That's a wrap! by Professor Buske

 That's another program done and dusted.  

During the 2.5 weeks in Bali, I watched students grow, learn, adapt and face all kinds of challenges -- all with a smile and open spirit.  I watched them make connections with people very different from themselves.  I watched them ask questions with intellectual curiosity and with respect for a culture and people very different from themselves.  

I couldn't be prouder of this bunch.  They supported each other at every turn and embraced everything that was put in front of them -- whether it was new and different food, monkeys on the loose, torrential rains with heat and humidity, or travelling via motorbike.  They were amazing -- as a group and individually. Once again, I am grateful for their trust in me and willingness to join me on this adventure.  This is why I love my job!

Green School -- by Emery Greenwood

 

At the edge of the city, past the rice fields and through some winding hills lies Green School Bali. Centered around sustainability in all aspects of learning, Green School takes a new approach to education focusing on hands on learning rather than a traditional academic setting. Under the bamboo archways and treehouse-esque buildings, you find classrooms that feel more like summer camp meeting houses. The classrooms, though intricately built of bamboo and open air, aren’t where students find themselves throughout the day. Students are taught to embrace learning wherever it finds them, whether that be under water participating in their coral ecosystem projects or up in the trees focusing on Balinese habitats. At first glance, the Green School seems great, teaching students about the earth while actively working alongside it.

 

However, from a purely academic lens, the lack of traditional classroom structure and formal curriculum creates a dangerous situations whereby student led learning becomes more like student led play. I was pleasantly surprised when we, as visitors were required to wear passes which detailed rules we we were to abide by:

●      No photos or videos allowed

●      No smoking

●      No interaction with students

●      Stay within visitor area

An open campus concept can create excess risk in terms of outsider access to students, but the security team, parent workspace and required passes brought reassurance that the organization was doing its best to control who enters and remains on school grounds.

I must admit that I enjoy structure, rules and routine. Throughout my elementary school experience I found comfort in knowing what classes I had and when and what expectations I was to meet, so while learning about the schools nontraditional approach to education I couldn’t help but be wary of the standard of education these students receive. Looking beyond my personal grievances, I do believe there are types of students who would benefit from having control over their daily schedules, allowing the day to take them wherever their curiosity takes them. Students with attention deficit issues would thrive in the environment that Green School provides, their attention spans would dictate their schedule.

Alas, children need structure early on and throughout educational experience to prepare them for the tasks of adult life. A traditional schooling environment with pre-planned classes teach children about responsibility, organization, and prepares them to enter and adult world where punctuality, respect for  other people's time and following through with obligations are highly valued skills. While Green School wouldn’t have been the right school for me, the beautiful campus does bring about a type of whimsy and grounding that a typical school lacks.

Law School...in Bali - by Samantha Clements

 I won’t lie I was nervous to visit a Balinese law school. To a certain extent, I felt

unqualified to tour the school and interact with their law students. I was learning about children’s

education rights in Bali, surely they knew better than me. But what started as a nerve-wracking

interaction turned into one of my favorite conversations of the entire trip.

Professor Buske was presenting a lecture on the American perspective of children’s

educational rights, and we law students were to participate in a panel afterwards. While most of

Professor Buske’s lecture was a general overview comparing international standards, America’s

compliance, and competing cultural beliefs, the conversation with the law students took an

unexpected turn.

Same sex marriage is illegal in Indonesia, primarily because religion and law frequently

intersect. The law students had thoughtful but difficult questions about what rights children have

in learning about LGBTQIA+ identities. Some of them saw sex education in general to be

wrong. Others thought that only same sex education should not be taught in schools. But all their

opinions were framed through the lens of the rights of the child. Does a child have the right to

learn about gender identities that may go against the law? Does a government have an obligation

to educate about marriages it does not allow?

It was no surprise that the American law students had starkly contrasting views from the

Indonesian law students, but the conversation was not tense. Everyone listened openly and spoke

honestly about their views on the rights of the child. I think everyone left feeling refreshed by

such a compelling conversation. After the panel, I befriended many of the law students on social

media, allowing for this conversation to continue long after this class ends. Cross cultural

understanding happened in their classroom, and it will continue to occur through the

conversations they have with each other as well as the conversations they have with others. My

perspective was changed, and I hope that they found value in what we had to say too.

Ultimately this is experience is what the December class was all about – understanding

the rights of children throughout the world, even if those rights may differ depending on where

you are. I firmly believe having these difficult conversations is the best way protect children and

ensure their rights. If all children are to have rights, then all perspectives must be shared.

A Taste for Bali Adventures -- by Alexa Bascon

 

On this Sunday of our trip, we took a break from our regularly scheduled program to fit in some more fun-filled Bali activities to get a small taste of the amazing adventures the island has to offer. On the agenda for the day was ATV riding and ziplining. And while some of us in our group had done either ziplining or ATV riding—or both—before, I had personally never done either of those things and I was honestly pretty nervous about doing it.

Our ATV riding adventure was first up on the list. None of us knew quite what to expect for this adventure and that was quite evident when our driver arrived for our hotel pick-up and told us that we each needed to bring an extra pair of clothes for after ATV riding and we all had to quickly scramble back to our rooms to scrounge up a spare outfit. When we arrived at our destination, we geared up for the muddy trails ahead with heavy duty rain boots and our ATVs and headed off.

Unfortunately, however, I was off to a rough start. I stalled out my engine not just once—but twice! I also couldn’t quite figure out how to turn the handles in the direction that I wanted them to go and I ran into the side of the trail and had to have our trail guide help me get unstuck. Truthfully, I was pretty scared handling the ATV and because I was scared, I was very timid with how I handled trying to drive it. At that point, I was embarrassed that I wasn’t getting the hang out of it as quickly as everyone else in my group had and I was worried that I was going to be like this the whole way—holding everyone back because I needed extra help. Everyone else in the group was so kind and so understanding and no one made me feel bad about not getting the hang of it. There was a good moment when I wanted to just give up and take the easy way out and ride with someone else to get us moving along. But I didn’t. I reminded myself of all the things in my life that I had previously accomplished even though I was pretty bad at it when I first began. So, I took a deep breath, re-grounded myself, and I kept going. And I’m so glad that I did. I had a newfound confidence driving that ATV and it was exhilarating. We rode through Bali’s lush countryside across riverbeds, jungle terrain, and muddy trails, and —most fun of all—through the iconic Gorilla Cave, a tunnel that was carved into the shape of a giant gorilla’s face. It was like we had jumped into a Temple Run videogame!  

After traversing through the mud, it was time to take to the sky. We headed off to our zip-lining destination where we all flew across the stunning rice terraces on the zipline. The night finished off as it usually has with a group dinner at a different local restaurant. Tonight’s selection was a great little place called Herb Library. The restaurant had a live musician that evening and we all sang along to the songs we knew as we enjoyed our delicious meal together and shared our highs and lows of the day with each other. A great conclusion to our adventurous day.

Today’s activities reminded me that even though you might not be good at something when you first start it (like law school for example) that doesn’t mean that you quit. You stick with it and you try your best and, often times, waiting for you on the other side is something incredibly amazing and rewarding. Growth happens when we leave our comfort zones and I feel like I have grown from the day’s experience and on this trip overall. I’m happy and exhausted as our adventure-filled day comes to end. I’m ready to head off to bed and get some much-needed sleep before the next day of our Bali adventure.

Days Full of Joy by Natalia Gama-Gomez

The past couple of days have been so joyful!  We have spent a lot of time at a local elementary school for our service project, which has become one of the most meaningful parts of our trip thus far. For our service project, we are helping the school build a garden! The garden is something the school has long wanted, and once it is finished, each class will have its own garden bed to care for and take pride in.

On the first day, we showed up excited and ready to work. We jumped right in and started working, and to our surprise, the children were there to help. The children had eagerly volunteered to help. We were all working together, having fun and laughing, until it started to rain. As soon as it began to rain, the children ran into their classroom, and the teacher and workers insisted that we stop working. We waited to see if the rain would let up, but it didn't, so we had to leave. We then regrouped and decided to return the next morning to finish what we had started. Although the rain cut our work short, the day was still filled with connection and purpose.

When we came back the following day, the kids were there again, just as excited to see us as they had been the day before. When we got there, all the children were dancing, and we jumped into the dance, too! It was so delightful to dance with them. 

Before we got to work, we made macaroni necklaces with the children. We showed them pictures of what we were making, since there was a language barrier, and most did not understand what we were saying. Therefore, we resorted to other forms of communication, such as pointing and helping them get started on their necklaces. However, the children are smart and caught on so quickly. They made the most beautiful macaroni necklaces and were so excited to wear them. Watching their faces light up as they proudly showed off their necklaces reminded me that creativity and connection can exist without a shared language, and that the simplest moments can be the most meaningful. 

Afterward, we returned to work, and once again the kids volunteered to jump in and help. They were so excited to work with us and kept telling us how strong we were. We worked for a bit, and then it was time for games. We played Duck, Duck, Goose and Red Light, Green Light with the children. We taught them how to play, and as they played, their laughter and joy filled the schoolyard. One moment that has really stuck with me was when one of the children looked at me and said, “I am so happy”. Hearing those words warmed my heart and made me realize that not only were the children bringing us joy, but we were bringing them joy, too. It totally made my day! Their school day had ended, unfortunately, and we got back to work. We worked a bit longer and did as much as we could until we had to leave.

After leaving the school, we went white water rafting. It was SO much fun, but at first, a few of us were nervous because we had never been rafting before. We had to hike down a million steps to reach the river, but when we got there, the view was beautiful. Because we were a group of 7, we had to take two rafts. On one raft, the guide kept singing "Row, row, row your boat," which made everyone laugh. On the other raft, Emery and Sam sang songs the whole time, clearly having the best time! Despite our initial nerves, the experience brought us even closer together and reminded me how rewarding it can be to step out of your comfort zone.

Overall, these past couple of days have been among the most joyful and meaningful of this trip.  Spending time with the children, working together, laughing, and simply being present reminded me how powerful small moments can be. Whether we were building a garden, playing games, or making necklaces, each interaction felt memorable and rewarding. These experiences showed me how impactful service can be, not only for those we are helping, but for ourselves as well. Trying white water rafting for the first time was also incredibly fun and exciting, even though it was a little scary at first, and it pushed me outside of my comfort zone in the best way. 

Five People, Two-Hundred Students and One Unforgettable Day by Kendrick Myers

 With our jetlagged bodies, we all awoke early to make the hour long drive to Denpasar, Bali to Yayasan Kemanusiaan Ibu Pertiwi (YKIP). YKIP is a non-profit organization that was originally created to provide aid for children of those affected by the 2002 Bali Bombing, the deadliest terrorist attack in Bali.

What started off as a relief program quickly expanded to include any child in need.  Chakra shared with us that he is 1 of the 5 people who run the entire operation, providing scholarships to over 200 children from elementary school to university. The children are required to maintain good grades to receive the scholarships and are typically given a semester to improve grades if needed.

YKIP works with the community on small revenue generating projects and accepts monetary donations from all over the world. They keep the contact between the donors and children minimal and monitored for safety. The donors receive a letter from the children once a year in December as a form of appreciation and for them to see the difference their scholarship has made in the lives of the children.

After a enlightening visit learning from Chakra, we began the drive back to Ubud in the pouring rain. Although rain is nothing new for us all coming from Salem, we were not ready for this downpour. Through the humid, torrential rain, we trudged on through the streets with our ponchos and sandals. We stopped at the sweetest used book shop, small in size but was full of the best homemade trinkets and books from all over.

After the bookshop, we ran across the street to the post office where we all took a moment to write postcards to home. It was a quiet moment for everyone as we all took a few minutes to reflect on our experiences so far and share it with loved ones back home.

We ended the night eating dinner together, sharing our highs and lows of the day and enjoying each others company in conversation. After a full day, we ended the night by stopping for massages on the walk back to the hotel - the perfect way to relax and end the night.

It was a wonderful day of learning and adventure which deepened our insight and appreciation to the dedication some organizations such as YKIP are putting into supporting children’s education. Sharing this interest and experience with colleagues made it all the more special.

Education = Liberation by Kirby Nix

 

"The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you." – B.B. King

 

A consistent theme has developed in our first few trips to various public schools here in Ubud: education is liberation. The English philosopher and statesman Sir Francis Bacon popularized this idea in three words: “Knowledge is Power”, but the idea has been around for centuries. The concept strongly echoes the teachings of Imam Ali ibn Ali Talib, a 7th century caliph, who emphasized that knowledge elevates one's value and protects them, unlike wealth, which perishes expediently.

 

There is a man here in Ubud named Irham that was the director at a local Montessori program dedicated toward not only teaching the local children, but building community leaders. He is now working for the Ministry of Education tasked with the ambitious goal of revamping the primary school curriculum to include teaching primary school children English by the time they graduate to junior high school to meet the requirements of a new law.  It’s a particularly difficult task not only because most of the children don’t speak English at home and only speak it once a week in school, but also because of the lack of fluent English speaking teachers. If he is successful, and the majority of children learn English by the time they reach junior high, they have many more opportunities in the tourism industry here in Bali, which makes up the majority of the economy and the desirable jobs.

 

Vocational schools are an important aspect of the education system in Bali. The school we visited trained students in kitchen work, hospitality, housekeeping, arts and culture, farming, and other crucial industries here in Bali. While we visited the school, the restaurateur students practiced their budding skills on us by serving coffee, tea, and pastries. We visited the kitchens, peaked into a classroom to see them about to take a test, and spoke with the headmistress of the school.

 

There is obviously a giant monkey hanging above this entire issue: the creeping Westernization of Bali. Is it preferable for the Balinese people to give up much of their culture and their way of life to cater to tourists? Should the island’s economy be largely dependent on the pleasures of American and European vacationers? In some ways it can feel a bit gross, but who am I to judge the progression of the island? Perhaps serving tourists is preferable to farming rice fields and sustenance living. It seems the younger Balinese generation in particular prefers hospitality jobs rather than traditional work. Even if they didn’t, it’s difficult to fight progress as the concrete and the villas encroach on the rice fields. Progression is the human way, and it seems unbearably patronizing for a Westerner to judge the people for wanting to pull themselves into an urban lifestyle much like the West has done over the past few centuries.

 

It’s a balancing act to protect Balinese culture while pursuing a more comfortable lifestyle, but it shouldn’t be up to me or any other foreigner to decide what is best. It should be a choice for the people who live here, particularly the younger generations, and the English literacy program and the vocational schools seem to be pointing into the inevitable direction of “progress”. The knowledge and skills these programs offer – from creating community leaders, to teaching English literacy, to job training – hopefully empower the younger generations to make the best decision for themselves and to live a life with more opportunities. Perhaps once that level of prosperity is reached, they can begin to more strongly consider whether the Westernization and the creeping of the concrete is what they want for the island.