Bulan Bahasa Activites

So I mentioned how October was Bulan Bahasa dan Sastra in Indonesia in my last post and there were actually more activities to celebrate than just Festival Musikalisasi Puisi. Bulan Bahsa dan Sastra is Literature and Language Month for all y'all who can't speak Bahasa Indonesia.

Classmates (well grademates actually except for the girl in front), sign, our school's batik.

    So the last Thursday and Friday there was a big event. It included competitions about the 4 languages offered in my school - French, Bahasa Indonesia, English and Japanese. The slogan went something like - Uniting Language and Fun in Youth. Very noble. Thursday started out with a ceremony - flag raising but they had on fancier outfits. I wish I could have taken pictures but I was saluting and what not. Then began the bazaar. Each class had a table and sold what they wanted. I don't actually know where the money goes to but that doesn't matter. I hung out at my class' XI IPS 2 table (that's our name which means we're the second of 3 classes in grade 11 that studies social. The other 3 study science). We sold Maichi - a spicy snack from Bandung, pudding cups, and spaghetti (and by spaghtti I mean cold pasta with a meat sauce that looked more chilli-esque) They kept offering it to me. No thanks guys I'm cool. Vegetarian remember.

Ok so this might not be the greatest foto for the people in it. But it's our table! And my classmates! And food!

    Our booth was pretty hot. We sold out very quickly (oh except the pudding). I walked around and saw others selling drinks - es buah which is a syrupy drink with bits of fruit in it - the best and another syrupy soda like drink but with jelly (?) covered seeds. There were sticks with chocolate on it, key chains, meat pocket type snacks, cupcakes. I throughly enjoyed this food portion. It was a bit like being back at my school at home - food is kind of a big deal there. After the bazaar I spent the rest of the day in the nurse's office - not because I was sick but because that's the hang out spot. We practiced Tari Saman and Tari Riau. At the very end of the day it was too hot in there and we went to the library. I read The Witches - Roald Dahl and in Bahasa Indonesia. Then home.

The name was Prakars462. I still don't know what that means. A booth though

    The next day began with a bazaar again. Beautiful food eating again. Today I actually wanted to watch the contests. So I went and watched the Bahasa Indonesia Debate Contest. It was very intense about whether students should be allowed to listen to music and wear earphones in class or not. Or that's what I got when I was listening. I knew the one of the members of the team that was winning and I was surprised by how tough she was. This reminded me of my debate days where they were tough and will rip into you while doing those condescending debate gestures. Then I happened over to the English Debate room. Totally different. There was long pauses and a lot of repeating but I was really impressed. I think I made them more nervous though and caused a bit of a commotion.

English Debate arguing that traditional dialects aren't useful to learn in school. The girl on the far edge mentioned globalization and I was super impressed

Other team receiving comments from the teachers. I sat behind the timer people hence the shoulder in my foto.

By the way I was a newfound celebrity these two days. All my younger schoolmates would stop and talk to me. I got called Kakak which is the coolest feeling ever. It only means like older sister/brother but to me it's like being called 'Older Wiser Master who We look Up to and Adore'. I showed off with my California-ness. I was stopped and asked to take pictures at least 6 times. I pretended to be embarrassed in front of my classmates but really it's my new favorite hobby.

After the contests I did a little wandering because I could not just sit for any longer. And here's an Indonesian culture difference. You can not just walk off anywhere by yourself. It's always 'Where are you going?' 'Oh to the bathroom two feet away. I guess that's ok because I can see you from here but don't be too long or I'll worry.' When leaving during class you also go in pairs. This goes for guys too. But I like to wander and on this day wandered into a french crepe cooking class alone.

French teacher cooking up the crepes. They looked crazy easy to make.  I don't know. I'm not a cook.

I was scooped up by some of my younger classmates who were again amazed at me having come to the worksop alone. I talked about my California life again in English and Bahasa Indonesia because they are equally impressed by both. I ate a crepe with banana - it wasn't too bad even though it was made out of the worst fruit in the world. I ended the day early because I was invited to a Halloween party by some classmates. Another story though.
Love.
Sorry about still being stuck in October.