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cr ip bs su ISSUE NO. 258 | 30 MARCH – 21 APRIL 2020

JAKARTA • JAVA • BALI • LOMBOK • KALIMANTAN • SUMATRA • SULAWESI • WEST PAPUA

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Early Childhood Education Ways to Study Effectively Get Smart or Die Lying

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THE EDUCATION ISSUE

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Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

THE EDUCATION ISSUE MARKETING ADVISER

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Dear Readers, The Indonesian government is getting a lot of criticism from citizens, former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and even the World Health Organisation (WHO) for not taking this coronavirus pandemic seriously. Meanwhile, European, North American, and Asian countries are currently under lockdown, in the hopes of stopping the transmission spreading further.

Dian Mardianingsih (Jakarta)

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Juni Setiawan

Jakarta is very quiet now, similar to when most people have gone back to their hometowns during Idul Fitri holidays. Indirectly, social distancing allows the Earth to breathe. President Joko Widodo recently claimed that there are no intentions to set Jakarta or the nation on lockdown. If that day does come, perhaps it will be a great time for all of us to enjoy quality time with our loved ones and start picking up new hobbies.

Indeed, Jakarta’s provincial governments, along with other major cities, are urging citizens, both Indonesian and foreigners, to implement social distancing. But what exactly is social distancing and how significantly can it help countries during this situation?

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Social distancing, according to a recent article by the New York Times, is the act of distancing yourself from and minimising contact with other people. Ignoring this can put you and everyone else at a much higher risk. It can reduce the number of cases to try and not exceed hospitals' capacity, providing more time to develop a vaccine, and essentially inhibit the spread of the virus.

To do so, we need to avoid crowded entertainment hubs and public transportation whenever possible, limit non-essential travel, work from home when we can, communicate via text, phone calls, social media, email, etc instead of meeting up, as well as skipping social gatherings. The WHO advises to maintain at least one metre distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

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We might be healthy enough to fight off the virus, but other people, especially those most vulnerable, may not. This also means not taking advantage of the ridiculously cheap domestic and international flights. In fact, Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi had recently announced new travel restrictions in and out of Indonesia.

So much is still unknown about this virus and how it behaves, but maintaining social relationships is nonetheless important for our general well-being. Do it in a thoughtful way.

On a brighter note, Indonesia Expat has all things educational this month: languages, schools, studying experiences, and tips perfect for your children or even yourself! Yet the Indonesia Expat Mixer on March 18, 2020 at Lbrty Jakarta has been cancelled. This was a preventative measure to keep everyone in optimal health and keep them safe during this pandemic.

Stay healthy, stay safe, and wash your hands for twenty seconds!

Contents 06 PROFILE Jakarta Intercultural School: Diversity Brings Excellence In and Outside of School

08 MEET THE EXPAT Ben Voborsky

10 SPECIAL EDUCATION Sign Language and Speaking Therapy for Children with Hearing Problems

12 FOOD AND DRINK Crowing Rooster of Suasana Restaurant

14 TIPS Ways to Study Effectively

16 LANGUAGE French is Still a Fascinating Language for Indonesians

18 EXCHANGE PROGRAM A Semester in Yogyakarta: Education, Exploration, and Expectations

20 HOLISTIC WELLNESS The Science of Life through Ayurveda

22 INSIGHT Early Childhood Education: How Important is It?

24 INFO FOR EXPATS Lifestyle Business in Bali

26 ANNOUNCEMENT

Happy reading!

28 OBSERVATION Get Smart or Die Lying

Edo Frese

30 LANGUAGE Mind Your English!

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Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

JAKARTA INTERCULTURAL SCHOOL

Diversity Brings Excellence In and Outside of School

BY MIRELLA PANDJAITAN

I

ndonesia Expat was delighted to have spoken with Dr. Tarek Razik back in 2017 when he was still the newly appointed Head of School at Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS). “I’ve been here for three years now and every year gets better – there’s a nice vibe to the place,” Tarek smiled.

Since then, he mentioned that JIS’ enrolment continues to rise, whilst still putting the students’ and faculty’s wellness as a priority. All in all, JIS has been great, “it is a healthy and constructive culture; it’s very much a community of care, inclusive of parents.”

JIS strongly holds to its diversity, including ethnic and academic spheres. However, JIS lacks financial diversity, and is seeking to improve. Tarek remarked that as soon as he started at JIS, he perceived a slight disconnection between JIS and Indonesia. A stigma solely focusing on the high tuition at JIS was viewed as the school drifting from the community.

Believing that international schools are vital to maintaining a partnership with the host country, instead of fostering isolation, an idea sparked in Tarek’s mind: a scholarship program for Indonesian children who cannot financially access a JIS education.

Other international schools across Asia have also been doing this. He was inspired by those programs running successfully to break down stereotypes and assist in uniting the school with the local communities. “We want to be part of the local community. As we designed the program, we looked at two other schools. But bear in mind, we don’t do it exactly the same, nor did we reinvent,” urged Tarek.

Now, JIS provides the BTI Scholarship Program. Students will be fully funded until they graduate from high school.

Considering the need to get more resources, this program is still relatively new in starting to support students. Right now the scholarship is available to students from grade 8 to grade 10. At this point, five scholarship recipients are thriving at JIS. “Three years ago, we accepted our first three scholarship students. We had only about 30 applicants in the first year because we had to go out to public schools and explain our program – we were still bumbling through it. Then we had 70 applicants in the second year, and over 100 applicants this year,” said Tarek.

It takes about six months, or until the end of the school year, for JIS to determine the lucky students. First things first, a student must apply online. Eventually, the student and their parents will be invited to an information session. After all that is cleared, the student will take a Math exam and most importantly, an English proficiency exam. From there, the team at JIS will narrow down the number of candidates.

These chosen candidates will undergo interviews with the admissions panel, along with Tarek himself. In the midst of all this, document submissions and academic details will be thoroughly checked.

“The admission panel is pretty well versed in the Indonesian curriculum; therefore the chosen candidates are perceived fairly,” Tarek explained. To get shortlisted, he also explained that their test scores, transcripts, grade reports from their previous school, and an interview with the panel are all taken into consideration.

“We look for that X-factor. What is it about you that would distinguish you aside from your academics?” he pointed out.

Existing JIS students don’t qualify as applicants, even if he or she excels academically.

The initial plan was to create fundraisers while also approaching public schools within the capital only. But word is quickly spreading to other cities in the country. Going forward to expand the program outside of Jakarta, JIS has to consider the living arrangements of those applicants who don’t have relatives within Jakarta, as the school doesn’t currently provide boarding facilities.

“I want to partner with Indonesia to make sure that I’m offering something they want. What do they need from JIS in terms of access to this environment and education? If

they want me to expand this program beyond Jakarta, to include Papua or Surabaya, then we’d have to look at ways to accommodate those kids and ways to fund that expanded program,” mused Tarek.

Ever since President Joko Widodo appointed former CEO of Gojek, Nadiem Makarim, as the Minister of Education and Culture, waves of changes in the current education system across Indonesia are in the pipeline. With changes, speculation and criticism are bound to surface. But Tarek thinks otherwise: “Some of his ideas and ability to accomplish will make Indonesia’s future brighter.”

Tarek hopes that the minister can use JIS to create a partnership soon. For instance, JIS is interested to form a teacher learning centre on the premises. Indonesian teachers would be invited to come and practice their teaching, guided by the JIS teachers. This idea correlates well with recent reports from the Ministry of Education and Culture, regarding many elementary school students in isolated villages being unable to read and having greater difficulties following their lessons.

“From the perspective of JIS, I can see that running a teacher training centre can help teachers make better use of the resources they have. We can also work with partner schools by giving those resources such as books or online materials. Once teachers are skilled, reading and other literacy components can complement that,” said Tarek.

At the same time, JIS is focusing on the elevation of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) as these subject areas become ever more integrated into today’s world.

Little do most people realise, STEAM is essential to children’s growth. Learning shouldn’t stop, even if the child has finally grown into his/her mid-20s. Thus, not long ago, JIS started to make the connection of these subjects, similar to remembering a song or direction.

High school students have always been encouraged to link different fields together. And now, the middle school students have been able to fully utilise JIS’s new building, STEAM, for the past six months.

“When you infuse and make connections between arts and mathematics or science and vice versa, it’s called multidisciplinary. This allows students to further integrate their creativity and stimulate their passions. When a teacher can make a connection of two different fields to a student, a less appreciated subject can actually be liked too,” explained Tarek.

Indeed, life factors outside of school can help students compile many subjects into one chain of thought. Linking to one another will help a person understand faster, and much more profoundly. The chances of remembering are also higher.

Furthermore, STEAM is in line with JIS Education 4.0, the school’s strategic plan to personalise learning, as opposed to institutionalising learning. Therefore, passions and creative outlets pursued by the students will be well-connected to the standards they need to know in the future. Back again to the ongoing development of technology, real-world experience, entrepreneurship, and so on, Education 4.0 is one of JIS’ ways to leverage whatever is around, as best as it possibly can.

JIS also facilitates students who tend to question their next endeavours after high school with the assistance of counsellors. “Every teacher, by the time students get to high school, can be looked up to as a counsellor. We let the breadth and depth of students to follow their passions, develop, and then continue with it,” said Tarek. This means students who desire to create clubs will get the support to develop that idea, along with the financial and human resources to have it turn into their reality.

With all of these ongoing programs and aspirations in mind, JIS is currently sorting out the fundraising activities for the BTI Scholarship Program while also figuring out ways to partner with respective government officials. But most of all, JIS is busy bringing the community together, in hopes of maximising the students’ experiences.

meet the expat

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Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

Ben Voborsky

B

ali holds a special place to when most people first visit the island, regardless if their trip was for leisure or business. The idea of moving to Bali with your loved ones, working according to your passion, and creating beautiful excerpts of life is a dream. As an international educator for over twenty years, Ben Voborsky left the deserts of Dubai to the luscious green landscapes of Bali to make his new, additional home.

What does Canggu Community School have to offer to the students, parents, and faculty members?

Canggu Community School offers everyone an experience which is engaging and unique because of our location. Community members get involved in the local and global community. This perspective gives our students an opporutnity that is truly unique and integrates the soft skills students need to succeed with the content knowledge that grounds their education.

Ben is the Head of Primary School at Canggu Community School, Bali. He believes that partnerships with parents and involvement with the community will help children evolve.

Indonesia Expat had the chance to ask Ben about the different approach the school has to offer, as well as, most importantly at this dark moment, tips for parents during this period of home study.

Coronavirus is spreading across Indonesia now. How is Canggu Community School holding up? Are there preventive measures taken by the school?

As a leadership team, we did what we felt was in the best interest and safest for our students and school community. We have been preparing for online-based home learning for some time, watching and learning from school closures around the world. Canggu Community School has alway focused on partnerships with parents, and now that focus is paying off as parents become more vested in the partnerships with educators; especially with our younger learners who are not as independent.

Ben, please tell us about yourself.

I am originally from Wisconsin, USA. Nakusp, British Columbia, Canada is my “home” with my family when we’re not in Bali.

My wife, Sarah, and I met while teaching in Korea in 2000. We have been in International Curriculum and American Overseas Schools, and travelling ever since. Our son, Winston, 9, joined us in Sudan, and Marley, 4, in Dubai.

We value our family time and getting our third culture kids some grounding by heading back to Nakusp every summer. We spend our July holidays there, outdoors on the lakes and in the mountains with no internet or television. We moved to Bali from Dubai last August, and it has been a fantastic change of pace and scenery for our family. Outside of the realm of education, I enjoy biking, trying to surf, and photography.

What brought you to Indonesia?

Canggu Community School brought me to Indonesia. My wife and I have been international educators our entire career and first visited Indonesia in 2000. When an administratiion position opened up at Canggu Community School, I applied immediately.

My first visit to Canggu Community School sealed the deal. The warm and welcoming community, supportive vibe, and a focus on wellness and putting kids first was a perfect fit. Not to mention, I traded in my suits for Batik as my daily work attire.

Has anything surprised you since you first moved to Indonesia? And what have you grown to love?

We have visited Indonesia every few years since our first trip here in 2000. There really hasn’t been much in the way of surprise as we pretty much knew what to expect and wanted to be living in Indonesia. We continue to love the pace of life, the kindness of the Indonesian people, and the vibrancy that encompasses daily life.

Living in Bali is quite efficient as an expatriate. But what do you think makes it different from your hometown or any other cities in which you have lived and worked?

I think the biggest difference from our life in Dubai is the pace. People really appreciate

President Joko Widodo, during a press conference, urged citizens to stay at home as much as possible, meaning everyone should lean on working and studying at home instead. How does the school ensure optimal education to its students?

Canggu Community School has online digital platforms to ensure the high-quality learning continues. The challenge at this point in time is being able to differentiate for what students and parents need and be able to meet as many of those requirements as possible. We announced home learning early, so we could do our best to try to ensure our families are safe and that we were prepared to deliver quality learning experiences from a distance.

The collaborating, communication, and intercultural skills children are learning will serve them well in the future. personal connections and taking time to enjoy the scenery. After a decade in the desert, I still step out of the house everyday and am in love with the landscape and have enjoyed the rainy season, as our lives have been void of rain for almost ten years. We appreaciate all that Bali, especially Canggu, has to offer.

Between all the delicous dining options and the activities, we really maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle. We are exploring all that the region has to offer and coming from a town of 1,500 people in Canada, the options are mind blowing.

What are you busy with these days?

Aside from finishing up my doctorate, there has been a lot to do with school closures, and my partner and I both being educators means we work all day designing lessons and engaging with parents, followed by trying to educate our children. I have a very good understanding of what home learning looks like from a parental perspective and how educating your own children is not ideal.

As the Head of Primary School at Canggu Community School, what do you find so special about the school?

The reason I joined Canggu Community School is the family feel. My son would say all the people are nice and you get to collaborate with smart people. I like the fact that I get to greet each child at the entrance every morning and check in with them at break and lunch times, then give a high five at the end of the day. Coming from a school in Dubai of 2750 kids, Canggu Community School is small enough that you know everyone but big enough for kids to have so many opportunities.

Do you have any tips that can help parents during this “study at home” period?

As a father of two children, the tips I would have is to be patient and try to promote all the authentic learning experiences you can.

Put down your devices and just be with your kids. Let them cook with you, let them play, and take this moment to truly spend time and engage with your kids. The “study at home” time has shifted us to really spend time with our kids and be the role models they deserve.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned as an educator?

Being an international educator and leader for over twenty years, I have learned that the collaborating, communication, and intercultural skills children are learning will serve them well in the future. The experience and education that they are having is very different from my childhood in Nothern Wisconsin.

Give us three words which describe you best.

Approachable, collaborative, adventurous.

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special education

Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

Sign Language and Speaking Therapy for Children with Hearing Problems

BY VARJA DIJKSTERHUIS

I

ndonesia has made big steps forward when it comes to education. The number of students attending universities is increasing, but there is one group that is getting left far behind: children with a disability. These children suffer from social stigma, physical barriers, and poor support from government and professionals that make it extremely hard to give them the help they need. Moreover, these children are disadvantaged and they will stay like that simply because there is a lack of means that could help them to get a good education.

Ni Luh Juliana, usually called Ana, works at Kolewa Foundation, a non-profit organisation in Bali. She tells us about the importance of speech therapy and sign language to children with hearing problems. “Can you imagine living a life without communication with others? How dark would your world be?” Ana is referring to the communication problems that deaf children have to face.

The number of children in Indonesia who have hearing problems is over two million, and it is growing. Deafness in childhood has an enormous impact on communication, education, employment opportunities, social life, and quality of life in general, explained Ana. “When these children and their parents learn sign language, they can communicate with each other. I see a big improvement over the first time I saw these children, when I found them shy, emotional, depressed, easily angered, and upset. By teaching them to speak, they can at least express to others how they feel and what they want. They can also meet children who are in the same situation and make friends. I can see their life change enormously. They are happier, more colourful, more confident, and very enthusiastic,” Ana continued to explain.

A Lack of Support from the Government There is no well-functioning social system in Indonesia that provides these children with a good education in order to improve their chances of a job, communicate with others, and improve their overall quality of life. The services and facilities for people with disabilities are minimal. Indonesia doesn’t even have a budget for pensions or unemployment benefits, let alone adequate funding to meet the needs of people with disabilities in terms of their health, employment, education, and public access.

There is also a lack of information. A lot of infectious diseases are causing illnesses and deaths, which could be prevented simply by knowledge of health issues. For example, hearing problems are sometimes caused by a lack of iodine.

Kolewa Foundation In Indonesia, there are several projects and non-governmental organisations that help these children, for example, by providing school funding for deaf children and supporting special schools for them. One of these organisations is Kolewa Foundation and one of their projects is to help children with hearing problems. After learning sign language and getting speech therapy, there are now already 18 students who are ready to go to school. They are attending a special school for the deaf in Denpasar, Bali. Kolewa finances the registration fees, the uniform costs, school books, and annual fees for use of the school building. Apart from that, Kolewa finances a school bus with a driver who drives the children to Denpasar and back to their homes.

Ana talked about the way she teaches. “I teach them speech therapy and sign language in a playful way, to make them more eager to learn. For example, I teach them signs by doing a dance together. Also, I teach them yoga to make them relaxed and able to concentrate. It is a big challenge to teach children who cannot hear or can only barely hear, and also to teach them how to talk.

But when they pronounce a word correctly, they are so happy and motivated. It is such a rewarding job.”

The number of children in Indonesia who have hearing problems is over two million, and it is growing.

The children learn the official Indonesian sign language. Kolewa developed two books for the children with 150 different signs in it, including illustrations and drawings about how to perform the gestures.

Ana also focuses on guiding the parents in communication with their child and acceptance of the situation. “When the parents also know sign language, they can communicate more easliy with each other.

NI LUH JULIANA (ANA)

Moreover, parents can help their children with their homework. There is a focus on a positive approach to the problem and to offer solutions.”

Stigma Around Deafness The difficulties associated with acceptance of the situation that Ana mentioned is because of the taboo about people with hearing problems.

In Indonesia, people with disabilities such as deafness are mostly considered an embarrassment, or even worse, to having been punished by God. On the islands of Bali and Java, it is believed that disabled people are possessed by a supernatural spirit. Therefore, people do not feel much empathy for people with disabilities.

This judgment and stigma affects the lives of these people and especially of young children. They are not encouraged to develop personally. They do not go to school: they stay uneducated, unskilled, and live in isolation.

“They are so lonely, because of the isolated life they lead. They hide from their family and have no friends at all. As soon as they start to learn some words, it gets better and they finally see the joy in life. The next step for these children is to go to school and learn other skills. Their chance of landing a job in the future is way bigger now,” said Ana.

We are proudly an Indonesian school with international standards. This is reflected in our student character development, academic excellence, and approach to lifelong learning.

SPM is the First Leader in Me School, based on the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The core of this is that every student is the centre of their own learning and development.

Students set “Wildly Important Goals� for their achievement and then must plan, monitor, and evaluate their development and progress.

SPM follows the National Indonesian curriculum and the Cambridge curriculum (Check Points, IGCSEs, AS Level and A-Level) opening our graduate students to great opportunities around the world and at the best Universities in Indonesia. Approximately 70 percent of our grade 12 graduating students go on to study abroad. We are a bilingual school using both English and Indonesian; however, the international culture of our school means that English is predominantly used on a daily basis.

food and drink

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Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

Crowing Rooster of Suasana Restaurant

BY ANASTASIA KATHLEEN

A

re you familiar with the name Pastis Kitchen in Aston Hotel Kuningan?

Open since 2017, a renewed concept has led to the change of name, Suasana Restaurant, built on the philosophy of a rooster crowing in the morning. Entering Suasana Restaurant, you will notice the iconic big rooster as their logo; it’s a symbol for hopeful beginnings and good vibes to start the day.

Suasana Restaurant claims the rooster describes “Morning Glory,” as it starts serving food from early in the morning, from 7am until 11pm. The list of food that Suasana offers is superb, serving varieties of menus, focusing more on Nusantara-based cuisine, with 90 percent Indonesian food, and 10 percent Western or Italian food.

If you’re a fan of exotic and tropical dishes, the most popular dish that people order is known as “Kerapu Gemah Ripah.” Kerapu, as one of the most popular fishes in Indonesia, is fried and served with a sauce made of freshcut pineapple, cucumber, and sour sauce from Thailand. Although Suasana Restaurant serves Indonesian food, Executive Chef of Suasana Restaurant, Hendra Kurniawan, stated that “we also try to incorporate different techniques and give some fusion to the dishes that are originally Nusantarabased inspired.”

KERAPU GEMAH RIPAH

The list of food that Suasana offers is superb, serving varieties of menus, focusing more on Nusantara-based cuisine, with 90 percent Indonesian food, and 10 percent Western or Italian food.

FRIED BANANA CHEESE

Asinan Jakarta is a good complement for the dish; the mixed sour vegetables served with peanut sauce is very compatible eaten with rice. A good old terong balado with sambal ikan teri; eggplant cooked with traditional spicy sauce and anchovies then topped off with sambal anchovies. Indonesian food is mostly spicy, however, the chef knows how to incorporate a balance of f lavour into each dish, such as ayam pedas kecombrang paired with a subtle omelette. Bringing some sweetness after all the spicy dishes, iga dimadu is the way to go; tender ribs with honey-like flavoured sauce served with deepfried vegetables to balance the palette.

For dessert, pisang goreng tawangmangu is one of the options – a crunchy melted cheese banana is one of the most favourite desserts in Indonesia. The banana is dusted with icing sugar and served with palm sugar syrup.

ASINAN JAKARTA

IGA DIMADU

The interior design of Suasana is very intriguing. It is inspired by the colonial era, hence being very spacious with a lot of sitting areas to meet your needs. There’s a formal dining area, casual lounge with smoking area, and a bar. Behind the generous divided space, there is a hidden gem – a glasshouse.

With its inviting design, glass doors, and gothic-like chandeliers, this room can be used for meetings, training sessions, weddings, celebrations, birthdays, buffet dinners, and many more. Suasana Restaurant also offers different private cosy areas for meetings, presentations, and workshops.

Also, if you are not up to heavy meals, Suasana offers some light bites and desserts, and you can pair them with the drinks offered by the bartender. The bar serves variants of drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, from cocktails and mocktails to wines, beers, and many more.

COCONUT GREEN TEA

For more information, email to suasana@thekuningansuites.com or visit the website www.thekuningansuites.com or their Instagram @SuasanaRestaurant Address: Jl. Setiabudi Utara, South Jakarta at Aston Kuningan Suites

Ichthus School So that, whoever comes will have a transformed life.

Located at Cilandak Barat and Sunrise Garden, Ichthus School is known for its strong academic and value-based education, with an emphasis on the Christian faith and character building. The school embraces creativity and multiple intelligences, collaborative and cooperative learning, entrepreneurial skills, sports and fitness, performing and visual arts, as well as community services.

The comprehensive and integrated Ichthus curriculum meets the rigorous requirements of multiple international standards, including ACSI and WASC accreditation. Our secondary curriculum is designed around the Cambridge IGCSE in grades 9 and 10, and the international A-Levels in grades 11 and 12.

PRIMARY Ichthus School is committed to providing a transformative learning environment that focuses on educational excellence and character development. The Comprehensive Ichthus Curriculum motivates Ichthus students to be achievers in their academic subjects as well as in their creative endeavours that reflect God's love and biblical values.

FACILITIES The school provides high-quality facilities including IT labs, science labs, a library, and LCD overhead projectors to carry out the required academic activities in preparation for the Cambridge and national examinations. As we also place great emphasis on developing the creative and artistic minds of our students, the school is also equipped with a multi-purpose hall and an auditorium for musical and drama performances. To round it off, we also provide individual college and career counselling. It is integral for us to help our students realise their God-given talents.

TEACHERS Our teachers have the required qualifications and classroom experience. Ichthus School regularly provides in-house professional development sessions with both local and international trainers to ensure that our entire teaching team keeps abreast of current developments in the realm of international teaching methodologies.

A-LEVEL Ichthus Secondary School offers the Cambridge International A-Level curriculum and international examinations for our grade 11 and 12 students. The A-Level syllabus develops study skills and the ability to think critically, preparing students for the challenge of studying in the best universities in the world. Besides taking our mandatory subjects, Ichthus students also choose a minimum of three elective subjects according to their future academic and career plans.

Compulsory Subjects: Life Skills, Christian Studies, A-Level English and Pre-College English (according to proficiency).

A-Level Elective Subjects: Business Studies, Chemistry, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Biology, Economics, Physics, and Psychology.

Our teachers are highly experienced and dedicated to their fields of expertise. They have a deep sense of responsibility, thereby teaching the Ichthus students with love and respect.

SECONDARY Ichthus Secondary School, grades 7-10, integrates the Cambridge Secondary One and IGCSE curriculums with preparation for the Indonesian National Exam at the end of grade 9. The Cambridge curriculum culminates with two assessments which we use to benchmark our students against an international standard. These are the checkpoints in grade 8 and the IGCSE final exam in grade 10.

The Comprehensive Ichthus curriculum aim is the holistic growth of the student; hence importance is given not only to academic excellence but also to spiritual and social development. In preparation for tertiary education, students are taught knowledge and understanding not just to write exams, but how to take this knowledge to apply it creatively.

www.ichthusschool.com

tips

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Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

Ways to Study Effectively

BY SNA MEDIA CLUB

S

tudents all over the world regularly face immense struggles over the proper techniques and tricks for how to study more efficiently and effectively. Studying more efficiently can definitely help make exams easier to complete and be less stressful. Moreover, it can also help in your productivity in class and encourage a boost in your grades. Using our techniques, you can also have much more free time to spend however you want to, instead of studying hard with little to no outcome when you could’ve studied efficiently and achieved more with less time.

1. Be More Organised Being organised is essential so that you don’t forget to do your homework or forget to prepare for your exams. You can easily do this by writing down your homework, exam, or project deadlines in your reminders on your phone, in your calendar, homework planner, journal, and many more places.

You should also try and submit your homework and projects earlier or on their due date so you won’t forget about them.

Start organising your study space if it’s messy, as a cluttered table can distract you.

2. Make a Study Plan Make a study planner to plan your study time so that you can be more effective. Stop putting everything to the side and only studying the night before the exam, seeing that a big pile of notes, worksheets, and homework is just going to make your motivation deteriorate. Assign periods within your schedule for studying and stick to the plan. You can change the schedule a little bit but try not to change it too much! Make sure that you give yourself more time than you think you’ll need, especially if it’s a subject that you struggle with.

3. Take Notes Listen carefully and attentively while noting all of the important key points into your notebook, at the same

time that the teacher or professor is explaining. This can improve your grades. Completing notes about a subject can make studying for a test so much easier. Also, don’t be shy to ask your professor or teacher questions if you still don’t understand the topic or need further explanations. This can clear up misunderstandings and help you study with minimal conflicts. You can make an appointment with your teacher to consult with them after class.

4. Study Smarter, Not Harder There is a plethora of ways you can study for your upcoming exam but here are a few proven strategies to study effectively.

When studying for an exam, you should try to re-do your previous quizzes. Quizzes have less topic coverage than exams; therefore you will only need to revise from the current section or chapter. If you can’t find any practice quizzes or worksheets, try working with a study partner to create your own quizzes to test each other’s retention of the material learned. The way I find the most effective to memorise key points is to make flashcards for your topic. Some of the top students use this technique. The flashcard strategy can help you memorise the topic at hand easily. There are other techniques such as active recall, the Leitner System, taking practise tests, and using the Feynman notebook method. You can also play a memory game to help make reviewing more fun! Use acronyms or make songs that will help you memorise.

5. Have a Positive Mindset Have a positive mindset when you sit down to study. When you are emotionally distracted, you will be less effective and it will be harder for you to digest the information. Try to think positively and not compare yourself to others. Try saying something positive before you start studying, along the lines of “I will get a good grade!” When you find yourself thinking about negative thoughts such as “I will fail this exam,” stop and replace it with “I will pass this exam” or any other positive thoughts.

6. Find a Peaceful Spot with Minimal Distractions The place where you study determines how effective your study sessions are. Try to choose a place with not so much foot traffic. When you are distracted by other things, for example, your phone, your friends, or the television, you won’t study as effectively. Try to find a library to study in or you can try studying in a peaceful cafe, but be mindful not to hog the tables for too long since other customers will be unhappy. An alternative would be to study when your roommate or sibling is at school, work, or not at home.

7. Be Prepared with Necessary Supplies Start studying when you have everything you need. For example, get all your stationery and the books you might need.

If you think you might be hungry and thirsty while studying, prepare a snack and a drink so you don't have to disturb your studying session.

8. Things Not To Do Countless numbers of people make these simple mistakes when studying, but it’s really easy to counter. The first one is multitasking. This mistake can easily divert your attention away from your study session and help demote active studying; as a result, it becomes harder to remember the key points that you need to learn. The second mistake is to focus on one subject or topic for way too long, it can easily make you feel burn out.

When you study effectively, you can have more free time and will start seeing good grades. It would be much easier to achieve your goal of better scores and less stress by applying these tips and tricks. Hopefully, these steps can aid you the same way they helped me and many other students, too. Now, let’s start studying!

ACG S C H O O L JA K A RTA

Providing Children with the Best Possible Start With over 22 years’ experience in education, Vanessa Ellison is a bona fide expert in the field. Beginning her teaching career in her native UK and moving into academic leadership positions, she then taught kindergarten and pre-kindergarten for six years in Beijing before joining ACG School Jakarta as Senior Teacher for Early Learning in 2019.

As an early childhood specialist, Vanessa firmly believes in the importance and advantages of effectual kindergarten programs for our youngest learners.

“Early childhood is a vital period in a child’s learning and holistic development, and it is through play and inquiry that children are able to develop cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally,” she says.

“We place great emphasis on growing children’s conceptual understanding, along with important skills such as communication, innovation, problem-solving and selfmanagement, to equip them with the tools they will need in later life.”

ACG School Jakarta’s Kindergarten promotes an inquiry and play-based learning environment which has been carefully designed to capture a child’s natural curiosity, creativity and sense of wonder.

“Students have uninterrupted blocks of play, hands-on exploration and investigation which engages them in stimulating and meaningful learning experiences,” Vanessa explains.

“There are endless opportunities for children to be creative and think innovatively through the use of different tools, equipment and open-ended materials. The children also explore the natural world through art and are encouraged to use their imagination and express their thoughts and feelings in many different ways.”

Vanessa feels the success of the ACG Kindergarten curriculum lies in the way it incorporates the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) inquiry and

high-quality play-based learning experiences as the method by which the program is delivered. This allows children to be active participants and leaders of their own learning.

“Additionally, our pedagogy is inspired by Reggio Emilia and the Kathy Walker Learning Approach, where we create an evolving learning environment that empowers students’ curiosity and exploration,” she reveals.

“I work with a team of highly skilled, experienced and passionate educators who encourage the students to pursue their individual interests. In this way we can customise learning based on their unique needs and motivations.

“The children find it exciting because we are so responsive to their needs and interests.

We encourage and fully support them with their self-initiated projects, providing all the materials and resources they need.”

The rewards of working with children are many for Vanessa who fosters strong relationships with her team, her students, their parents and caregivers.

“I often refer to us as a “kindergarten family” because over time, that is what we become. For me, teaching early childhood is my greatest passion (apart from being a devoted mum of two young girls!) and the genuine care and affection I have for my students results in very strong relationships and highly successful partnerships with parents. It is so rewarding to work together to support children in becoming happy, secure and confident learners who love to come to school each and every day!”

If you’d like to know more about ACG School Jakarta, please contact us on acgjkt@acgedu.com or visit jakarta.acgedu.com

language

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Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

French is Still a Fascinating Language for Indonesians

BY ERIC BUVELOT

T

he French language remains an inf luential language in the diplomatic world, aside for being dubbed as a romance language. Spoken in at least 29 countries, this language can be rather useful for today’s nomads.

Some of you might wonder what Alliance Française is and what it stands for.

Surprisingly enough, it’s not a sort of French club, or even anything close to that. Neither is it a French insurance company nor the name of an exotic French military contingent. It’s not even aimed at the French themselves, but at the rest of the world who do not speak French… yet.

Yes, Alliance Française is a school for those wanting to learn the French language. After all, it’s not every country that wants to promote its language abroad as France does.

This is nothing surprising for those who know about the French and their legendary self-esteem; they have always considered their culture universal.

Either way, this is nothing new. Alliance Française first started in 1883 with that very purpose. One and a half centuries later, the goal set by prestigious French personalities like Jules Verne, Louis Pasteur, and Armand Colin is still the number one mission of the 1,016 Alliances Françaises that have been dispatched to over 137 countries on the planet. Nearly half a million students learn French through this old worldwide institution every year.

With little funding from the French government, Alliance Française has to also be a profitable business, and each of them is an independently run franchise. This is in contrast to the 150 French Cultural Institutes led directly by the French state, also to promote French language and culture on foreign soil.

True, it’s not only the French who enjoy promoting their language abroad. The British, Germans, Italians, and Spanish also have the same kind of institutions, although not to the same extent. In the original Parisian Alliance Française, which opened its doors in 1894, there are no less than 11,000 students from 160 different countries who still learn French every year.

In Asia, the first Alliance Française to open was the one in Manila in 1920. There is one Alliance Française in Bali too. Located in the upper-class district of Renon, every year the school attracts numerous Indonesians willing to “parler francais.” It’s not an expensive school, contrary to what the location suggests.

In the Bali school, almost all teachers are Indonesians, duly formed by the institution

and having been sent to France for training.

With the help of the local branch manager Amandine Salmon, let’s meet these Indonesians and find out what is the thing they have for France and its culture, to the point they have now dedicated their lives to teaching the language.

Monsieur Lesmana is the senior teacher at the Denpasar Alliance Française. He confesses that he was not attracted to French when he decided to study it, but rather had tried to avoid studying psychology, which his uncle had suggested back then. “For me, France was only about perfumes,” he recalled. After long studies in Paris and Montpellier, he got his DEA in sociolinguistics and came back to Yogyakarta where he taught French for years.

It’s a completely different story with Malika, a French and Indonesian teacher at Alliance Française. Yes, French residents can also learn Bahasa Indonesia at the branch through special lessons tailored for them. “My parents loved French literature and philosophy. That’s how I got attracted to French culture. Also, as a child, I had the chance to live in the mountainous region of Haute-Savoie for six months. I learned how to ski too,” she revealed while sporting a big smile.

For Rosandra, being able to speak French was a childhood dream. Originating from Malang, she first learned French at Alliance Française and then was sent to Nantes by the institution for training. She remembers her stay in Paris as being quite unpleasant. Although she enjoyed visiting the city and its wonders, she was very disappointed by the unfriendliness of Parisians.

With Sada, it was a different story. He already had a degree in English literature but felt that French would better suit his taste. “I love the sound of French – it’s lovely. I like old French singers like Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, and Charles Trenet. I am very fond of French cinema, fashion, and cuisine too,” he enthuses.

Ayu teaches but she is also in charge of communication in the Denpasar branch. For her, the main magnet of France is the culture, “Literature, philosophy, and arts are what got me in the first place”. Her favourite French film is “Zazie dans le metro,” an old classic comedy from 1960. But her favourite singer is actually the Belgian singer and rapper, Stromae.

When asked about her interest in France and its culture, Dilla admitted it all happened by accident. In her native town of Surabaya, the Institut France-Indonesie wasn’t too far from her home – and that’s it! Because her French teacher was good and passionate, it gave her the necessary motivation to go further in her French studies.

Alliance Française is a school for those wanting to learn the French language. After all, it’s not every country that wants to promote its language abroad as France does.

Manager Amandine Salmon describes the usual profiles of students attending the classes in Bali as, “mostly related to tourism.

Many of them work already in this field; tour guides and hotel employees. They master English and think knowing French would give them a better specialisation, more job opportunities, and better pay too. I would say that only 5 percent of our students are genuinely attracted to the country and its culture.”

Also of note is the increase in mixed marriages happening in Bali. Spouses and children sooner or later feel the need to be able to speak French in the family. Or when the trip to visit the in-laws in France is approaching fast, they can give a good impression during family meetings.

According to Amandine Salmon, the image of France among Indonesians is a positive one. Unfortunately, the teaching of French is regressing, like other European languages on the whole, as more regional languages like Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean are understandably rising in popularity with the growth of the Asian economy.

The French government is taking this latest trend into account and has decided to develop a lot of new scholarships in tourism, cuisine, hospitality, architecture, and fashion to boost the attractiveness of French schools for young Indonesians. These subjects are not necessarily in French; many French schools now offer courses in English. The fact is that scholarships to study French literature in France have dropped drastically. Last year, only 500 Indonesian students went to France to study, a figure that can undoubtedly be bettered in the near future.

Alliance Française Jl. Raya Puputan I No.13A, Panjer, South Denpasar, Bali Tel: +62361234143

BINUS BUSINESS SCHOOL’S JOURNEY TO DEVELOPING AGILE THINKERS FOR THE DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION ERA AACSB accredited BINUS BUSINESS SCHOOL (BBS), operating since 2007, has built a reputation for quality business education in Indonesia. The school has recently integrated its undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate programs to ensure curriculum harmony and resource synergy. The aim is to prepare students as agile thinkers who can compete on a global level and answer various challenges in this disruptive innovation era.

“It was important to bring all three business degree levels under one roof,” said Dezie L. Warganegara, Ph.D, BBS Director. “Integration of our business school is an integral part of BINUS UNIVERSITY’s mission to continuous innovation in business and research education. We want to produce professionals capable of using the latest techniques and technologies in this disruptive innovation era. At every level, the school adopts top international standards in the curriculum development and delivery.”

More than 50 percent of BINUS BUSINESS SCHOOL faculty members hold a doctorate degree and have long experience in various industries, actively conducting research in management and entrepreneurship. The combination of academic knowledge and experience that BBS faculty members have makes an innovation-andentrepreneurship-based attitude at the school possible.

Students are expected to offer growth oriented and innovative ideas throughout the program to challenges in the local and international settings. BBS uses case studies produced by the world’s top business schools and those developed in cooperation with prominent companies operating in Indonesia, such as Nestle, Grundfos, Aitindo, etc. Participants also practice lateral and structural thinking, how to anticipate change, and launch new ideas relying on the practices from Ivy League schools, such as Stanford, to address business volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.

BINUS BUSINESS SCHOOL also cooperates with top business schools from Australia, Europe, Asia, and New Zealand, such as Macquarie University and University of New South Wales (Australia), Nottingham University (United Kingdom), Cologne Business School (Germany), Burgundy Business School (France), Solbridge International School of Business (South Korea), Victoria University of Wellington School of Business, and Auckland University of Technology (New Zealand), to provide double degrees and master tracks.

“BINUS BUSINESS SCHOOL’s commitment to align with the top business schools is also shown in our dedication to the AACSB accreditation process. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is a global non-profit association and a well-known international accreditation association which was established in 1916. We have worked with AACSB for several years to align our curriculum with the international standard. We are now holders of this prestigious accreditation as one of the only 18 schools in ASEAN,” said Dezie.

BINUS BUSINESS SCHOOL has gone through numerous changes on its way to becoming a world class business school, particularly with respect to lecturer qualifications, research quality, and quality assurance to ensure continuous improvement in the learning process.

The vision of BINUS as an innovation community, and cooperation with dedicated partners, have been playing an important role in moving the school forward on its mission to provide highly adaptable business leaders for the international market.

exchange program

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Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

A Semester in Yogyakarta: Education, Exploration, and Expectations

BY JOANNE RUSHTON

Y

ogyakarta or Jogja is the Indonesian city of education. The city is filled with students and all the cool cafes and hangout spots you’d expect, minus the bars brimming with beer every night. As well as attracting some of the best Indonesian minds to study here, there are lots of international students.

There are myriad overseas universities with links to the schools in Jogja and a range of courses on offer. As a wide-eyed student coming from Europe to the city to study, what is life like? My university days are far behind me now, so I sat down with a couple of groups of international students in Jogja to understand their impressions of the city, the education, and what they’re learning outside the classroom.

Isa’s temporary move here was a little more unplanned. “I didn’t particularly choose Jogja or USD, and I didn’t really consider anywhere else in Indonesia. I’m doing my minor here and I could only choose the country I wanted to go to. This automatically meant I was going to Jogja and USD because HAN University and USD are collaborating in regards to studying abroad and exchange students.”

“Some perspectives are quite nice to consider.

For example, I’m learning Human Resources Management now from a less wealthy country.

It’s fun to learn how Indonesians would manage a company. However, most of the time

As well as students completing part of their course in Jogja, there’s another type of study available here. I met up with Ania and Karla, from Poland and Czechia respectively, who are both students at Atma Jaya University on the Darmasiswa Scholarship program, studying Bahasa Indonesia as a break from their normal studies.

The culture shock wasn’t too big a deal for Karla, whose major is Indonesian studies at the faculty of arts at Charles University in Prague. “Before I came to Indonesia, I had already studied about Indonesia for a year, so I knew quite a lot about this country.

I definitely expected that transportation would be crazy. The weather is really hot and humid, and the food is completely different,” she explained.

First, I had a conversation with three students from the Netherlands, Remke and Isa who are here for a semester in their teacher training studies, and Lotte, who is here for a semester of her International Business degree.

“I’m following Cross-Cultural Understanding at University Sanata Dharma (USD) and although I might not be learning that much, I do like the interaction with students from another cultural background!” explained Isa, who will be a qualified preschool teacher once her term studying and interning here is finished.

they consider only one perspective, whereas in my home university, we talk about all different options, strategies, and structures,” explained Lotte when I asked her about the value of studying her subject in a different culture.

ISA

I was intrigued as to how they came to choose Yogyakarta to do an exchange program. For Remke, it was a considered choice, “For an English major we were required to do a minor abroad. There was a list of countries to choose from. I chose to go to Indonesia because I loved travelling here four years ago. I especially enjoyed the nature and the people.

I also chose Jogja because of the international school; it follows the IB curriculum which I am particularly interested in.”

UNIVERSITAS GADJAH MADA

LOTTE

UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA

They both note that life in Jogja isn’t as busy as back home, with Ania explaining, “In Poland, I’m not only a student, but also a worker, I have many things to do. Here, I have plenty of time. Of course, student life is totally different: not so many parties nor is there much alcohol!” Whilst Karla notes, “I’m busier in my city than in Indonesia, so I don't have so much time for student life.”

All of the women I spoke to were very positive about their time in Jogja; Ania and Karla have hitchhiked all over Java and Isa told me how she loves to jump on a motorbike and explore the countryside. In both chats their expectations before moving over here came up.

“I didn’t have too many expectations, because I like to have no expectations at all.

I did prepare myself by knowing it would be a big culture shock though! But I arrived here open-minded hoping I would adapt to the Indonesian culture quickly,” was Isa’s response, whilst Ania had a similar attitude, “I didn't have any expectations, honestly, I just came here!”

Remke said, “I expected the level of the university to be lower than in the Netherlands, which was the case.” This sentiment was echoed by Lotte, “Since I had never been outside of Europe, I didn’t really know what to expect. The only thing I really thought was that the university level would probably be much lower than my home university. This is definitely true… I also thought the country would be less wealthy than the Netherlands.

This is true; however, they are wealthy in a completely different way. I really like how people are mainly outside and eat together at a warung all the time. They spend much more time with family and friends compared to the Netherlands.”

Finally, I asked everyone for one piece of advice they’d give anyone planning to study in Yogyakarta.

From Ania: “Think about what you want to do in your free time; do something interesting and helpful. You can be a volunteer, learn some new skills, and you can travel a lot!”

In Poland, I’m not only a student, but also a worker, I have many things to do. Here, I have plenty of time. Of course, student life is totally different: not so many parties nor is there much alcohol!

REMKE

Karla’s advice: “Enjoy the student life here and join interesting events that Jogja can offer you. Student life here is unique because there are many artists, international students, and local students from all parts of Indonesia.”

Lotte offers: “Don’t come here for the best universities in the world, but I think it’s worth experiencing different cultures and to understand them better! At UGM (Gadjah Mada University), you can choose your own subjects and timeslots, which results in a lot of free time to travel and explore Indonesia!”

And Isa’s thoughts are: “I would say come to Jogja! If you’re looking for a place to chill and also do a lot of fun stuff besides studying, this is the place!”

Bali Island School (BIS) is an IB World School, fully authorised by the International Baccalaureate to deliver the primary years, middle years, and diploma programs from preschool to grade 12. BIS is a nonprofit, college-preparatory school which operates in accordance with Indonesian law that is accredited by the Council of International Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, as well as the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

What makes BIS special is our extraordinary caring community. We are offering a home away from home for the whole family. Our students’ safety, happiness, and development, both academic and personal, are always our main concerns. We provide a gentle and inclusive atmosphere in which students feel welcomed and recognised. We offer excellent pastoral support that is a hallmark of a small school setting. Moreover, parents are well connected to each other and to our staff, completing our BIS community. We have a proactive parents’ association that engages in projects throughout the school year.

Academics are important for us at BIS. To ensure our competitiveness with other schools, we monitor our students’ progress with both internal and external tools. Our results on the International Schools Assessment from grade 3 onwards show that academically, our students compare favourably to students in other international schools worldwide.

IB Diploma graduates at BIS have exceeded the IB DP world average for the past several years. Yet we don’t only care about our average class achievement, but about every individual student. We have small classes and a healthy student to teacher ratio of 7 to 1.

That allows us to watch every student’s development carefully and to support everyone properly.

At BIS, your child will receive an education that is relevant to a globalised and rapidly changing world. Our units are designed to allow students to make choices about their inquiry, develop perspectives, and to consider the impact of decsions on others. We focus on both our students’ academic and personal development with a progressive and holistic curriculum.

We have IB trained, dedicated, and experienced international teaching staff, with over 85 percent being expatriates. Our teachers are well versed in differentiating the learning experience to meet the needs of each individual student.

Our vision for BIS is to be the school of choice for internationally-minded families choosing to live in Bali. Being open-minded and learning about different cultures is very important to us. Our student body is made up of 27 different nationalities. Our diverse faculty hails from 14 different countries.

Transition procedures and support are especially important in international schools.

Enrolling your child in an IB school facilitates moving to another country, as the child can transition to the new IB school right where he/she had left off.

At BIS, we help new students to get comfortable in their new environment. Besides our counsellor who monitors new students closely, we assign every new student a “buddy” student who helps your child get to know our school.

We have outstanding education outcomes and university placements, which leads to an easy transition after graduation. Students have been accepted by outstanding universities all over the world.

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holistic wellness

Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

The Science of Life through Ayurveda

BY ANITA SUREWICZ

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oday’s fast-paced lifestyles can take a toll on our bodies. Stress, lack of exercise, and inappropriate nutrition can put us off our game or even leave us wavering on the edge of exhaustion.

This is where Ayurveda can help. Unlike Western medicine, which treats particular aliments, Ayurveda promotes health by addressing physical, mental, and emotional imbalances. As such, it is more than just a healing system, but a way of life that can be learned and practised throughout our lives.

“All people are born with a specific body constitution – what we call prakrithi – which can lead to a variety of imbalances. Once people know their specific body type, they can make the necessary lifestyle changes to put themselves back on track,” said Vaidya Mithun Rama Raju Indukuru, the Resident Ayurvedic Physician at the Sukhavati Retreat and Spa in Bali. “While it is important to remember that transformation is an ongoing process, anybody can learn how to tailor their daily routine to reap the benefits of Ayurvedic healing.”

Raju, who grew up in Hyderabad, India, in a family whose connection to Ayurveda dates back to the 17th century, says that the word Ayurveda comes from two Sanskrit words: Ayu, which translates to life and Veda, which means knowledge. Calling the practice Life Knowledge seems apt considering that it dates back some 5,000 years and has been certified by the World Health Organisation as the world’s oldest comprehensive healthcare system. It was not until some 2,000 years later that both Ayurveda and the Hindu religion made their way from India to Indonesia.

Ayurveda does not offer all-purpose solutions, but rather looks at each person as an individual with a very specific body constitution.

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, a person is made up of a combination of five elements including fire, earth, air, water, and space, which control their physical, mental, and emotional condition. While each person possesses a unique mixture of these elements, according to Ayurveda, there are three main body types or doshas: the pitta dosha (fire and water), the vata dosha (air and space) and the

kapha dosha (water and earth). Interestingly, each body type is characterised by different physical characteristics: the kapha dosha by strong build, the pitta dosha by medium build, and the vata dosha by slim build.

Typically, an Ayurvedic physician starts their consultation, or panchakarma, by taking the patient’s pulse before examining their eyes, tongue, and skin. This lets the doctor determine the person’s dosha type, as well as assess if there are any irregularities in energy flows between the body, mind, and spirit.

Ayurveda focuses on balancing six main tastes, including salty, sour, bitter, astringent, sweet, and pungent.

“My main focus is on reducing ama or undigested food that can clog up the system by advising my patients about their daily routines, right from the moment they wake up until the time they turn off the lights at night,” said Raju. “It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody that most health conditions are caused by unhealthy lifestyles.

My consultations are just the start of a longer transformation, with each individual responsible for their own journey towards a healthy mind and body.”

While the course of treatment can vary, it usually focuses on balancing the patient’s dosha through ridding the body of the physical and mental toxins caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. Some prescribed treatments include shirodhara, which involves the trickling of warm oil on the forehead to induce deep physical and mental relaxation. The gentle sensation of warm oil reduces the level of stress hormones such as adrenaline while improving blood circulation of the brain. Another line of treatment includes abhyanga or warm oil massage to liquefy toxins, followed by swedasna or herbal steam therapy used to eliminate toxins from the body.

According to Ayurveda, an inappropriate diet is one of the main causes of ill health. As such, it is important to ensure that each person is eating the right types of food for their body composition. Ayurveda focuses on balancing six main tastes, including salty, sour, bitter, astringent, sweet, and pungent.

“In the olden days, there were no pharmaceutical medicines, hence people used to treat the symptoms of disease with the herbs available in our kitchens. According to Ayurveda, food should be our first medicine and the kitchen should be our pharmacy,” said Raju. “People need to learn what food suits their body composition. While I can set them on the right path, the rest is up to each individual. Luckily, most Ayurvedic dishes are very easy to prepare at home.”

Since Ayurveda focuses on how each one of us can balance our unique body composition, it is important that each individual takes full ownership of their treatment. While a consultation with an Ayurvedic doctor can set us on the path to a transformation, this will achieve nothing if we do not make the prescribed lifestyle changes a part of our daily routine.

Nevertheless, Raju says that enjoyment should be a crucial part of the process. “Be gentle with yourself along this journey to a healthy mind and body, and most importantly have fun along the way.”

Visit www.sukhavatibali.com for further information on the Sukhavati Retreat and Spa.

How Early is too Early for School?

Parents are ultimately the decisionmakers, and one of the most important decisions parents will make in their lifetime is; when should my child start going to school? According to the Centre on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 90 percent of a child’s brain development happens before the age of five. This is a period of time many refers to as the Golden Age of child development.

During this early development of the brain, when it is at its most malleable, most brain functions of memor y, learning, attention, stress response, and emotion are being moulded. Children need the right stimulation to achieve their developmental milestones, which a great early childhood education can provide.

Early Childhood education matters, and it has been proven that the earlier you invest in a child’s education, the higher the

return. According to The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Early Childhood Education and Care has significant economic and social payoff. Many experts, including Nobelprize winner economist James Heckman, have shown how early learning is a good investment because it provides the foundation for further learning. This is also what HighScope Educational Research Foundation’s founder, David F. Weikart, has proven with the Perry Preschool Project, a research study seeking the answer to whether access to high-quality education could have a positive impact on preschool children and the communities where they live.

“90 percent of a child’s brain development happens before the age of five” - Harvard Centre on the Developing Child

Knowing the importance of high-quality early childhood education, the next question would be: what enables a school to provide a high-quality early childhood education? What factors should one consider in choosing a school for their toddlers? According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), there are several factors to consider; the most important being having a curriculum with active participatory learning and adequate teacher training. Proper monitoring and supervision of teachers by the school is also a must, this also ensures appropriate evaluation procedures of the children are being enacted. Parents’ involvement as partners for their child’s education is held in high regard, a home-school collaboration for the development of the whole child. Not forgetting things such as being attentive to the non-academic needs of children and proper teacherstudent ratio.

do it (things) when they are ready for it.” Learning is a journey, not a race, and early childhood education is the right way to start a life-long process of continuous learning. HighScope Indonesia is redesigning the world by changing the way children learn. As children move forward to further learning in elementary, middle, and high school, we hold this belief to be true.

All families are different in their own ways, but they all want the same thing, to give the best for their child. However, it is important to note that every child is unique. In HighScope Indonesia, we believe that a school should do what’s best for the children, not for the parents nor the school themselves. HighScope Indonesia’s Founder and CEO, Antarina SF Amir likes to say, “Children will

info@highscope.or.id

For more info please contact:

22

insight

Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

Early Childhood Education: How Important is It?

BY DINI PUTRI SARASWATI

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any people believe that the first few years of a child’s life are critical and sensitive; therefore, learning opportunities should be taken advantage of in order to stimulate their brain development. The first three years of childhood play an important role in 80 percent of brain development, while another 10 percent is gained in the following two years. Therefore, about 90 percent of brain development is shaped by the learning outcomes children have before entering primary school.

Early Childhood Education (ECE) is one of the solutions to accommodate the needs of children to achieve their optimal growth. As a developing country that emphasises education, Indonesia has been actively increasing the development of ECE in rural and remote areas through its government, along with some development agencies. According to The Jakarta Post, approximately 100,000 ECE centres have been built and managed by local communities. The rate of national preschool enrolment has escalated from a mere 27 percent in 2007 to 73.50 percent in 2017. These statistics show the dedication of the Indonesian government to foster ECE development, which has grown people’s awareness about this issue.

Why ECE? Armida Torres Ramos, an experienced Filipino pre-school teacher at Mighty Minds Pre-School Jakarta, shared with me her perspectives on the importance of attending an ECE centre. Armida explained that ECE centres are about: the education of an infant, starting from 6 months old; toddlers aged 1-3 years old; and pre-schoolers who are 4-6 years old. It’s essential to prepare children to be independent as well as to introduce the children to numeracy and reading before they first set foot in a primary school.

Different nursery schools will create different outcomes too. Armida talked about the differences between international

and national nursery schools and how they can affect the children’s learning experience.

“In international nursery schools, children are used to cultural differences. Their teachers and classmates come from all over the world, bringing distinctive cultures and customs. It makes them learn to embrace the diversity that will enable them to understand new cultures and even languages. Moreover, international nursery schools have all of the necessary resources to equip children to explore their sensory integration, whereas in national nursery schools, the classes are usually very big, comprising 60-65 students with fewer resources, making it ineffective for the children to absorb all of the knowledge,” she elaborated. Unluckily, most international nursery schools are way more expensive than national ones.

What Do Children Learn During an ECE? Although there are certain cognitive stages of childhood development that have to be completed in ECE, it is not intimidating and stressful at all. Armida revealed that she gives her students all the privileges to learn and explore anything by doing simple tasks such as tying shoelaces, eating independently, and recognising the sense of touch. “Those simple activities may not be offered at most primary schools but we need to familiarise the children with them in order to avoid culture shock later. This method is called play-based learning, which makes it very enjoyable for the children,” she said. Armida added that the complexity of learning also increases as the children get older – for example, learning to draw, sing, read, and many others.

Moreover, ECE is never about competing and ranking, as Armida argued that there is no such thing as failing a term. Nursery school teachers are fully responsible for the development of their students by guiding them thoroughly until they reach the next level. It is a very long process indeed. Each student has different abilities compared to their classmates, and that makes them unique. “As a teacher, I have to push a

town, hoping to replace the role of parents.

In fact, parents are actually the primary caregivers of their own children. Therefore, ECE cannot work at its best without support from parents, because children spend the most time at home rather than at nursery school. Teachers only guide their sensory development while parents must improve it at home.

Allowing them the opportunity to express themselves as well as giving constructive feedback afterwards can contribute to boosting their confidence. student who seems left behind and give extra effort to develop their skills so that they can catch up with the others,” Armida said.

Competing, according to Armida, although needed to encourage a child’s sense of competition, isn’t suitable to be taught in ECE because it can develop greed and irrational ambitions. In this sense, she suggested that children should learn to cooperate with their peers. Allowing them the opportunity to express themselves as well as giving constructive feedback afterwards can contribute to boosting their confidence. “Students are encouraged to compete only in a game to reduce feelings of resentment when losing,” she asserted.

ECE Is Useless without the Support from Parents ECE goes hand in hand with parents’ actions. The connection between the two cannot be separated as both must support the other. There might be a time when parents are too busy and they are incapable of monitoring their children, so they send their children to the best nursery school in

Armida indicated that teachers can tell if there is a child who is unhappy in their family. “Usually, they will throw tantrums all the time. Some who can communicate would even tell me what is going on in their family. Thus, a teacher has to be able to be a great listener and supporter too,” she said.

To tackle the problem, Armida pointed out that nursery school educators must build strong communication with parents through certain methods, such as sending an e-mail and communication book that indicates reports and evaluations of the skills gained by the children. She even invites parents to a personal talk with her when the parents seem to neglect their children. She claimed that strong communication ties are effective in enhancing parents’ consciousness about the importance of their active engagement in the children’s development.

On top of that, ECE is the key to the maximum development of a child’s sensory network. Sending them to nursery school can be one idea to help them to be exposed to various learning activities. At nursery school, children will have a child-friendly environment where they can build on their sense of right and wrong, as well as recreate the brain function that would endow them for the next stage of education. However, an ECE centre cannot be the only one who contributes. It still requires parents’ playing a supportive role in order to accomplish the best learning outcome for each child. By integrating the responsibility of parents and teachers along with loving fulfilment from both parties, children will be able to develop their sensory, motor, and cognitive skills to the greatest extent.

G LO B A L JAYA S C H O O L

FOR PASSION OF THE ARTS Global Jaya School (GJS) was first established in 1995 as an International School located in Bintaro, South Tangerang, a suburb of Southwest Jakarta. We were one of the very first educational institutions in Indonesia to offer opportunities for children who desire an international-standard quality of education.

We are proud to offer the International Baccalaureate curriculum, not only for its quality, but also because of its proven sustainability, relevance, and unparalleled ability to prepare our graduates for the rigours of their upcoming university experience. We offer the IB continuum, which takes our students through all three IB programs: the Primary Years Program (PYP), the Middle Years Program (MYP), and the Diploma Program (DP). In addition, GJS fully supports the development of the mother tongue language for every student.

Children are our most valuable asset. Therefore, GJS dedicates considerable time and energy to developing each student according to his/her potential, with a focus on the individual's interests and abilities. Nowhere is this more evident than in the arts.

The performing and visual arts have a strong tradition at GJS, with classes available in vocal and instrumental music, visual arts, drama classes, and film. We are very proud of our 680-seat theatre and Arts Education building. Our alumni have gone on to become professional musicians, artists, actors and filmmakers.

In addition to being equipped with rooms for theory and practice, students are also encouraged to go directly to

the field according to their areas of interest. For example, in the arts, we have many classes that support the student’s creativity such as music class, visual arts, and drama classes. Many exciting events are also provided to stimulate the student’s active role of art.

In March 2020, we held a major Arts Festival, a program which has evolved over the years into a student led event involving hundreds and attracting thousands. Students’ artwork from Primary to Secondary was displayed together with work by professional alumni artists and members of staff. Performances by students throughout the day were a high point. What made the event even more amazing was that the organisers were required to make major adjustments to their plans as a result of concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

This is a testament to the resilience, flexibility, and creativity of our students and the staff supporting them.

Rather than just giving up and cancelling their planned two-week long Arts Expo, they shifted gears and found a way to make it work while taking the necessary precautions and addressing safety issues and community concerns. Their creative solutions allowed students who had been working for months to prepare performances, artwork, and film presentations to realise their goal of presenting their best work to an appreciative audience.

We believe all children are born to be great, and to achieve that greatness requires a journey that, in many ways, is unique to each individual. Global Jaya School is the gateway to that world.

Info for Expats

Lifestyle Business in Bali

Visa-related paperwork may sometimes seem extensive for foreigners. Emerhub handles requests for visa and work permits daily, and can assist with obtaining and extending the above visas in a timely manner.

BY TRIIN TIGANE

Nominee Company This is a company where the shares are pledged and you have full control over the company through a set of agreements. The registered shareholders are Indonesian people or entities. The set of legal agreements makes nominee company a legal and safe way to have complete control over a company. Since the nominee shareholders will be local entities, your company does not have to follow the requirements set to large scale businesses.

Examples of industries where nominee companies are common, including restaurants and cafés, surf and diving centres, yoga studios and hospitality businesses.

Setting up a lifestyle business in Bali is indeed attractive. However, it tends to get difficult for a lifestyle business in Bali to follow the minimum capital requirements set up for foreign-owned companies. Nonetheless, there are several main challenges of starting a lifestyle business in Bali but with that come the solutions for the most common scenarios. There are also ways for you to live in Bali as a digital nomad and even hire local staff without having a company.

Lifestyle Business in Bali Common activities of lifestyle businesses in Bali are a perfect balance of mindfulness with productive business and setting life into perspective.

Some of the common business activities foreigners often conduct in Bali are: • Food and beverage related business (restaurants, workshops, cookbook launches etc.)

• Recreation and leisure activities (yoga, surfing, diving, golf) • Clothing design and distribution • Cosmetics import and sales • Spiritual health, holistic and wellness services Challenges of Lifestyle Businesses Foreign-owned limited liability companies (PT PMA) must follow the Indonesian Investment Law which among others sets up the following minimum requirements: • Investment of at least Rp10 billion (US$800,000).

• Minimum paid up capital Rp2.5 billion.

• Limitations to the maximum foreign ownership depending on the business classification (many limitations in hospitality).

• Not enough revenue.

• Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) requires foreign owned companies to present an investment for at least Rp10 billion (US$800,000), minimum 25 percent of the investment must be paid up as capital. For most lifestyle businesses, Bali is not realistic to meet this criteria.

In addition, if you’re setting up a PT PMA for several business classifications, you must show how the company plans to earn the revenue equal to the amount of four times the investment, for example, Rp40 billion within the first year of operation. Showing such realistic income plan is hard even for medium-sized companies and usually impossible for smaller lifestyle businesses.

One Investment Requirement per Business Classification In Bali, there are several limitations on the business classifications that can be registered under one PT PMA. For example, the manufacturing and distribution business cannot be registered under one PT PMA, and two separate entities must be registered.

This is a serious challenge for lifestyle businesses where often many different small activities are run.

Furthermore, even if some business classifications can be registered under one PT PMA, the minimum investment requirement of Rp10 billion is applicable per business classification. Hence, for registering two business classifications, the total investment must be Rp20 billion. This affects companies in Bali regardless of whether their business activities are related to each other or not.

Alternative Solutions to Setting Up a PT PMA Unless your lifestyle business will require large scale investments, there are better solutions for doing business on the island.

Using companies as nominee shareholders and proper set of agreements will protect your interests in a much safer way of collaboration, rather than trusting local individuals to act as nominee shareholders having control over your company. That would be risky as they could walk away with your assets at any time, or difficulties arise if they die or divorce.

Registering a PT PMA in One Industry PT PMA can conduct all business activities within the business field once approval has been made. But looking at a lifestyle business’ perspective means that there are a few restrictions which shed a better light to a nominee company.

For example, the below business activities cannot be combined with others under one PT PMA. This means that a separate PT PMA must be formed in industries, such as trading, manufacturing, retail and hospitality.

PT PMA suits well for foreign companies and investors looking for full or partial ownership in a company. Setting up this entity is most suitable for large scale companies where the field of industry is determined. Due to the high minimum capital requirement and the industry restriction as shown above, many foreign investors in Bali opt for a nominee company instead.

Common Myths Regarding to Business in Bali We have gathered a collection of myths, some of which you may have heard as well, based on the numerous discussions we had with our clients in Bali: 1. Foreigner Cannot be a Director of a Local Company.

Indonesian laws prohibit foreigners to be directors of the local company thus it must have a local director. Other than that, the local company may also have a foreign director if certain conditions have been fulfilled.

2. Local Companies Cannot Issue Work Permits to Foreigners. The ability to issue work permits depends on the size of capital of the company.

3. Local Companies Pay Less Taxes. The taxes are same for locally owned and foreign owned limited liability companies.

4. Having a Local Partner Makes Company Registration Process Faster. Having a local partner does not have any effect on the duration of the company registration process. As long as there is at least one foreign shareholder, the company is considered as a foreign owned company and the requirements for foreign owned companies apply.

5. Local PT and PT PMA Can Only Issue a Limited Number of Work Permits to Foreigners. Foreign directors and commissioners will get 12-month work permits in Indonesia, regardless of the ownership structure of the company. For other positions, the company needs to demonstrate that the position cannot be filled by a local person and the term of the working permit is discretion of the immigration, which its minimum validity of the work and stay permit is six months.

A Digital Nomad in Bali Digital nomads or location independent expatriates are a common sight in Bali. As long as you are not employed by an Indonesian company or earn revenue in Indonesia, it’s fairly easy to stay and work remotely in Bali.

Staying in Bali A list of countries are allowed to have their citizens travel to Bali with visa exemption for 30 days. If you plan to stay longer, you have a choice between Social Visa or Business Visa.

Social Visa A Social Visa is valid for 60 days upon entry. This visa can be extended into four 30-day extensions with the total maximum stay of six months. To apply for a social visa, a sponsor letter is necessary from an Indonesian sponsor, such as Emerhub. The key limitations of a Social Visa are that you need to extend it every month and it is cancelled once you leave the country.

This is given for these following purposes: • The visit of a family member or relative in Indonesia.

• The visit of a social organisation in the same field you are operating in.

• Exchange visits for training and education purposes in Indonesia.

• Lecturing, joining a non-commercial conference or seminar in a social or governmental field.

Business Visa A multiple-entry Business Visa is issued for one year and allows the holder to stay in the country for 60 days per visit. You can then re-enter Indonesia with the same visa for unlimited times.

The purposes of a Business Visa are the following: • Discussing matters of trade transactions.

• On spot observation and discussions on trade terms (import-export business).

• A business activity where a person is not engaged as an employee.

• Attending to international shows and exhibitions.

• Attending meetings by a head office or representative in Indonesia.

• Discussing with Indonesian enterprises over capital or commodity production by overseas enterprise.

• Investigating commercial possibilities of capital investment with possible partners in Indonesia.

• A journalistic visit.

• To make a film for non-commercial purposes.

The key decision is therefore: do you plan to only stay in Indonesia or do you also plan to visit other countries during your stay? If the former, then get the Social Visa, whereas if you choose the latter, then go for the Business Visa.

Representative Office and KITAS If you want to have legal presence in Indonesia but don’t need to earn revenue locally, then one of the simplest ways is opening a representative office. A representative office represents a foreign company in Indonesia but does not undertake commercial activities.

Similarly to a PT PMA, a representative office can apply for limited stay permits (KITAS) for its foreign executives. You will be able to legally stay and work in Indonesia and also hire local and foreign staff.

Hiring Locals Without a Company Growing out from an independent digital nomad into a entrepreneur with a team and then finding qualified labourers can be a challenge. However, one of the simplest ways to hire a local team is using staff augmentation service. No legal presence is required with staff augmentation, and you don’t need to worry about employment law. All of it is taken care of by Emerhub.

This service is commonly used for conducting market research, selling products, finding and meeting suppliers or distributors, and hiring local engineers and other experts.

Triin Tigane is the Branch Manager of Emerhub Bali and has been assisting people to start their business for nearly three years. Having a legal background in M&A, commercial and corporate law, restructuring and insolvency as a lawyer, Triin has experience working with companies all around the world. Feel free to drop her an email bali@emerhub.com if you have any questions.

www.emerhub.com

26

Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

BALI

Reflect in Tranquillity and Refinement at Anantara Seminyak Bali Resort This March 25 marks Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence and Isakawarsa – Saka New Year. This Hindu holiday is celebrated with silence, fasting, and meditation, as locals and visitors are encouraged to stay indoors and switch off all non-essential lights.

Anantara Seminyak Bali Resort welcomes everyone to experience Nyepi with a special room package, activities, and offers that are respectful to local customs. Promoting self-ref lection, the Time of

Anantara Seminyak’s Saka New Year’s Eve dinner offers a lavish buffet of Indonesian specialties, BBQ meats and seafood in island-style marinades, as well as exotic Balinese desserts while watching a colourful ogohogoh procession and panoramic sunset views. Dinner is Rp388,000++ per person, subject to 21 percent tax and service charge, on March 24, 2020 at 6:30-10pm in Seminyak Restaurant.

Reflection room package starts at Rp4 million nett, for two nights of accommodation with daily breakfast. From March 24 to 26, guests can enjoy arts and crafts, cultural awareness sessions, daily complimentary morning and sunset yoga sessions, dinner for two on March 25, exclusive savings of 25 percent at all restaurants and bars, and much more.

Other than that, a stargazing session at the resort’s signature ocean-facing restaurant, MoonLite Kitchen and Bar, on March 25 is the perfect moment to admire the stars and moon glimmering over Seminyak beach.

For more information or to make a reservation, please call +62361737773 or visit bali.anantara.com or email seminyak@anantara.com.

BALI

Private Kingdoms Inspired Villa Collection at The Apurva Kempinski Bali the Majapahit three-bedroom villas open out onto their own tropical gardens, with a private kitchen, a spacious outdoor living area, as well as space for six adults and three children to sleep, ranging between 637-891 square metres.

JAKARTA

Sinarmas World Academy Celebrates Pi (π) Day Students from Sinarmas World Academy (SWA) held a mathematicalthemed event in honour of World Pi (π) Day; an annual celebration of the Pi (π) mathematical constant which is celebrated annually on March 14.

Pi (π) Day has been celebrated since 2016 in SWA. It’s a very special day because the series of events is not only related to math, counting, and formulae, but also interesting and exciting activities, such as The Git Up Line Dance Competition, Sprint Math, Nim Toothpick Game, and SWA’s Pi Digit Memoriser.

“Basically, all science contains mathematical elements; unfortunately, many students think math is hard and boring without any fun. Through these activities, we expect more interest from students and also to see them join in the fun of maths,” explained William Kim, a grade 11 student, as the organiser of the day’s celebrations.

According to the OECD Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2018, Indonesian students’ maths skills are low in the world, with a rating of 75 out of 81 countries. In this regard, SWA school strives to improve the students’ abilities. For example, SWA teaches the applications and applicability of science so students can understand from different perspectives.

“When students see the real function of the science they are studying in school, they will be more motivated to learn. We expect the younger generation to be able to learn by purpose, not solely for value,” said Hayden, the teacher of SELF-guidance.

For further information, visit www.swa-jkt.com or call +622153161400.

A collection of 43 exquisite private villas are nestled in the tropical cliff-top gardens of Nusa Dua. Comprising one, two, and threebedroom villas, visitors will be guaranteed complete privacy, spacious indoor-outdoor living, and a slice of the heart-warming way of Balinese life.

Each of the two-storey villas has a selfcontained plunge pool and outdoor terrace surrounded by lush foliage and clever architectural features created by architect Budiman Hendropurnomo. Larger villas also feature kitchens and rooftop dining areas. Villa guests also have access to the exclusive Villa Lounge, which offers around the clock refreshments in sumptuous surroundings.

PRIVATE KINGDOM Singhasari one-bedroom villas offer a generous 202 square-metre living space that’s perfect for couples, with a private pool and terrace on the ground floor. Also available is a king-sized bedroom and outdoor rain shower upstairs. Sriwijaya twobedroom villas range from 200-460 square metres, with an additional twin bedroom, a rooftop lounge, and dining area, while

Set at the water’s edge, adjacent to the Apurva Wedding Chapel, the threebedroom Nusantara Presidential Villa is the jewel in the resort’s collection, with 1,379 square metres of indoor-outdoor space. Nusantara is set over two spectacular levels, with a master suite, living area, and 18-metre swimming pool on the ground f loor, two additional bedrooms, and an eight-metre infinity pool on the upper level.

“The debut of our new villa collection means that The Apurva Kempinski Bali is ready to welcome families or groups of any size, for any occasion; from intimate family escapes and show-stopping weddings to board-level meetings and incentives,” says General Manager Vincent Guironnet.

Now fully operational thanks to the efforts of an enormous team of craftsmen, artisans, designers, and architects, the Apurva Kempinski Bali is set to deliver an unforgettable Balinese experience.

To explore more, visit www.kempinski. com/en/bali/the-apurva-kempinski-bali or contact +623612092288 or email to info. bali@kempinski.com.

JAKARTA

Chef Som Basnet Now Returns to Face Kitchen Jakarta Face Kitchen Jakarta welcomes back Indian Chef Som Basnet after his stint at Face Bangkok. Before working in Face Bangkok, Som had worked in Face Kitchen Jakarta’s North Indian restaurant called Hazara.

Born in New Delhi and raised in Nepal, Som graduated from culinary school at the age of 19, which then took him to work in various hotels and restaurants in India. His cooking style can be described as light without compromising the unique taste of Face Kitchen Jakarta’s menu, which has been consistent and attracted many food lovers since its very start in 1995.

Face Kitchen Jakarta is a combination of two kitchens: Hazara and Lanna Thai – a previous restaurant that served Thai delicacies. Now, you can eat your favourite Indian and Thai foods all at once.

You can meet Som at Face Kitchen Jakarta’s new location at Jalan Tulodong Bawah D1 during these hours: daily at 12-2:30pm, SundayWednesday at 6-10pm, and Thursday-Saturday at 6-11pm.

For more details and reservations, contact +628118555526, email facekitchenjakarta@gmail.com or follow Instagram @face_kitchen_ jakarta.

27

Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

Students Express Art at Global Jaya Art Expo 2020

BY MIRELLA PANDJAITAN

The PYP and MYP art exhibition was in the school’s multi-purpose hall. Then the foyer of the theatre held the diploma art exhibition, which is a mandatory aspect of their program to display their artworks and photographs.

Cory believes that students who are willing to step on stage or hang their artwork have a combination of both academics and passion.

In fact, students who do not take the class can also participate.

“We’re proud of the opportunity the students and teachers have worked on for the past few months, and having the opportunity for the kids to see their peers and families to see their children today was tremendous,” Cory added.

As an art department project, parents are heard praising how it relates to the curriculum. There were usually art assemblies every year until two years ago.

Tria Sismalinda, the MYP Drama and Diploma Theatre teacher at Global Jaya School, explained that this curriculum encourages arts in the classroom and is also inspirational due to the global context. Students have to research, do critical and creative thinking, and be independent, all as part of ATL. Moreover, the subject asseses students through four stages: A for research, B for performance, C for production, and D for evaluation.

Life imitates art. This is a phrase that attaches to an event in the real world, inspired by creative work. Oscar Wilde, an Irish poet and playwright, once defined this phrase by saying, “the fact that the self-conscious aim of life is to find expression, and that art offers its certain beautiful forms through which it may realise that energy.”

Children who are given a chance to create art, believe it or not, expand their ability to interact with the world around them while also developing their skills of self-expression and communication. Schools that adopt the significance of art and instill it in their curriculum, not just an extra requirement, help students grow and learn different aspects of life. Global Jaya School, for instance, facilitates creative problem solvers in a comprehensive state of mind. This school has a theatre section that encourages students to get up on stage for a theatrical and a musical performance, while also providing space for art exhibitions.

On 10-13 March 2020, Global Jaya celebrated various forms of arts created by students from PYP, MYP to Diploma levels during its Art Expo 2020. Some of the performances rocked the stage included a beautiful rendition of “Listen” by Beyoncé, a choir ensemble of a popular Indonesian lullaby, instrumental jazz, an interpretive play on the effects of climate change by humans upon mother nature, and many more. Previously, there have been other art assemblies but nothing matched the scale this year.

“As a school, we put a lot of emphasis on acamedics through extra-curricular activities and athleticism,” said Cory James Carson, the Head of School at Global Jaya. “On the other hand, we have many students who are extremely talented and have a passion for art.

Art is a part of the curriculum for primary and secondary levels, but the opportunity for them to perform was what needed to be provided so we do have assemblies but something on this scale where these students went through try-outs and selections – it becomes a show of the best we have to offer.”

“Students practice once a week,” she said.

As an art teacher, Tria thinks that having the chance to perform is good for both students and parents. “We show this to the parents to let them acknowledge that in art, we do the research and exams too. So it's good for parents to see how art is related to the curriculum and it's part of the learning process, just like the other subjects,” she added.

Across the foyer, unique paintings and sculptures were presented. Interesting themes were exhibited. One particular collection had a sign that wrote “16 and above”, which was a rectangular art section where students aged 17-19 created paintings and interior design representing the female body and consent. “They don’t put up x-rated pieces but they realised this is more suitable for mature minds and was less appropriate for the younger students. Therefore, they took it up their own to put up that sign,” Cory pointed out.

The freedom to express through art should be celebrated. Students are supported to fulfill their creative sides. Not having support system from parents to pursue anything artistic could affect them later in their lives.

Cory relates to this idea, “education needs to be holistic. That means the social, athletic, and academic sides need to be explored to create rounded minds and creative thinkers,” he said.

Some schools around the globe do not have classes in drama, music, art, and so forth.

Using the creative side of the brain can help improve brain function, mental health, and physical health. “I feel positive that Global Jaya has all of these opportunities under one roof for the students to partake and it’s viewed as an essential, core element of the IB programme,” he added.

Global Jaya School is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. It was established in 1995. Over the years, Global Jaya School has had a history of growth and positive changes while offering a quality international education program.. This school provides three IB programs: Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP), and the IB Diploma Program (DP). Moreover, the school implements an international curriculum supporting the development of Bahasa Indonesia.

Education with the Lot Please….

BY RICK BAIN

Could COVID-19 present schools with an opportunity? Could it be a Gojek moment and a Grab moment, when the educational challenges faced by this archipelago find a technological solution?

Could I order a math class and a pizza with the lot at the same time?

Education is sometimes seen as a rich country’s privilege. Money always helps, but education is actually a central part of every culture.

Everywhere I have lived, parents teach their children, elders teach the next generation, gurus and priests teach their disciples, and masters teach their apprentices. Education has been part of every human life since the dawn of time, and every culture has rich resources and traditions.

The idea that education should not simply be a form of indoctrination, but teach students to question and think has only ever enjoyed limited popularity. And the idea that a state-sanctioned education should be compulsory for every child was the hard-nosed invention of the modern European nation-state in the late 19 th century.

The nation-state depends on a competitive industrial economy and a massive technically-sophisticated army. Both the economy and the army require a wellbehaved, patriotic, educated population.

Curiously, the goals of today’s education departments (often almost as hierarchical as the army), and the methods of instruction (based on the carrot and the stick) have remained fundamentally unchanged.

One teacher, the drill-sergeant, stands in front of a class of 20 to 30 students, and while using a mixture of intimidation and flattery imparts knowledge, according to the rules they have been given.

Whether the system succeeds has always depended on the quality and the commitment of the teachers, and the level of the students’ motivation.

But even at its very best, the traditional educational model works primarily on the idea that one size fits all, one method of instruction will suit everyone, and that everyone will learn at the same rate. In reality, at least half the students are left behind, floundering, with nothing to do but drive everyone else crazy.

In Australia, plummeting student motivation is dragging results lower in international league tables. Carrots are losing their appeal, and teachers are no longer allowed to use sticks.

In Indonesia, carrots are still effective and motivation seems higher, but widespread issues around the quality and availability of teachers mean overall results are generally poor when compared internationally.

It’s hard to argue the system is working in either country. And yet it has barely changed for 120 years – there seems to be little appetite to challenge the status quo.

There must be ways of sharing outstanding educators (the internet?).

There must be ways of reaching students who have different ways of learning (the internet?). There must be ways of developing individual programs (the internet?).

Could COVID-19, which is forcing imminent closure of schools and the compulsory shift to online education, perhaps force changes? And might the changes, in the medium term, give Indonesian schools a new lease of life?

What we urgently need is the educational equivalent of Grab and Gojek. But I’m bored now, so I’m going to order a pizza with the lot.

28

observation

Get Smart or Die Lying Kenneth Yeung pompously pontificates on education in a time of viral uncertainty.

Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

cigarettes, palm oil, sugar, and white rice health foods?) and other equally dubious claims.

Some wags in government offices quipped that the coronavirus could not reach Indonesia because of the excessive paperwork needed to obtain an entry permit. Others joked that toxic air pollution was killing the virus before it could infect people.

Meanwhile, Indonesians who were feverish and suffering breathing problems had to beg to be tested for COVID-19. The vast majority went untested, while some of those given negative test results then went to Singapore and tested positive.

Indonesia only announced its first cases when two female residents of Depok, south of Jakarta, could be linked to a visiting Japanese national. And the country did not announce its first fatality until a foreigner succumbed to the disease. All this was to sustain the narrative that COVID-19 was a foreign problem that would not be an issue in Indonesia.

Hospitals across Java are now being overwhelmed by an influx of elderly patients with breathing difficulties. Few are being tested for COVID-19 due to insufficient test kits. So when ailing people die, the cause of death is likely to be attributed to other illnesses. As of March 20, the country had tested only about 2,000 people and confirmed 38 deaths.

BY KENNETH YEUNG

A

s a pretentious 16-year-old, one of my favorite books was “The Stranger” (L’Entranger, sometimes translated as The Outsider) by French author Albert Camus. The upshot of the book is that although the inevitability of death makes life absurd, society will condemn you for indifference (especially if you’re dumb enough to commit murder and show no remorse).

This ingrained mindset against independent thinking can be linked to Indonesia’s woefully belated response to COVID-19.

A friend quipped, via a WhatsApp message of course, that Indonesia’s official reaction was akin to the paternalistic Javanese style of infantilizing your subjects by treating them like ignorant children who cannot handle the truth.

It’s a different story in Indonesia, where it seems officials will not be condemned for their initially indifferent and inadequate response to the novel coronavirus (covid-19) outbreak, which now dominates the small screens that control our small minds.

Most Indonesian school children are not required to study Pramoedya or other great literature. Instead, it seems they are being conditioned to think the meaning of life is to get rich quick to fund luxurious indolence – and don’t forget to adopt an air of religious righteousness, so you can justify or find penance for any personal flaws. The higher education system now seems fixated upon transforming universities into manpower factories for big businesses, rather than fostering citizens with the ability to remedy socio-political iniquities.

Long before the advent of smartphone idolatry, my school in Australia had required me to read “The Stranger” for Grade 11 English. I was inspired to pick up some other works by Camus, including “The Plague” – the tale of an Algerian port city that gets locked down when struck by a deadly plague. The book examines how people react in times of mass suffering; some motivated by profit, some by religious fervor, and some by altruism. Despite the grim subject matter, it’s a triumph of humanitarian perseverance over the excruciating emptiness of existence.

Years later in Indonesia, as a pretentious adult, I read a novella called “Bukan Pasar Malam” (It’s Not an All Night Fair) by local author Pramoedya Ananta Toer and was struck by its similarity in tone to “The Plague”. Sadly, Indonesia’s Suharto regime did not approve of people exercising critical thinking, so Pramoedya was jailed and his books were banned for decades.

The higher education system now seems fixated upon transforming universities into manpower factories for big businesses, rather than fostering citizens with the ability to remedy socio-political iniquities.

No News is Bad News Nature abhors a vacuum. Faced with a government whose policy was to withhold information concerning COVID-19, Indonesians turned to social media with its myriad manifestations of misinformation.

His lackadaisical attitude should have rung alarm bells. In early February 2020, Harvard University public health researchers issued a report recommending that Indonesia rapidly strengthen its efforts to ensure detection of cases and bring them under control. Terawan went on the defensive, branding the report “an insult” to Indonesia and reiterated his mantra that prayer is the solution. “Medically, [it’s thanks] to prayer. It’s all because of prayer…

I am certain that prayer is what makes [Indonesians] like this,” he said.

Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto, rather than devising a comprehensive national protocol for widespread testing, reporting, and control measures, simply claimed prayer was keeping the country safe.

An online army of social media sock-puppet morons backed up the spurious notion that Indonesia enjoys immunity because of religious devotion, its tropical climate, a uniquely healthy diet (since when are

As for the healthcare industry, medicine students can cheat on exams and don’t have to worry about competent competition because foreign doctors are banned.

Worldwide, the average age of death from COVID-19 is about 80 and most of the fatalities had pre-existing health problems.

In Indonesia, life expectancy is only 71 years old, thanks in part to a government that thinks it’s perfectly fine for the country to be adorned with cigarette billboards featuring the idiotic slogan “Never Quit”.

State revenue is much more important than public health.

The key to getting through COVID-19 will be good governance, good medical facilities, and a population that heeds government instructions. There are concerns that Indonesia might not fare so well.

While lockdowns and working or studying from home cause some inconvenience, such measures are not remotely comparable to wartime hardship or the misery of the bubonic plague that hit the world hundreds of years ago. When businesses stop paying staff and hospitals become more overstretched, it is the nation’s exploited poor who will suffer most. Hence, it’s understandable that the government is struggling to walk the narrow line between under-reacting and overreacting. Keeping the economy ticking over is vital, but so is educating people to improve their political system to develop leaders who aren’t beholden to parties that end up appointing deficient government officials.

Perhaps Indonesia will learn from COVID-19. As the “The Plague” was written by Camus: “We're working side by side for something that unites us – beyond blasphemy and prayers. And it's the only thing that matters,” and “What we learn in time of pestilence: that there are more things to admire in men than to despise.”

However, that was a work of fiction.

language

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Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

Mind Your English!

BY DANIEL POPE

U

ntil translation technology is perfected and the converted English sentence “The s**t’s about to hit the fan,” doesn’t prompt foreigners to run for cover to avoid getting splattered by excrement, there will be a need for human translators. That goes for English language teachers too. English remains the number one language in the world. The French may cry, “Non!” and the 1.4 billion Chinese may protest too but, be it as lyrical and profound as a Shakespeare sonnet or as inarticulate and bewildering as a Donald Trump speech, English rules the world. And many people pay good money to learn it.

If you were raised in an English-speaking country, you have an obvious advantage.

It’s like being born a duck in a pond around which all the other creatures want to learn to swim. All you need is a teaching qualification (a Cambridge CELTA will do), and off you go into the world with the ability to support yourself by, essentially, wagging your tongue. However, you soon realise that a teacher has to wear many other hats too, that other skills come in handy around the EFL School. Here are some of them.

Clown I sometimes introduce myself to a class by saying, “My name is Daniel Pope. That’s Pope. I have friends in high places.” Their reaction to this admittedly lame joke – from blank stares to hearty guffaws – gives me an indication of the level of comprehension I can expect from them, as well as how my deadpan humour will go down. Younger students positively demand some clowning around in the classroom. An induction book for new teachers at one of my old schools stated that “a game should be played during the last ten minutes of a class so that students may leave with a warm feeling.” A teacher already has to be an actor. When you swing open that classroom door to face a throng of willing young students, you must snap on that banana-like smile, unleash that party-popper cheerfulness – no matter how bad you might feel. You can’t reveal that you’re hungover or miserable. You can’t say, “Shut up will you all? Just open your books and read. Leave me alone.” You’ll get fired.

Pharmacist Many teachers work in countries like Indonesia which have spotty medical

standards, where a sprained wrist might be misdiagnosed as athlete’s foot and a knock on the head might get you a chest X-ray. You need to know your lorazepam from your doxycycline. A staff-room medicine cabinet should include aspirin (or in Indonesia it’s Paramex) for hangovers and rowdy classes, beta-blockers for heart palpitations, PeptoBismol for indigestion gotten from eating street food, lotions for sunburn sustained waiting at unshaded bus stops, iodine for cuts, and antibiotics for assorted infections including the unmentionable ones. Some teachers might also require Valium for anxiety. The above treatments are just for when teachers are reasonably well. When they get sick, we move on to the serious stuff – morphine, horse tranquilliser, and lobotomies.

Magician While some impatient students expect you to walk into class, wave a magic wand like Harry Potter, and with a cry of “Englishiamus!” transform them into advanced English speakers who sound as posh as Benedict Cumberbatch, some schools allow students into levels where they don’t belong. My friend, teaching a TOEFL preparation class where the official entry level is at least intermediate general

English remains the number one language in the world. The French may cry, “Non!” and the 1.4 billion Chinese may protest too but, be it as lyrical and profound as a Shakespeare sonnet or as inarticulate and bewildering as a Donald Trump speech, English rules the world.

English, began his first lesson saying, “Please turn to page number one,” at which the students all looked at one another in confusion and spent the next minute urgently discussing, in Indonesian, what they were supposed to do and how they were supposed to know that they were supposed to do it. EFL is a business.

Criminal Some teachers are obliged to be complicit in crimes, such as signing contracts that breach immigration regulations and ignoring copyright violations regarding the textbooks they use. Before 1961 in the UK, suicide was a crime, so anyone who failed to kill themselves could be prosecuted (surely increasing a suicidal person's determination to succeed). A few years ago in Phnom Penh, there was a spate of EFL teachers jumping to their deaths from the tops of tall buildings. One of these unfortunates, an American, had lived his whole life in Southeast Asia, had turned 65, had no savings or pension, and presumably felt that he had no prospects. The moral of this story is to make sure you plan for your later years when you start out on your foreign EFL career. And pick a building to jump off in advance. Just in case.

Technician The photocopier is the most unreliable machine ever made. Not only does it get jammed with infuriating regularity, but it also does so whenever you are running late for a class and need to print out 20 copies of a ten-page test. More hair is torn out over faulty copiers than any other device, including the coffee percolator. The photocopier was invented by former patent lawyer Chester Carlson in the mid-20th century, and rather than leaving it at that, subsequent manufacturers like Canon and Minolta have continued to make it preposterously complicated. Don’t expect to just press a “COPY” button when you use it, but for your fingers to have to dance over buttons as though you’re at the helm of the Starship Enterprise preparing to initiate the warp drive – this is after you’ve taken the photocopier instruction manual home to study it over the weekend. The photocopier is why security guards are always on the lookout for fuming teachers trying to sneak a sledgehammer into the building.

31

Indonesia Expat Issue 258 | 30 March – 21 April 2020

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