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posts
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November
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November
Rogelio I. Mallari from the Philippines
4th Year Early Childhood Education Student
SEA-Teacher Project Batch 9 Participant
Week 3 (November 5-11)Our third week in Malang, Indonesia was very busy. We wanted to do a lot of things as we were aware that it will be our last week next week. I had my grand demonstration teaching, where I taught the first lesson I had in another class. This time, of course, I had to improve. I provided more activities, I knew the language better, and was more confident.The school celebrated Fathers' Day during this week, and the students' fathers visited them in school. In return, the students prepared a short storytelling to their fathers, and it was a very touching experience. As someone who grew up with an OFW father, it was very healing and happy to see kids celebrate this kind of occasion.There are also a lot of activities in the school in our third week. Early childhood education students from UM visited and conducted a massage session to the kindergarten students. We were able to watch, learn, and demonstrate as well. We became friends with them and had dinner together that night.We visited a lot of places as well. UM sent us to an educational trip where we visited Kidzania and had a tour. There were kids in the place when we visited, and it was very warming to see them enjoy and earn at the same time. If experiential learning were to be a place, it would be Kidzania. We also went to Bromo the same day. Personally, it was the highlight of my Indonesia trip. The view was breath taking and was just very beautiful. I was very lucky to be able to visit it.
Week 4 (November 12-17)My last week was full of tears, to say the very least. Just the thought of leaving Indonesia already made me cry.This week, our supervisors from the Philippines also arrived. They had a seminar where they shared insights and additional information with their specialized field. As their student, I felt proud since their audience was mostly Masteral Students in Indonesia.We spent the rest of the week just making the most of the days we had left. We had our breakfast, lunch, and dinner together with our Indonesian friends, our teachers, supervisor, and even our dormmates. I prepared a simple gift that I gave them, Yema and Pastillas. It is a Filipino delicacy that I brought from the Philippines. I gave it together with a letter so I can tell them my appreciation and gratefulness.Needless to say, this experience is one of a kind and will stay in my heart until I grow old. I learned a lot of things that made me a better student, a better teacher, and a better person overall.