Day 6 - Second Day in Surabaya

Hello parents and loved ones!

Today was a joyous and fruitful day! We split into different groups and arrived at various schools in the morning. In Logos Christian School, some groups were able to participate in their classes and were enthralled by their enriching curriculum which included Philosophy. At Elyon Christian School, other groups were amazed by the ways they conduct their lectures and also the inclusion of Business as a subject. We went to Xin Zhong School and were immediately astounded by the vastness and beauty of its architecture. We were also charmed by the enthusiasm of the students and the interest to preserve Chinese culture in Indonesia. 3 speakers from each school gave insightful presentations about distinctive features between the ethnically Chinese residents in each country, and we were able to learn more about integration of cultures in a heterogeneous society!

In the afternoon, we paid a short visit to the Surabaya Bus Company and we were enraptured by the innovation of recycling plastic bottles for bus tickets. This efficient programme was able to kill two birds with one stone and simultaneously improved Indonesia’s problem of the littering of plastic bottles, and the lack of interest in its public transport. We learnt the importance of inventing new ideas and thinking out of the box, and that such simple ideas can lead to a great impact on society.

At the end of the day, we went to Pasar Atom & Cheng Ho Mosque. While visiting the graveyard, we got to learn more about the unique ways Muslims in Indonesia honour the dead, and also about the pilgrimages of said religion.

Overall, we were educated more on Indonesia’s diverse education techniques and curriculum that we can bring back to improve our own school with. Along with learning more about the importance of innovation, we explored more about the melting pot of cultures in Indonesia, and gained more insight into both our shared similarities and differences.

We had our debrief at night to consolidate our learning for the day and we hope you enjoyed our entries so far and learnt along with us!

Signing off,
Kate & Emma Liao