bridge destroyed, Manado - Gorontalo road,
June 2006. New bridge expected in 2008/2009.

Oz-Indo Connections

The inaugural Australian Alumni Awards 2008 were held on the 16th of February 2008 in Jakarta. The event recognised the outstanding talent, achievements and contributions made by Australian alumni in Indonesia. Did you know that about a third of all Indonesians studying overseas choose Australia as their preferred place of study? Dr. Shannon Smith and Ms. Felicity Pascoe, and their hard-working team from Australia Education International (AEI) based at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, organized the awards event. Nominations were invited from people all over Indonesia. In celebration of the 2008 Australian Alumni Awards, Kang Guru has produced a special CD. It contains 3-4 minute audio excerpts from just 18 of the many interviews Kang Guru has done with Indonesian alumni of Australia here in Indonesia over the past 7 years. Here are several of the alumni featured on the CD and what they can be heard talking about. If you are thinking of studying in Australia then their comments, and comments from the others on the CD, may be of great interest to you. http://www.kangguru.org/ausaidprojects/2008-alumniawards.htm

It is estimated that there are more than 30,000 Australian alumni living and working in Indonesia today. Many of the Australian alumni are high achievers and leaders in their fields. They include Ministers of State, successful entrepreneurs, academics and researchers, designers and popular musical talents. Australian remains the most popular study destination for Indonesians who study overseas. Check out the terrific Aussie Alumni website for yourself –

http://www.ozmate.com


Tommy Tjokro from METRO TV in Jakarta (pictured with Dian Krishna at the recent 2008 Aussie Alumni Awards evening) talks about:
* his initial ELICOS course and his various fields of study in Australia.
* his course changes while in Australia.
* how his career in the media in Indonesia came about since returning from Australia.

Vicky Sibi from Manado talks about:
* her life in Australia as a seven year old student at Clifton Hill Primary School in Victoria.
* her mother studying for her Ph. D. in Australia on an ADS scholarship.
* her English language level when she went to Australia and how quickly she picked up the language.
* her fond memories of excursions as a part of her school life.

 

The 2008 Australian Alumni Winners
Australian Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship - James Riady
Australian Alumni Award for Sustainable and Economic Development - Dr Boediono
Australian Alumni Award for Research and Innovation - Dr Kusmanyanto Kadiman and
Dr Herawati Sudoyo
Australian Alumni Award for Business Leadership - Mukiat Sutikno
Australian Alumni Award for Culture and Arts -
Mrs Marussya Nainggolan
Australian Alumni Award for Creativity and Design - Mr Budiman Hoolan Hendropurnomo
Australian Alumni Award for Journalism and Media - Miss Meutya Hafid
Check out the Kang Guru website for more details - http://www.kangguru.org/ausaidprojects/ausaidarchives.htm
If you are also an alumni of Australia, then be sure to join OZMATE as soon as you can.

 

Rachman Ida and her daughter, Zara are from Surabaya and Rachman talks about:
* her ASTAS scholarship to Australia from 1997 to 1999.
* her career as a Lecturer in the Communications Dept, Airlangga University, Surabaya since 1993.
* her second scholarship (ADS) to do her Ph D in Media Studies at Curtin University in Perth in 2002 - 2006.
* the university study style in Australia and her particular studies in Australia.
* taking her daughter to Australia with her and Zara's school experiences at primary school in Australia.LAPIS-ELTIS in Indonesia


Iffah Al-Batul is the founder of Eidelweiss English Language Club in Guluk-Guluk, Madura - a wonderfully active language club that has built up a strong association with Kang Guru over the past few years. But now Iffah is also a Master Trainer for LAPIS-ELTIS, an AusAID supported project in Indonesia. Iffah has recently completed her 6 month Cambridge ESOL ICELT and Training of Trainers course at IALF Bali as part of her preparation to become an ELTIS trainer. These 34 ELTIS Master Trainers from East Java and Lombok are responsible for delivering English Language Upgrading and Communicative English Language Teacher Training courses to English Teachers from Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) from selected locations in East Java and NTB over the next two years. Iffah taught her first class course of English Language Upgrading Level 1 from 21 January – 1 February at the IAIN Sunan Ampel campus in Surabaya. She was part of a team of 6 Master Trainers who taught 84 MTs teachers over the two-week course.

"Teaching ELU 1 was such a good experience for me as it was my first time teaching adult learners - it was challenging as the trainees were different ages and there were different abilities in the class, but everything went well. The 6 month Cambridge ICELT program I took to become an ELTIS Master Trainer helped me 100%. All the trainees were very impressed by our teaching methods"and they said they wanted to learn how to teach like this too".


University Page

Choosing a career in design

The digital media revolution means that customers are no longer happy just to see a still photograph on a page. They want to see moving images, sound and interactive text. As a result the demand for skilled artists, designers, animators, multimedia authors and people who can create, design and produce this type of material is high. Have you thought about a career in design?

Just a quick search on Google and it’s amazing to see all the different types of design courses available at universities around the world. You could study fashion and textile design, industrial and furniture design, transportation design, interior design, video design, graphic design, digital and virtual design or even theatre design. While learning about different skills on each of the courses, students are also usually taught about how to use that skill in the business world. One thing for sure is that computers and electronic technology play a big role in design courses nowadays. Cars and bridges can be designed using a computer and computers can do the calculations much more quickly than a human brain.
However you don’t need to be a qualified architect to design a new room or even a new house – just go along to your local computer shop and buy an inexpensive program. Magazines in shops and on the internet will tell you how to redesign the interior of your home to be up-to-date with ‘innovative new designs’. But I think it might be a good idea to get a qualified builder to build it for you!

Debate Topic-'Animal Skins"

Have you ever watched a TV documentary or a film about wild animals-especially the big cats - tigers leopards, cheetahs? Although they are meat eaters each big cat group has its own lifestyle and can easily be recognized by the wonderful markings of this thick fur coats. These fabulous coats are also conveted by some humans. The animals are often hunted for their skins which are sewn together to make fur coats for people to wear. Who do you think looks better in for animals or humans?

 

Natural fashion materials

People have always made clothes from whatever materials were available in the areas they live. Leather is processed from the skins of animals such as the cow and the camel. The caterpillar of the silk moth produces silk as it spins its cocoon. Sheep are the most common source of wool. Goats, llamas and alpacas also provide very soft, fine wool. Cotton is made from the soft white fibres of the cotton plant and flax is dried and spun and woven into linen. Some people also use the skins of crocodiles and other reptiles to make bags, belts and even clothes.


 

How smart are you?

Are you smart? Can you think quickly or cleverly in difficult situations? Well today many machines are designed to be smart. You can buy smart cars, washing machines and clothes driers, refrigerators, air conditioners and even window shades which automatically open and close depending on the sun! The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur were designed as intelligent buildings. They have features which coordinate and manage tele-communications, the environment and temperature, power supply and lighting, fire and smoke control, evacuation & emergency procedures and building security. Using the latest designs in chip technology machines are able to do more tasks and adjust their mechanics to outside influences. But is this always good? The staff at Kang Guru say machines which clearly show what they are doing are the best types of machines. Machines with complicated instructions and rows of beeping red lights are confusing. Kang Guru staff don’t like them very much. Are you quick at learning how to operate smart machines?

One SMK student with a great future ahead of her is Lutviani from Manar in West Sulawesi, who is studying fashion and design at SMK 8, Makassar. She is 14 years old and in her first year as a design student. Maggie interviewed her at school in Makassar in December 2007 and here is what Lutviani had to say –
· I‘ve always loved art and I just like clothes.
· I really like classical clothes. They are really flattering.
· I prefer classic lines. Trendy clothes are too tight and too clinging. They make me look too skinny.
· My favourite fabric is cotton. In the tropics, natural fibres like cotton, silk and linen are the best. They are cool and comfortable to wear.
· One day I’ll have my own design studio. In Paris, of course!

 

When where these things first used?
Can you match these inventions to when they were first used?
1. silk
2. zips
3. safety pins
4. bone needles
5. buttons
6. Velcro
7. buckles
8. shoe laces
9. the wire coat hanger
A) 30.000 years ago
B) The Bronze Age
C) 3500 BC
D) Ancient Rome and Greece
E) 1795
F) 1849
G) 1903
H) 1913
I) 1951

KangGURU Connection

Kang Guru Connection Club (KGCC) 2008

The Kang Guru Connection Club network of English language clubs has been a part of Kang Guru since 2001. The very earliest clubs included the Excellent Club in Jombang, the Space Club in Bandung, the Pioneer Club in Prenduan, Madura and the Best Forum Club based in Makassar. During the past seven years, several hundred clubs have joined the KGCC. Some have stayed as members and some have not. Did you know that three of those original four clubs are still members of the KGCC – amazing! The KGCC has certainly been successful. It is a credit to the leadership of those clubs over the years and to the enthusiasm of their members – thousands of members in fact.

During the early part of 2008, Kang Guru will be reviewing the KGCC network. The main point of this review is to see how Kang Guru can better provide support for the many hundreds of language clubs that want to be linked with Kang Guru. What can be done? What is the best way to do this? How can better results be achieved? Perhaps you have some ideas that may help Kang Guru to answer these questions. Why not send your ideas to Kang Guru as soon as possible? Kang Guru would love to hear from you - Ayu’s KGCC email address is kgcc@ialf.edu

 

Kang Guru went to Banyuwangi in February on a hectic but wonderful 5 day trip. First Ayu and Sue visited RAKA FM to meet the Kang Guru listeners. There were about 50 members of Raka English Club, Fragrant Water and Charming English Club, Galaxy English Club and of course RAKA radio announcers too. Ayu and Sue were bombarded with questions. Everyone joined in with some games before photographs were taken - memories.

Al Azhar held a one day English event at their school in Sempu and they invited Kang Guru to attend. It started in the morning with an English Poetry Reading Competition and a Miss Club Competition. Both Ayu and Sue were amazed by the talented participants - their English was great! Then they met together for the club meetings with Fragrant Water and Charming English clubs. Lots of questions there too. Umi, from USEF Jember (KGCC #71) also came over to Banyuwangi with 3 USEF members. They also joined the meeting and that was a big surprise for Ayu. The small get together type event was boisterous with lots of games and prizes. Then Sue and Ayu returned that evening at 7 o'clock to enjoy some club performances - dances, songs, a drama and a band. They were both thoroughly entertained!

Thanks to Pak Widodo, Romo Sulis (SMK Agustinus) Ibu Dyah, Tato, Mumpuni (Al-Azhar), Nining (RAKA FM), Umi from Jember and everyone else too. Fantastic!


 

Ayu, Kang Guru's new club person, visited Lombok in January and met the KGCC members there. The meeting was held at Café Delicio in Mataram. There were about 12 people from the ALFA English Club, Sasak English Club, L’GENDA English Club, Gado-Gado English Club and SMANDA English Club. We had a very nice dinner and the clubs gave lots of input and good suggestions for Kang Guru to think about for the future. It was great to hear that both the ALFA and Gado Gado clubs took the time to meet with members of the AIYEP group in Lombok in January.

What a great chance to practise their English with Aussies!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Borneo English club (KGCC #097) held a Kebaya Fashion Show at SMA Meliau on the 27th February, 2008. The purpose was to encourage teenagers in West Kalimantan to wear the kebaya on special occasions and to promote kebaya as Indonesia’s traditional costume. It also showed that wearing a kebaya is not at all old fashioned. Well good luck and please send Kang Guru some photos, okay?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

St Antonius school in Purwoharjo is not a member of the KGCC network but Pak Widodo, the Principal, is a good friend of Kang Guru. Last year, during Ramadhan, the school held a fashion parade. The muslim students in the school wore muslim fashions and the rest of the students could wear anything they wanted. Look at these students dressed to the nines.

The Joeys Club

 

It’s 2008 and the Joeys are holding a Fashion Show parade! The purpose of doing this (English language) Fashion Show is to keep up with the latest trends and of course to improve their English. They invited their friends from other schools to join in. The theme of their Fashion Show is “Funky Mix and (Mis) Match”. They have to wear anything funky but with mixing and (mis) matching of colours. Usually they are in school uniform for school but for this activity the Joeys are wearing quite different clothes. Don't they look fabulous? Well, what do you think? Cool or not cool?

A FASHION CHALLENGE

What are they wearing? Match the Joeys' names with the clothing items below. Their names? Check out the stickers above.

Who is wearing a floral top? ...........
Who are wearing a plain shirt? ...........
Who is wearing a spotted blouse? ..........
Who is wearing a striped top? ...........
Who is wearing a checked shirt? ...........

A Joeys Fashion Competition

Send a photograph of YOU wearing your favorite Mix and Match outfit to Kang Guru Joeys. Explain in a few words what you are wearing. You could win some fashion accessories from Kang Guru - earrings, bracelets, etc.

Now look at the numbers on the Joeys Fashion cartoon and match them with these anagrams.

1.sgnirrae 2. ecalkcen 3. triks 4. trihs-T
5. trihs 6. tleb 7. srekaens 8. pac 9. gabdnah

Keep up to date with Joeys on the Kang Guru website - http://www.kangguru.org/joeys.htm

e-learning with Kang Guru's Joeys - March / April 2008

During 2007, e-learning activities were offered by Kang Guru to SMP teachers and their students These cross-cultural e-learning exchanges were conducted between English language classes within Indonesia - see Sept/Dec. magazines 2007 for more information.

Here's what the 40 students at SMPO Negeri Cimahi in Cimahi, Jawa Barat thought of the Joeys e-learning activity held in Oct. - Nov. 2007. Their teacher, Pak Agus Suganda reported that the students said the e-learning was terrific for:

learning more about another culture in Indonesia
sharing knowledge about their area
using English for a real purpose
making new friends from another region

 

 

Would you, and your English teacher, like to be a part of the next e-learning activity? During March - April 2008, a third e-learning activity will be organized by Kang Guru. To be eligible for this third e-learning exchange, your teacher must be registered on the Kang Guru teacher database - get your teacher to contact Ayu at Kang Guru and register right now! Ayu's email address is joeys@ialf.edu

In mid March, Ayu will contact all teachers on the database by email with full details. The topic for this round of cross-cultural e-learning exchanges will be SPORT and hopefully some of the exchanges will be with Australian students too. And guess what? The June 2008 Kang Guru magazine will also have the theme of SPORT. Fantastic! Register NOW!

Kang Guru in the Classroom

Welcome to the many new teachers who may be reading this special Kang Guru page for the first time. Welcome back to all the thousands of English language teachers who are already using Kang Guru materials in their busy classrooms. We hope you are!

Kang Guru and Teacher Certification - a thankyou from Matauli

Teacher Certification is a new initiative introduced by the government to improve the standard of teaching in Indonesia. Many teachers think this is a good idea. Teachers must show that they are creative, active and innovative. Kang Guru has received several letters about this from teachers across Indonesia. Rizavatmi, from Sibolga, wrote a long email to Kang Guru after she had successfully passed her certification. She was very happy to have passed the selection and thanked Kang Guru for motivating her in six different ways to be a better teacher. Here is part of her email:
I have good news. In October 2007, I got chance to take part in Certificated Teacher Selection. Fortunately, I passed the selection. I was so happy to read the announcement on the internet on January 3rd, 2008. It makes me self-confident that I really am a good teacher. I can be a good teacher because:

  • First, I always get the Kang Guru Listening and Reading Class Sets for my classroom. We use it for reading and listening activities.
  • Second, the Kang Guru Teacher Package (March 2004) is really helpful and gave me inspiration to write a listening book.
  • Third, Kang Guru radio programs on RRI Sibolga also give me inspiration.
  • Fourth, the Kang Guru material for SMA is really helpful for making a good lesson plan especially for reading and writing because materials and activities in the books is based on the curriculum 2006.
  • Fifth, we have been in the Kang Guru Connection Club network and Kevin R. Dalton took part in our interactive broadcast on RRI Sibolga and met my students at SMA Matauli.
  • Sixth, Kang Guru also gave a workshop for English teachers and so the certificate can be used in the Certificated Teacher Selection process.

In my opinion, Kang Guru Radio English has been a good friend for everyone in Indonesia because when I called my friend, Muldaria, an English teacher at SMPN 3 X Koto Padang Panjang Sumatra Barat, she told me that she got the Listening and Reading Class Set from Kang Guru too. And when I attended KTSP Workshop in Medan in November 2007, many participants knew Kang Guru Radio English.

I think that is a great story of friends helping friends don’t you? Good luck to all teachers in Indonesia and don’t forget Kang Guru is here in Indonesia to help YOU!

A Great Vocabulary Game

Teachers at Kang Guru workshops always love the games - just like their students. They often write and ask us for more ideas for games. Here is a simple game to get your students thinking quickly in English. It can be played at any time during the lesson. It is probably best to play the game in small groups. A little competition between the groups can be good motivation.

  • Make sure you impose a time limit each round so the students don’t waste time. It’s very simple.
  • The students write 1-10 on a piece of paper.
  • Give the students category, for example - write 10 nouns/verbs in English beginning with the letter S or write 10 words in English of things made of wood / glass / metal / plastic or write ten words in English of things that are bigger/smaller than you, etc.
  • The students only have 30 seconds to complete the task.
  • The winner is the group who finish first (with the correct spelling).

Kang Guru's Teacher e-NEWSLETTER

Last year Kang Guru invited all teachers with email addresses to join our Kang Guru database. Many of you have joined already and after each workshop we add more names and addresses. Last year we sent e-NewsLETTERS to almost 1000 teachers and the good news is this year in January/February we sent almost 2000. That’s a lot of teachers! The e-NewsLETTERS is a way to share information and Kang Guru welcomes your input. Do you have any suggestions for topics for the April e-NewsLETTERS? Please email your suggestions to Sue at Kang Guru - srodger@ialf.edu

Have you used either the SMA or SMP Packages from Kang Guru with your students yet? Why not? Each package is only Rp 125,000 (for either cassettes or CD). If you want to have both audio cassettes and CDs, then the price is Rp 150,000. Fantastic!

Please send your money by pos wesel or bank transfer to KGRE:

Nama account: IALF

Bank: Bank Central Asia Cabang Hasanudin
Alamat: Jl. Hasanudin No. 58, Denpasar
No. account: 040-1-470-289

Note: For any order made by bank transfer, please send or fax the transfer slip to the KGRE office with your name and phone number.

Think about this for a minute. You are waiting for something to happen. Perhaps you have been waiting for a long time. Nothing happens! You are frustrated. What do you do? Dewi Sandra was in that situation a few years ago. Dewi needed good songs, new ones, to record and perform. Dewi told Kang Guru that a few years ago she had found herself waiting for new songs to be written for her. The trouble was that these promised songs were not arriving on her doorstep. So, what did she do? That’s right – she started writing her own. Now wasn’t that a great solution to her problem? Dewi started writing songs, even though she had no experience and couldn’t play any instruments. Slowly but surely, Dewi developed the skills needed to write music and lyrics. In the beginning, she used to hum tunes to friends and they’d help her write the music down. It took quite a while to develop her song writing skills but Dewi persevered and now writes many of her own songs. In fact, Dewi has written most of the songs on her latest CD called STAR. Some are in Indonesian and some in English and some she has written in collaboration with other artists including her husband, Glenn Fredly.

Dewi grew up in Singapore in an English speaking environment – she used English in school, her community and at home. Her father is British and her mother is from Indonesia. Dewi has always loved to sing and through hard work and perseverance, she can now say that her career is on a high. Her last CD is selling well with two singles being taken from it. Last year Dewi completed her very fist solo tour on six cities in Indonesia. Instead of being a one artist amongst others on a tour, Dewi was out front leading her own show. However, Dewi made it very clear to Kevin that the show was a lot more than just her. Dancers, lightning and sound technicians, makeup artists, promotions people and transportation coordinators, for example, were all a part of the show too.

As for fashion, Dewi believes fashion should be FUN. Dewi loves getting dressed up to the nines - the dresses, the glamour, the jewelry, the high heels and the hairstyles but she also says quite clearly - not 24/7. In particular, Dewi spoke about harajuku, the fashion trend that is sweeping Japan (see page 16). On a recent visit to Japan, Dewi was amazed by the fashions there. The colours, the mixing of styles, and the outrageous nature of harajuku really attracted her. Although she has followed the fashion on occasions here in Indonesia, it is once again just a bit of fun with fashion.

Dewi Sandra has given Kang Guru 10 copies of her latest CD. They are autographed as well. To win a copy just send an SMS to Kang Guru before April 30th, with the answer to this simple question - What is the name of Dewi's latest CD?
Be sure to include your full name and address on the SMS.

Alvin Tjitrowirjo is known for his originality and his modern, sophisticated, stylish lifestyle products. Alvin graduated as a Bachelor of Industrial Design in 2004 from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia. Alvin’s spectacular Bell Chair has already been exhibited in Europe at one of the world’s leading furniture fairs in Milan, Italy in 2005. In June 2006, Alvin held his first solo exhibition entitled “Alvin+Volvo” which was sponsored by Volvo as well as leading commercial brands such as DuPont, Corian by MAS and The Hour Glass. Since then, Alvin has been involved with several collaboration projects, working alongside Indonesia’s top architects and fashion designers. Alvin is a part-time lecturer of furniture and interior design in the Faculty of Design at University of Pelita Harapan, one of the top private Universities in Jakarta, Indonesia. Right now he is in Spain studying even more about design - good luck Alvin - http://www.alvin-t.com/


Fashion Designer and an Australian Alumni - Sally Koeswanto

Sally is originally from Surabaya and admits that she was quite a rebellious teenager. As a teenager, she would take her clothes and cut them up, change them and create her own style. Often Sally did that to actually shock people. Even today Sally is a very provocative and innovative designer. Her trademarks include mixing materials that don’t usually go together – such as chiffon and leather. She loves to use shiny materials in her outfits along with feathers and as already stated, lots of leather. A pair of boots that Kevin saw in the shop were a prime example of that type of exotic and daring combination – feathers and leather. Many of her wonderful designs were displayed during the Aussie Alumni 2008 Awards.



 
Sally studied design in Australia for almost 4 years before returning to Indonesia to start her own business. Sally told Kang Guru that design is something that comes from within. She knew from a young age that she wanted to create great, if not daring, clothes for women to wear. Sally learnt how to make clothes herself – sewing and cutting her ideas into outfits. Sally acknowledges that proper, formal training in fashion design has also been an important part of her success. Sally now has a team of people helping her but the creative genius of her business comes from Sally herself.
Kang Guru met with Sally Koeswanto, and her daughter Rachel, at her boutique in Darmawangsa in January 2008. Sally’s boutique is an eye opener with unusual yet beautiful fashions on every rack and on every counter. Why not check out Sally's wonderful website - http://www.sallykoeswanto.com/

 

Different Pond Different Fish

Sarong Day in Oz

When Ayu was teaching in Australia last year, she took traditional Indonesian clothes with her so that students in Australia could experience wearing them. Aussie kids find it hard to wear a sarong. They can’t breath and sit properly in a sarong. They also think that a sarong is only for women and not for men.

Some of them laughed when the boys put on sarongs. They loved the colours and the patterns but they said that they would probably never wear a sarong again. They also agreed it was a good experience for them. Do you wear sarongs to school? Probably not. No wonder they felt strange.

Fashion in Australian High Schools

Juni WidaryantiAustralian school outfits are quite different to Indonesian high schools’ uniforms. In Indonesia the uniform for high school students is the same all over the country. However in in Australia it is different from one school to another. There are usually two uniforms - one for summer (hot weather) and one for winter (cold weather). In summer, when the temperature can be very hot, the boys go to school in shorts with a shirt or a polo shirt. The girls wear a skirt.

Now, footwear is also important for some fashionable kids. Almost all boys and some girls wear surf brand sneakers with or without socks. Sandals are also popular, especially the types with laces that can be tied around the leg. Flip-flops aren’t allowed at school. When the colder weather arrives school the fashion also changes. Students go to schools in their trousers or jeans with a shirt or a long sleeved top plus a sweater over it. Most of them will also wear a scarf around their neck and some will wear a beanie hat. Everyone will be wearing winter shoes or boots. What about jewelry or other accessories? Big silver ring earrings and the latest trendy sunglasses are popular with the girls. The boys…well, they try to be cool with their surf watches and the trendiest sunglasses.

Juni Widaryanti, Indonesian Teaching Assistant in Macksville High School and Bellingen High School, New South Wales, 2007.

 

Students at Belingen High School dressed for school.

 

Harajuku

Harajuku refers to the area around Harajuku Railway Station in Tokyo, Japan. It is the center of Japan’s most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles. The center of extreme teenage fashion is Takeshita Street and surrounding streets. These streets have many trendy shops, fashion boutiques for not only teenagers but also for adults. There are also used clothes stores, fast food outlets and historical sights.

Sunday is the time when many young people gather around Harajuku Station and engage in cosplay (costume play). Many are dressed up in crazy costumes to resemble animal characters, punk musicians, etc. Now Harajuku has become one of the popular school excursion destinations for Japanese students. Agnes Monica and Gwen Stefani are two celebrities who often dress in Harajuku style. So what do you think of Harajuku style? Do you like it?

How to dress in Harajuku style?

  1. Mix and (mis)match different fashions.
  2. Dress in layers - layer your clothes: sweaters, vests, or jackets over blouses over t-shirts, dresses worn with leggings, and so on. Layering clothes allows you to mix and match a wide variety of different styles, and adds more interest to your outfit.
  3. Customize your clothes - second-hand clothing and do-it-yourself styles are popular in a Harajuku outfit. Use scissors and glue and make your store-bought clothes uniquely yours.
  4. Accessorize - add any wild accessories you have, such as belts, earrings, hair clips, jewelry, and handbags. Remember, accessories can be colorful and loud, and they don’t have to match your clothes.
  5. Wear whatever looks good to you - Harajuku is a way of dressing in whatever looks good to you.

If you think a striped top will go together with spotted skirt or pants then why not wear them?

..........................


Year 8 students wearing their summer uniforms at Woolooware High School


KGRE News Room

P4TK Bahasa and Kang Guru

In recent Kang Guru teacher workshops in Sidoarjo and Nganjuk (Feb. 8 and 15/16), Kang Guru was happy to welcome Pak Fathur, Pak Djodi and Pak Taufiq from P4TK Bahasa (Pusat Pengembangan dan Pemberdayaan Pendidik dan Tenaga Kependidikan), the Indonesian Education Department's English Language Training Center in Jakarta. These senior trainers threw themselves into the various workshop activities and said afterwards that they were very happy to be included. Kang Guru anticipates further workshop cooperation over the next few months with Kang Guru providing workshop activities in other provinces within the current P4TK training schedule.

On the Road with Kang Guru

It’s only March and Kang Guru has already traveled to many places Indonesia! There have been workshops in Sorong, Purwoharjo, Pamekasan, Sidoarjo and Nganjuk. Sue had a unique club meeting on a beautiful tropical island inhabited by bats. Kevin attended an Aussie Alumni dinner in Surabaya and the Australian Alumni Awards 2008 in Jakarta. Sue and Ayu have been judges at an English poetry reading competition, a Miss English Competition and a humourous story telling competition in East Java. It’s fantastic to see so many active teachers motivating their students to use English. We have also visited club get-togethers and played games and watched performances by club members. Phew! March sees Kang Guru in Ambon, Mungkid and Bontang! When do the Kang Guru crew sleep!

Check the Kang Guru Calendar for Travel Plans - http://www.kangguru.org/kgrelatestnews.htm

 

Annual Writing Competition 2008

Last year, Kang Guru's Annual Writing Competition was directed towards junior high school level students (SMP). This year the entrants must be students from senior high school OR university. That's right, if you are studying at those levels then be sure to enter. The topic is SPORT. Yout writing task is to respond to the following statement. Do you agree or disagree and give reasons why you feel that way. Write a maximum of 300 words.

Please note: If you send more than 300 words then your entry will not be considered

Sport is very, very important.

Entries must arrive at Kang Guru in Bali before April 30th. The Grand Winner, and a friend, will be invited to Bali to visit Kang Guru later this year.

Special for 2008: two runner-up winners will also win a trip bali as well but just one ticket, okay?

 


 

Ayu - ELT Media and Communications Co-ordinator


For the first part of 2008, Ayu Kusumastuti, a long time English teacher at IALF Bali and friend of Kang Guru, will be working with Kang Guru in Bali. Ayu has had a great deal of Aussie experience and is quite well-known in Bali as an event organizer. She is often wild and funny, and knows lots about everything.
One of Ayu's main tasks at Kang Guru between January and June 2008 is to help with the review of the Connection Club network in Indonesia. As a part of this, Ayu will be visiting many clubs. She has already visited clubs in Lombok and East Java - http://www.kangguru.org/kgretravel.htm


Ayu, second from left, with members from the Gado Gado and Sasak English Clubs in Lombok in January 2008.

Kang Guru's studio at IALF Bali

The most important thing in producing Kang Guru radio programs is a modern recording studio. In May 2007, Multimedia IALF Bali, moved to their new and fabulous studio. The new studio is located on the 2nd floor of the IALF Bali main building. It is divided into a vocal booth and the control room. All walls are double layered and have acoustic foam and gypsum board. Windows are heavy double panes (1.0 mm glass). All doors are made from strong wood, heavy solid and a double thickness. All floors have thick pile carpet with heavy padding underneath.

The equipment used for producing programs includes the sound-proofed vocal booth, a computer connected to a mixer, a sophisticated tape recorder and microphone setup for recording. There are also two other computers connected to TV/DVD which are used for video material recording and editing.

How often do you listen to Kang Guru? Do you listen every week, often or sometimes? Send an SMS