After an intense two weeks of final exams, ETA Emiko Wu was excited to celebrate the end of the semester at MAN Insan Cendekia’s weeklong festival of sports and games. With over 15 different events, the campus buzzed with anticipation. The festivities kicked off with a parade throughout the campus, as each class donned homemade costumes inspired by themes ranging from Super Mario to Minecraft.

Another crowd favorite was the flashmob competition, where Emiko served as one of the judges. She enjoyed singing and jamming along to both Indonesian and American pop songs. Jasmine Coley, another ETA in Kendari, also joined the festivities, coming to campus to watch and cheer on the students as they danced.

Other highlights included the storytelling competition, a fashion show featuring outfits made from recycled materials, and sharing pisang goreng (fried bananas) with her students while watching the volleyball finals. In the evenings, Emiko especially looked forward to the schoolwide talent show, where students showcased their skills in dancing, comedy, and magic.

Emiko wrapped up the semester with a celebratory trip to the mall with the winners of her International Education Week essay competition. They enjoyed milkshakes and a visit to Gramedia to pick out new books, eagerly looking forward to reading and relaxing during the upcoming break.

Emiko Wu is currently teaching at MAN Insan Cendekia Kota Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi.