Speak Slowly and Carry Pixie Sticks

ETA Hannah Semmes believes “speak slowly and carry pixie sticks” is a more effective policy than Teddy Roosevelt’s “speak softly and carry a big stick.” To practice procedural text, Hannah and her students made DIY Oralit, an Indonesian rehydration drink she learned to make at the AMINEF orientation. To incorporate culturally relevant material, Hannah and her co-teacher, Rita, assigned students to create instructional TikToks for homework. They were impressed by the students’ professional production quality.

Hannah organized a Scholarship Q&A panel outside class featuring local Fulbright alums, which over 80 students and teachers attended. The alums were incredibly inspiring; Hannah is proud to report that her students have already applied for ten scholarships—and counting. Additionally, Hannah visited a Fulbright alumnus at the University of Bengkulu (UNIB) to practice conversation with adult “English as a Second Language” (ESL) students. She looks forward to returning regularly.

In celebration of US Hispanic Heritage Month, Hannah invited her English Club to her home to explore how the same ingredient is prepared across cultures. After learning about America’s diverse cultural heritage through Kahoot trivia, they made guacamole with avocados from the local market, or pasar, and also in the classic Indonesian style with condensed milk. Hannah shared popular Latin American music with her students, and they exchanged Indonesian classics. Her students found it hilarious when Hannah pointed out that her favorite, a tragic song from Northern Sumatra called “Mardua Holong,” sounds like the iconic American hit “Everytime We Touch” by Cascada. Small world!

Hannah Semmes is currently teaching at SMAN 10 Bengkulu, Bengkulu.

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