During the closing weeks of his grant, ETA Sam Chen used an unexpected three-day weekend to make a trip six years in the making. While in high school, Sam studied German, and had the opportunity to study in Bielefeld, Germany, for three weeks through a government scholarship program. While there, Sam roomed with two other students, from Mozambique and Indonesia. After their study abroad program finished, the three parted ways, promising to meet up some time in the future. When Sam learned he would have the chance to work in Indonesia, a mere hours’ flight from where his former roommate Asep lived, Sam knew he needed to make the trip.

After studying Indonesian for months (Asep speaks little English, and Sam’s German is all but lost), Sam booked his trip to Bandung, West Java, for the long-awaited reunion. He had the opportunity to meet Asep’s family, learn about Sundanese culture, and, most importantly, to catch up with a friend he hadn’t seen for years. At the end of their long weekend together, Sam and Asep recreated one of the photos they had taken during their time in Germany. Besides the fact that they’ve both grown mustaches, not much has changed!
Sam Chen is currently teaching at SMKN 7 Semarang, Central Java