THE Big Event
As if this whole Teachers for Global Classrooms has been one big event and big learning experience already, Christy and I presented at our first international Teacher Workshop at the University of Lampung to about 113 participants!
Hands down, this was one of THE best teaching events I've ever been involved in! We were SO nervous about this event. I think each of us has lost sleep over it, probably more than once even! I don't know why we worried! The teachers were eager to hear us and eager to learn and share. Our teaching contexts may be different as well as our location and sometimes vocabulary, but we are the same. I came away feeling as if I've added members to my family tree! We must have taken a million photos today! I feel like we should be trending on social media right now!
After our talk and the teachers worked and presented their discussions, we were presented with a beautiful Tapis and a plaque! I was honored to receive the plaque, but the Tapis took me over the top with excitement! It is a beautiful woven fabric and is a symbol of Lampung! I am so excited for Lasma to show me how to wear it! It is now one of my most prized possessions!
After the workshop, we went to lunch with Lasma's English Club. We went to Hotel K.Bamboe to eat at a traditional Lampungese restaurant! I must say that my second trial of eating rice with my hand went only slightly better than my first! I think some of the ladies were secretly laughing at me! I really enjoyed learning about the different foods and the conversation at the table with my new friends! I sure learned a lot! I'll post video when Christy sends it to me. The fish with a spicy chili sauce was my favorite! I'm going to go. A million pounds on this trip!
Then we were off to Puncak Mas, to a lookout area where, true to our experience, a man had us take a photo with his toddler son because we're from "where Obama lives". Love it!
The weather was perfect and there was a good breeze blowing! I can't say enough that it's hot y'all! (truthfully, it's been hotter at home, but I can dress for the weather there). The breeze was welcoming and the views were breathtaking!
We climbed up on a higher lookout post to grab a few great shots, but the climb down was scary! Those of you that know me personally will be very surprised to learn that I did not trip, fall, roll, or slide up or down these steps. I will, however, in the future, examine more closely my ideas of climbing up very steep steps attached to a swaying tree growing very high on a hill!
Then we were off for snacks! I did mention I was going to weigh a ton when I got home, right?!? We stopped at Pempek Tenda Biru for a snack of fish cakes. No, I didn't ask, but they were good!
And as usual, the staff wanted a photo with us! I have learned I can't be a model or movie star. It is exhausting! Don't get me wrong, it is fun too, but after a while, its just exhausting. We must have taken hundreds of photos today at the workshop alone. Some came back several times to take selfies with us! Everyone is kind to ask first and really try not to be too intrusive, but I don't think I'd like to have this much attention all the time and I know I don't want to pose hundreds of times every day.
Tomorrow we are off to Way Kambas Elephant Training Center in East Lampung. We have to get up early for the 3 hour drive so I'm off to dreamland, but as I recall the day I'm struck with one truth: The more I am here, the more teachers I meet, the more students I meet, the more I am struck with the idea we are all in this together! These teachers struggle with the same big ideas and issues that I do. They do this thing everyday because they WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE! And y'all it's hard work!
....and isn't that really what all this is about? Discovering that we are the same even if we're different?!?!?
More pictures here: https://www.facebook.com/nbctjenn/
