ETA Blake Lapin accompanied three of his English language co-teachers to the house of an accounting teacher at school. Blake was told before leaving that the accounting teacher had just returned from Hajj and that it was customary for the whole community to visit the house. Blake was unsure about what such a visit would entail. He assumed it would be similar to an American reception.

He and his co-teachers traveled to the house and sat down on a blue carpet in the room closest to the front door. Furniture was moved out of that room so it was apparent the house had been redecorated for the arrival of guests. The visitors and two hosts sat down with snacks between them—oranges, pistachios, almonds and dates from Mecca.

Blake shared his back story—that he is from the United States and will be staying at SMKN 1 Turen until the end of May. In turn, Blake learned that it’s customary for returnees from Hajj to host community members for a week in their house to talk about the experience. Unlike the single-evening reception Blake was accustomed to, this hosting is spread throughout the week with staggered visits. After eating snacks, talking, and drinking water from the ZamZam well, they moved to a room in the back of the home where they ate a meal. After finishing, the visitors traveled back to school.

Blake Lapin is currently teaching at SMKN 1 Turen in Malang, East Java