September 2024 Edition
Welcome, Selamat Datang, to the first edition of the Fulbright ETA Monthly Highlights from the 2024-25 cohort! Ten new English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) from the United States arrived in Indonesia on August 5, 2024, marking the commencement of their transformative journey. Each year, the ETAs’ arrival signifies a special moment for AMINEF, highlighting our continued mission of cross-cultural exchange and mutual understanding.
Following their arrival and a brief acclimatization in Jakarta, which included meetings with the AMINEF team and a distinguished dinner with the US Ambassador, these ETAs traveled to their teaching sites. The ETAs spent one week at their sites before converging in Yogyakarta for an intensive 2.5-week orientation program, immersing themselves in language acquisition, teaching methodologies, and an exploration of Indonesian culture. Their local Indonesian counterparts also joined them.
Upon successfully completing the intensive orientation, the ETAs and their counterparts began the next phase of their journey, returning to their respective sites on September 1, 2024. This year, our ETAs will be teaching in public (Sekolah Menengah Atas, SMA) and vocational (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan, SMK) high schools across North Sumatra, Belitung, West Kalimantan, Lampung, North Sulawesi, Riau, Central Java, and Bengkulu. Already, they have been making an impact and have some captivating stories to share about their engagement!
The Fulbright ETA Program, a well-regarded initiative funded by the US Department of State and carried out in numerous countries worldwide, positions recent college graduates and young professionals as English Teaching Assistants in primary and secondary schools or universities overseas. This program serves the dual purpose of enhancing the English language proficiency and knowledge of the US for international students while also elevating language skills and deepening the understanding of the host countries among the US participants. In Indonesia, the Fulbright ETAs are placed in high schools, where they assist local English teachers. This enduring program, spanning 20 years, has left an incredible mark on countless Indonesian students and their communities across the sprawling archipelago.
AMINEF, in charge of the Fulbright program in Indonesia since 1992, collaborates closely with the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology to administer the ETA program in Indonesia.
The Fulbright ETA Monthly Highlights serves as a unique platform for our ETAs to reflect upon and share their memorable experiences throughout their grant tenure. In this inaugural September edition, the ETAs will detail their first month at their respective sites in Indonesia. Join us in reading their stories about first impressions, classroom activities, and extracurricular engagements as they navigate their Fulbright experience and leave an enduring legacy of cultural exchange and mutual understanding.
AMINEF American Program and Communications Teams
We would love to receive your feedback.
Please share your favorite stories with us, including those you found interesting, your preferred teaching methods, or activities you’d like to learn more about. You can email us at communications@aminef.or.id. We’ll feature your feedback in our upcoming highlights, and you might even have a chance to win a special thank-you gift from us.
2024 Orientation Program Welcomes ETAs to Indonesia
The ETAs of the 2024-2025 cohort arrived in Jakarta on August 5. The following morning, they attended US Embassy presentations led by Foreign Service Officers, including security briefings and an explanation of Citizen Services resources. They had the privilege of dinner with US Ambassador Kamala Lakhdhir at her residence. Ambassador Lakhdhir shared stories and wisdom.. Read More.
Student Council Leadership Camping Trip!
In September 2024, Annie, a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) at SMA Xaverius Bandar Lampung, attended a three-day, two-night Santiaji student council camping leadership training at Asilo Hermelink in Bandar Lampung. The event involved 67 students and 29 teachers, including candidates for the 2024/2025 OSIS and MPK student council positions from Classes X and XI… Read More.
SMKN 5 Pontianak’s First English Club Meeting
Hira Baig, an ETA at SMKN 5 Pontianak, had an exciting month restarting the English Club. On September 6, she hosted the first session, designing it to be an interactive day to enhance students’ conversational skills through engaging activities. Around 20 students from grades 10 to 12 participated, eager to practice their English in a.. Read More.
Singing an American Classic at English Club
September has been filled with excitement and much enthusiasm at SMKN 1 Kutalimbaru. ETA Brady Allen has felt a very warm welcome from his students and fellow teachers. During his first few weeks of teaching, grade 10 students got to know Brady and his life in the US through his presentations about his life and.. Read More.
English Club: Reflective Writing
Since starting at SMA Santo Paulus at the beginning of September, ETA Kylie Eiselstein has enjoyed getting to know her students and classes. Still, she has especially loved interacting with the English Language Club. In one meeting with the ELC, Kylie taught a short, interactive game called “Bang!” (shoutout to EDUCO for this summer camp.. Read More.
In her first month at the site, ETA Hannah Semmes played more games than she had in the last decade of her life. She and her co-teachers have found that games are an effective strategy for getting students up and active, mentally and physically—this is important in an Indonesian classroom, where students typically remain seated.. Read More.
An Experience-Informed English Classroom!
September 2024 was ETA Alyssa Guiang’s first month at her host high school, SMAN 1 Tomohon, in North Sulawesi. She was welcomed warmly by the teachers, students, staff, and neighboring community. She enthusiastically attended the high school’s 78th-anniversary celebration, where she watched exciting student performances and met the governor of North Sulawesi. Alyssa was also.. Read More.
“A Day in My Life” – Comic Strips
Over the last month, the English classrooms at SMAN 2 Tanjung Pandan have been filled with lessons about adjective phrases, annotation notes, recount texts, and storyboard race games. Recently, ETA Adeena Ali and her co-teachers have been opening the class with a few challenging rounds of Telephone, a game that always leaves her students giggling.. Read More.
Abdurrab Foundation’s 30th Milad Celebration
On Sunday, September 8, ETA Maria Osman joined over 200 students, teachers, professors, and professionals to celebrate the Abdurrab Foundation’s 30th Milad. The Abdurrab Foundation funds several educational institutions, including Abdurrab University, an Islamic school, and the vocational school (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan, SMK), where Maria serves as an ETA. The event kicked off with a.. Read More.
Fashioning a Sustainable Future
For two weeks in September, the 10th-grade students embarked on a new journey in the world of fashion design while promoting sustainability by focusing on the environmental principle of “reduce, reuse, and recycle.” ETA Manav Rungta and his co-teachers encouraged students to creatively incorporate these sustainability concepts by using recycled materials to craft elegant dresses.. Read More.
