This past weekend, we returned from Java where we had stayed for the past three weeks. During our first two weeks in Java, we attended lectures at the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, the second largest university in Indonesia. We also stayed with a homestay family in the village of Godean; I got along very well with my family and I already miss them. While there are visible differences between Bali and Java, such as the predominance of Islam in Java and architecture styles, the kindness and generosity of the Indonesian was still ever present. I even befriended a few students at the University, who showed me around the city of Yogyakarta and educated me more on their religion and culture.
After our two weeks in Yogyakarta, we set off to the Islamic Boarding School for girls (Gontor Pesantren) in East Java, followed by a visit to the boys’ campus of Gontor. During our time here, we engaged in discussions with the students about politics, religion, and just life in general which I found to be very insightful. On our third to last day we traveled farther east to Trowulan, where we learned about the Majapahit, one of the most powerful and influential empires of Southeast Asia. We also had some down time (which was much needed) and made tie-dye shirts and bracelets.
While our time in Java was a valuable experience, I am grateful to be back in Bali. During our free weekend after Java, a few friends and I spent two days in Seminyak. We were reunited with “pantai” (the beach) as well as some non-fried food. It was a lovely break before heading back to the program center and preparing for our two mid-terms this week.
Here is a photograph of my Javanese family and I, after our farewell party where we performed a Javanese dance.
