Kevin's Travel Report from Sby to Jkt
Date |
Activities |
Tuesday
Jan 25 |
I went to Surabaya (late afternoon flight) to meet with KGI Champion Pak Suryadi the next day. I wanted to do a video interview with him for the February KGI Bulletin and the KGI website. Suryadi has recently been to Australia with LAPIS, an AusAID activity in Indonesia, and togetherwith his work for KGI and ELTIS, he has had amazing last few years.
KGI originally met him in Madura in 2005 when he ran a KGI language club at Al-Amien Boarding School in Madura. He has been a long time supporter of KGI and along with the other six Champions, has provided a lot of support, ideas and enthsiasm for KGI. Their contributions to KGI's regular Consultative group meetings in Bali have been much appreciated. |
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Wednesday
Jan 26
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After my early morning meeting with Suryadi at IAIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya I flew to Jakarta to attend the opening of the 2011 Australian Film Festival at MegaPLex Cinema Complex in central Jakarta.
The Australian Ambassador was there along Christina Hakim to launch the festival organized by the Cultural Section of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta. The festival was titled 'Australia On Screen'. The first film in the festival was ‘Bran Nue Dae’ – a musical starring Jessica Mauboy, Geoffrey Rush and Rocky Mckenzie.
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Thursday
Jan 27
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A busy day for me – first was a visit to the IALF building in Kunungan to see the BRIDGE participants there. Ayu from KGI and Reny from IALF Bali were giving the 20 participants, all from madrasah in East Java, Banten and Jakarta, their pre-departure training before they go to Australia in March.
During the day I spent a lot of time in taxis as I visited the Jakarta Post to interview Australian journalist, Isabelle, and to the Jakarta Globe to interview a fellow journalist, Ben. They are both part of a group of students from Australian and New Zealand universities participating in separate Journalism Professional Practicum and Development Studies Professional Practicum programs in Jakarta. Check the KGI website in late February for podcasts of both Isabelle and Ben chatting iwth KGI in Jakarta.
Check the KGI website in late February for podcasts of both Isabelle and Ben chatting with KGI in Jakarta. |
Friday
Jan 28
|
On Friday I went to the Kempinksi Hotel to interview Rocky Mckenzie, a star of the Aussie film ‘Bran Nue Dae’. Rocky, an indigenous Australian from Broome in far north-west Australia, was great to chat with and with his love of sport and films, we had a lot to talk about.
In the afternoon I returned to MegaPlex Cinema to present an Aussie Quiz after the movie ‘Looking for Alibrandi’. Then to the Australian Embassy for a special charity event to raise money for the Australian flood victims. A busy day indeed.
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Check out the KGI February
Bulletin and linked podcasts for more
of Rocky McKenzie. |
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Saturday
Jan 29 |
On Saturday I returned to Bali for a quiet weekend at home. |
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