Good Morning, Santo Yosef!

Kiki 1

In the corner of a dark and unused closet at Santo Yosef Senior High School a fifty-year-old antique was discovered. As it turns out the antique was a device used for Santo Yosef’s radio station in the 1970’s. Dusted off and tinkered with, the device became the impetus for a new radio show hosted by two enthusiastic students and ETA Kiki Nakamura-Koyama.

The radio hosts spend a few hours during the week planning the topic of discussion and two songs to play. They try to balance sharing American and Indonesian culture as well as political challenges around the world and celebrity gossip. The conversations so far have ranged from Kiki’s deepest insecurities to bule who do not take the time to learn the Indonesian language to Latinx Heritage Month.

At 9.15 am every Friday morning the two student hosts’ voices ring throughout the school following the same sound wave track of students’ voices 50 years ago, “Good morning, Santo Yosef!” Unfortunately, only a handful of students who stand in specific part of the central courtyard can understand what they say due to the dusty technology. As one of the radio hosts noted in a debrief session, “The only thing they complimented us on are the songs we choose.” While the radio show is not perfect yet, Kiki cherishes the moments planning for the radio talk show where she encourages the hosts to contemplate questions like, “What are students talking about this week?” “What are students not talking about this week?” “What do you think students should be talking about this week?” “How do we not sound like the PA system in Charlie Brown’s school?” Kiki’s favorite part of the radio talk show is when the two student hosts press the off button on the mic, and they all take a collective sigh of relief.

Kiyoko “Kiki” Nakamura-Koyama is currently teaching at SMA Santo Yosef Pangkalpinang, Bangka-Belitung

Last Updated: Dec 16, 2019 @ 11:06 am
WordPress Video Lightbox