ETA Tessa Sontheimer had the opportunity to explore more of her new home of Java with her colleagues and co-teachers when she was invited on the FunTrip Guru & Karyawan Bromo-Batu excursion on September 20-22. All of the teachers at SMAN 2 Demak were invited to celebrate the recent retirees and the new headmaster joining the school. ETA Tessa was thrilled to be included. The weekend was jam-packed! Four full tour buses of teachers and their families left Demak at 4 pm and arrived in Bromo at 1 am on Saturday. Immediately after arriving in Bromo, ETA Tessa piled in a Jeep with her new headmaster, her sitemate ETA Maddy Mele, a colleague Bu Kartika, and Bu Kartika’s daughter to begin the two-hour climb to witness the sunset from Pasuruan.
After a gorgeous sunrise and few treasured moments to appreciate the incredible beauty of Indonesia with friends and colleagues, they continued to explore Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.
The rest of the weekend they explored Batu, visiting Jalan Raya Selecta and other local attractions. Tessa befriended her co-teacher Bu Dian’s 8-year old daughter Takia and is very excited to share more adventures with her. The trip allowed ETA Tessa to bond with her colleagues and their families. It was a terrific opportunity to forge new and deeper relationships in her school community–sharing laughter, a road trip across Java, karaoke, meals, and new adventures. It was also a great opportunity to practice her Indonesian with new friends.
Tessa Sontheimer is currently teaching at SMAN 2 Demak, Central Java.
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