English Lessons Here & There!

We were asked by a gal that is a English Instructor at the University in town to come interact with
some guys who are Tour Guides on this island outside of Semarang.  They had come to Salatiga by invitation to learn English and be better prepared for the tourists that have discovered these islands on the north coast of Java!  Karimunjawa, Kemujan, Nyamuk,Parang Genting & Bengkoang.  The main island is Karimunjawa  See these island...click here .....Karimunjawa!

Oh my goodness after hearing and seeing this link - we want to go there! 

So because people are starting to discover these islands - the tour guides (local guys!) really need to learn to speak English and they were anxious to learn!  We had lots of fun that evening and Arien the instructor who invited us to join for the evening, divided us into 4 groups.  Our Dutch friends Kris & Lianne also came to this evening class.

We each had 3 guys in our circle...and we asked them questions and they answered in English telling us about the island(s) and how gorgeous they were!  These islands are 2 hours by boat from Semarang or Jepara.  Of the 12 months of the year, January - March are the only months that there is no boats going to the islands.  Why? Because the rainy season bring with it - storms & waves that rise up to 5 meters high (15 ft) and too dangerous to travel.  Nevertheless they found a day that it was not so bad to come by boat to shore and travel to Salatiga for this class.  Quite an effort they made to come! 

We interacted with them for 1 1/2 hrs and we hope to come back again.  They will be in town for these lesson for 2 weeks.  Hey guys lets take a picture together OK?  And how about a "crazy" one yes?

We had a great time...and Kris & Lianne too so enjoyed it!  We thank Arien for inviting us to spend time with the guys and we told there WE ARE COMING TO VISIT YOU SOON! After March OK?


This morning Nick & I decided to go for another walk again - that will be the 2nd time this week we did a 4 hour walk to town and back.  We did go by our "new friends" whom we met in church last Sunday, Gordon & Deborah from Kentucky/South Carolina/Florida and said Hello! to them at their hotel. 

Their support team, a couple from Papua who have been there already 30 years, Walter & Diane - had just received their son Ryan - who had arrived from the US.  Ryan will be joining his parents in Papua in 1 year.  He will be taking Behasa Indonesian lessons here in Salatiga - then go back to America to get married with his new fiance and then they will settle in Papau together...WOW what a story!  Love to hear all these sweet stories!  

Now get this?????!!!!! The couple who lived & rented this house for 9 months (the one we are staying at!)  and who were in Salatiga learning the language at the language school, well they are now in Papua and in the very place where Walter & Diane are!  PLUS Ryan their son grew up with "Kars" the person who rented this house and is now in Papua!  Yes Kars was also with his parents in Papua and would you believe it these kids are now grown up and also coming back as adult to serve there! Is that a WOW or what???!!!!!! Yes it is a big WOW!
                                               

 Just Love all these wonderful stories! 

At the other table was a group that had just arrived from San Diego and were going to be here for 10 days.  Pretty neat ....Nick went over to say Hello and welcomed them too!  All so very special to us!

We headed into town - and then walked along the busy street

to the end and then headed back towards our area again.  We stopped at a restaurant and visited with Linda who has been so' supportive to us those first weeks in Salatiga...and we enjoyed a wonderful chat with her for a while!  Linda has been here almost 40 yrs!  We told her about our new friends and told her they come from "her neck of the wood!" 

We were also invited to join our neighbors down the street for a Saturday afternoon English conversation meeting.  Oh yes we would love to come!  Pak Wawan & Ibu Nanik and several friends open their home to come and teach them English!  So we are the fourth couple coming and we sat altogether in the house - Ibu Nanik had lots of snack out to share...so nice!  And we all sat and talked & practiced words and sentences.  The theme was Chinese New Year - so words like: symbol, destiny, family, fortune, rain, debt, clean, orange, fireworks, drum were spoken in sentences to help pronounce them and understand them.  Then they graciously helped me... Ibu Ellen speak it in Bahasa Indonesia!  Oh my, how kind they were..because this woman still struggles....Tahun Baru China simbol adanya naga.  Chinese New Year symbol is the dragon.   Nico dan saya pergi ke rumah dari Pak Wawan dan Ibu Nanik untuk behasa Inggris.  Nick & I go to house of Pak Mr Wawan and Mrs Nanik for English language.  I know I know it sounds good right?  Well it takes a whole lot of thinking...but again the people are so kind and generous and supportive!  Truly!

So of course we posed right?  They had their smart phones and I brought my camera!  We all laughed because we had the same thoughts!!!!

      Precious Smiles! 

  Oh such a sweet group!  We will be back next week OK?  We received a warm YES!

Sampai Nanti! See you Later! 

Terima Kasih! Thank you!  Sama Sama! Likewise!