With the grant period coming to a close, it’s a bittersweet feeling for ETA Alice Rodi as she looks back on her year of teaching.

From volunteering at a local elementary English school with her sitemate, Iyesha, and giving a university lecture in early April, to presenting endless topics (and playing countless games) in her English classes at SMK Raden Umar Said (RUS), Alice has felt incredibly fortunate for the ability to learn and grow as an instructor.

At RUS, a recent highlight for Alice was watching her students Dandangan vlogs. In February and March, tasked with creating 3-5 minute videos about their experience, Alice’s tenth graders flocked to Kudus’s annual festival held to welcome the month of Ramadan. In the following weeks, each student presented their vlog during class. Alice was impressed by the creativity of her students and enjoyed seeing their unique interpretations of the task.

Beyond RUS, this month Alice was grateful for the opportunity to deliver a lecture to nearly 200 English majors at Universitas Muria Kudus. Asked to speak about an element of American culture, Alice chose to present on migration and multiculturalism in the US. She was thankful for the opportunity to highlight the country’s cultural diversity and the value of immigrants, as well as showcase her own hometown, upbringing, and even undergraduate research.

Although she is trying her best to savor her last month of teaching, Alice looks forward to keeping in touch with her students, and with all members of her community, post-grant.

Alice Rodi is currently teaching at SMK Raden Umar Said Kudus, Jawa Tengah.