In November, ETA Greg Sutton continued his Teaching Assistantship in full swing, running weekly Teacher’s Class (daily English practice and lessons for non-English teachers), English Club (for students interested in practicing English), and ETA Corner Area (for high English proficiency students), as well as lesson planning on Fridays.

For the week of Thanksgiving, Greg incorporated a fun culture and language lesson into his club times. He spoke about the origins of Thanksgiving in the US, the traditions that Americans observe every year, and the significance of being thankful. In turn, he had the club members draw outlines of their hands in the shape of a turkey and write five things they were thankful for. He also handed out oleh-oleh – American flag key chains were a big hit – and had his students try exotic American candy, like pop rocks and warheads.

Greg had plenty to be thankful for himself. He particularly enjoyed the opportunity to interview and take portraits of half a dozen teachers for Indonesiaful, the ETA-run blog on the exchange experience in Indonesia. It gave him a chance to connect to non-English speaking teachers and ask them about cultural exchange.

Greg Sutton is currently teaching at SMK Muhammadiyah 7 Gondanglegi, Malang, East Java