Way back in September, ETA Ian Morse’s school not only knew his birthday was coming in November but was also clearly planning something. As soon as Ian discovered karawo – the Sulawesi brand of the colorful batik shirts from Java – he asked where to get one. Every teacher wore them at least one day a week, so it seemed almost required uniform. But teachers and students kept saying “wait until November.”

So on the last school day before his birthday, on a Saturday in November, he expected something would happen. People said “Happy [early] Birthday” but there was not much else. On Saturday, again nothing. When he visited a teacher on Sunday, his entire family also kept hinting that something was going to happen Monday but wouldn’t say anything.

On Monday morning, Ian got a text to come to school a bit early to give the students a motivation speech for the week, typically given by a teacher. At school, Pak Saiful, Ian’s counterpart, handed him the mic and said “talk for ten minutes.” A few minutes into the speech, students began shifting their eyes from Ian to the second floor above him and back to him. Now Ian started to guess what was going to happen.
A bucket of water came down on top of him in front of the whole school. And Pak Saiful denied he did it but here is clear evidence. Ian – very gratefully but still wet – accepted gifts throughout the morning, from students and teachers alike.

Ian Morse is currently teaching at MAN 2 Gorontalo, Sulawesi