Way back in September, Fulbright ETA Emma Barnes was in contact with the folks at Darien Book Exchange, and they agreed to send a box of beginner and low intermediate English books to SMAN 5 in Padangsidimpuan.

After that, she waited and hoped that the box arrived while she was still in Indonesia, and late this March, that hope came to fruition! The box came!!!! She immediately unboxed the books and set them up on a shelf in the library with the help of her counterpart, Ibu Emmy, and the librarian, Ibu Nuringin.

The box of 53 books included a huge range of books for all abilities, from small picture books to hundreds of pages long novels. Emma can’t wait to do some decorating and turn this little section of the library into an “English Corner” for students looking to challenge themselves and learn more English. Most importantly, the books will outlive Emma’s tenure as an ETA, so students at SMAN 5 will be able to have a more direct source from which to practice their English long after she returns home.

Emma Barnes is currently teaching at SMAN 5 Padangsidimpuan, North Sumatra