January marks the start of a new semester for schools in Indonesia, plus it is the half-way mark for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grant in Indonesia. Every January, the American Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF, the Fulbright Commission in Indonesia) hosts a Mid-Year Enrichment Conference (MYEC) for the ETAs and their co-teachers.

The 2019 Fulbright ETA Mid-Year Enrichment Conference was held from January 9-12, 2019 at Century Park Hotel in Central Jakarta. Participants of the conference included 22 ETAs and 20 co-teachers. For three and half days, ETAs and co-teachers participated in workshop-style sessions about improving English teaching strategies, developing cross-cultural understanding, and preparing for the semester ahead.

The MYEC allowed ETAs to step into leadership roles by planning and facilitating sessions. For a few sessions, ETAs were separated from their co-teachers. During that time, co-teachers had the chance to hear from two English Language Fellows from the Regional English Language Office about teaching-related topics. And the ETAs used their time to discuss challenges of adjusting to life in Indonesia and problem solved for the future. ETAs also heard from expert guest speakers—Christine Manara, Sidney Jones, and Rahimah Abdulrahim—about a range of historical and current themes, such as the State of Indonesia Today.

While the conference working days were jam-packed with sessions, the ETAs and co-teachers were treated to two evening activities including annual Indonesia Through Their Eyes presentation and the MYEC Closing Dinner. Indonesia Through Their Eyes is a performance that allows the ETAs to present their impressions of their host sites in an entertaining and often comical way. The ETAs sang, danced, and acted out skits in front of an audience that included their co-teachers as well as public guests. The Closing Dinner was a chance for ETAs and co-teachers to celebrate a successful conference and to meet AMINEF staff and Indonesian Fulbright alumni and stakeholders.

After the conference ended, one ETA shared: “I’m most worried about having to say goodbye. I know that probably sounds silly but it already breaks my heart thinking about [leaving Indonesia].” However, that same ETA also said they are looking forward to the second semester. This ETA shared that they are “most excited to hit the ground running and go hard with culturally relevant material, exciting lessons, et cetera, now that I feel more comfortable in Indonesia.” Ultimately, the Mid-Year Enrichment Conference is an opportunity for ETAs and their co-teachers to come together and celebrate their achievements of the past semester, talk through any challenges faced, and problem solve for the future.

The 2019 Mid-Year Enrichment Conference was considered a success as ETAs and co-teachers alike reported learning new strategies to use in the classroom and feeling motivated to tackle the second semester!