KangGURU
Travels to Trenggalek, Jombang and Surabaya in March 2006
written by Kevin
I have been to East Java many times for KGRE and I always enjoy it. East Java is such a wonderful part of Indonesia and so beautiful too. The drive from Surabaya to Trenggalek, for a KGRE Teacher Workshop, took about 4 hours but once past the busy roads near Surabaya there were wide expanses of ricefields and farmland as far as I could see. As we approached Trenggalek there were huge mountains rising up from the ricefields. The storm clouds were huge but guess what? No rain.
On the way to Trenggalek I stopped in Jombang. The main reason for stopping there was to pick up Amber and Ben who were traveling to Trenggalek with me. But the other reason for stopping ‘on route’ was to eat nasi rawon in a roadside warung. I love nasi rawon – a black soup type meal with rice and delicious pieces of meat. The taste is sensational. Do you know that it is difficult to even find a warung in Denpasar that sells nasi rawon? Therefore East Java is great for that very reason.
We all booked into the Hyam Wuruk Hotel in Trenggalek and were soon met there by the Organizing Committee for the workshop. Ibu Nurul, from Gazebo English Course, arrived at the hotel at 7.00 pm with her team or assistants. We discussed the workshop – venue, starting times, participants, equipment, etc. and then walked about one kilometer to the venue. It is always good to see the workshop location and facilities before the day of the event.
Wawan, a young student that I met at RRI Malang earlier in the year, was also there to meet us at the hotel that night and he walked with us to the venue. He is asli Trenggalek but studies in Malang. He teaches English in Malang as well as studying. |
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The workshop was attended by over 100 teachers and was very well organized. Registration was well underway when I arrived by becak at 7.30am. Everything was ready to go. At 8am the Regent arrived, Pak Soeharto. He was very pleased to open the workshop and spoke English as well. He has only been Regent for 3 months but has already shown that he is very interested in education and in English too. The workshop was well underway by 8.30am. |
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Teachers were generally very keen and asked many questions about KGRE and about our services to English language teachers and students in Indonesia. Amer Earles, an member of ISELP ( Islamic Schools English Language Project), an AusAID project in basically located in East Java, assisted me with the workshop. Amber was relaxed and very good with the teachers. She has had a lot of experience in Indonesian schools and really knew what she was doing. Amber has also written materials for English language teachers as a part of her work at pondok pesantren Darul Ulum in Jomang. Teachers responded very well to her instructions and enjoyed what she had to show them. |
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Amber is one of the people who is helping KGRE at the moment. Josie Gawron, from IALF Bali, is another person helping KGRE. In fact, at the very same time that Amber was helping KGRE in Trenggalek, Josie was in Central Java working with teachers there. Sue Rodger will be going to Sumba during late March. Being willing and able to travel all over Indonesia is an especially important part of the work of KGRE. Visits to radio stations, schools , KGRE Connection Clubs, AusAID projects and presenting teacher workshops are all a part of the life of a KGRE staff member. |
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In the afternoon over 200 students came to the workshop venue. Many of them were from the Gazebo Language Course but some were students from schools in Trenggalek. At the front of the room there were plenty of SD ages children - all keen on English and all as 'cheeky and lively' as all children are of that age. |
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On Sunday morning Wawan and Ibu Nurul accompanied me to meet the people at ADS – PT. RADIO ARENA DUTA SWARA radio station in Trenggalek – 95,6 FM and 1044 AM. I spoke with Pak Nico and it seems that they are very interested in playing KGRE plus developing an Interactive Program in conjunction with Gazebo English Course. |
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In the afternoon I met with Andi from Tunas Hijau to discuss the cover for the June 2006 magazine. Andi is studying graphic design in Sby and some examples of his work can be seen in the March magazine. I am hoping that Andi will be able to help us with the front cover of the June magazine with the theme of Science and Technology. Margaret, Prue and Pauline, all ISELP teacher trainers in East Java, also chatted with Andi about some work they would like him to do for them. Roni from Tunas Hijau along with Rosita accompanied Andi for the meeting.
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Check Task 2 - Page 6 in the magazine for a competition. You can win copies of this CD from Tunas Hijau.
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On Monday morning I flew back to Denpasar and back to the KGRE office.
Return to Past Travels of KGRE in Indonesia
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