This month ETA Blake Lapin celebrated International Education week by leading his English Conversation Club (ECC) students to Malang’s American Corner at Universities Muhammadiyah Malang. They left school around 8 am for the University. Once they arrived, the president of American Corner Malang spoke to the students about educational perseverance, explaining that he was the first person in his village to go to high school. EducationUSA then presented about potential scholarships the students could apply to which would take them to the United States. Volunteers from American Corner had already set up board games for the students so after the presentation it was time to have some fun. Students split into three groups and played each of three games.

Finally, students learned about the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) before going home. Blake was elated to have the resources to answer student’s questions about scholarships by bringing them to the organizations that are most well informed and also to expose the students to a local university. American Corner sent them home with many English magazines that Blake will use to furnish the school library. ECC students want to return later in the year and American Corner offered to come to the school to share its knowledge with more students. It looks like this is the beginning of quite a partnership.

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