At ETA Avery Erickson’s school, SMKN 4 Surakarta, there are three primary student tracks: the culinary arts program, the hotel reception program, and the beauty and spa program. This month, she co-taught a vibrant and dynamic lesson for the tenth-grade students in the hotel reception program called “Describing Tourist Attractions.” The beginning of class began with a team-building activity in which small groups of students were assigned to physically depict a major global tourist destination, such as the Borobudur Temple, the Great Wall of China, or the Eiffel Tower. Students from different groups were then asked to describe and guess the name of their classmates’ tourist destination.

Following this warm-up activity, Avery presented the essential components of describing a place, including its name, location, physical features, and history. She gave her example description of a popular attraction from her hometown in Indiana called Lakeside Park, a historic rose garden where weddings and community events are hosted. Next, the teachers and students practiced describing Bali together using the technique presented at the beginning of class.

Finally, students were invited to write their rich descriptions of tourist attractions in Indonesia. Students described historic attractions across Java, such as Malioboro, a famous, bustling street in Jogjakarta, and Pasar Gede, a popular traditional market in the heart of Solo. Avery was delighted to learn more about popular sites across Java and in Solo, the city she calls home.

Avery Erickson is currently teaching at SMKN 4 Surakarta, Central Java.