The dawning of the American holiday season provided ETA Parker Raybourne with the opportunity to share the jubilation of Thanksgiving with students from the English Club at SMKN 1 Cangkringan and The American Corner at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (AC UMY).

During a celebration hosted by AC UMY, participants enjoyed a blend of traditional American holiday foods and Indonesian staples. The event served as a platform for cultural sharing, with attendees engaging in a gift exchange, exploring facets of the American holiday season, and practicing English by sharing their aspirations for the future.

For many Parker’s students, this occasion marked their first introduction to the Thanksgiving holiday and their initial immersion into a predominantly English-speaking environment. Parker valued his students’ opportunity to connect with local English speakers and university students. He hopes this experience will broaden their perspectives and open doors to future opportunities. The event reignited a passion for English acquisition and exposed his students to a network of local English connections.

In reflection, Parker hopes this event created an environment conducive to developing “real-life” communication skills in English while nurturing mutual understanding between American and Indonesian cultures.

AC UMY, established through a partnership program between the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Indonesia and Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY), is pivotal in strengthening ties between the American people and global audiences. This is achieved through its extensive collection of multimedia resources and English-based programming.

Harrison “Parker” Raybourne is currently teaching at SMKN 1 Cangkringan, Yogyakarta.