SMAN-10 Farewell Ceremony: The Ceiling Started to Leak Again!

It is 5:00AM, left alone in my room, I went to the bathroom to take a shower before wearing my "Barong Tagalog" a traditional formal wear that we Filipinos use during an important event here in the Philippines. I grab my tote bag and go to the dorm's lobby to wait for Pa Atin to pick me up. I was sitting their realizing that today is my last week here in SMAN-10 and that I may not be able to see them again in the future. I still can't accept that this is currently happening.

Once Pa Atin arrived, I rode his motorcycle for the last time until we arrived in SMAN-10. My schedule for today is pretty busy as I need to end my farewell ceremony in the morning, while also attending a webinar which I needed to present my experiences in Indonesia in the afternoon, so my day is will be filled with rollercoaster of emotions.

When we entered the main building of SMAN-10, we went directly to an AV room near Bu Aul's faculty. There the program started with Dinda as the emcee of my farewell ceremony. In front sits the people that I met during my first day in SMAN-10, together with Pa Atin and Pa Fahrul. They commented on my progress and how it is their first time inviting an international student. I also heard from Pa Fahrul that they wanted to integrate some aspects from my lesson plan such as the affective and psychomotor objectives to theirs which made me feel honored. Lastly, they also told me on how it is the first time someone used the solar kit for a class.

After their speeches, I was ask to have one as well. I warn them that there is a possibility that the celing started to leak, then telling them on how grateful I was for having this opportunity teach such wonderful students. I told them on how I was a little bit of jealous that their school have a lot of access to different learning resources and facilities such as a workshop, laboratories (with different tools and equipments), computer lab and free internet that I hope they will further use it to further improve the student's learning. I ended my speech by saying that we teacher's should be passionate even if the pay is low as we are here to guide our student in their future success. The program ends by giving me a token, which contains a plaque of SMAN-10. I told them that I hope in the future I can come back in this school again.

Group photo with Bu Aul and Pa Atin

Pa Atin and I went back to the lobby to took a final photo with Bu Aul, and giving her all of the thanks for being a mentor and great teacher while I'm working with my lesson plan. She wishes me good luck before I set off to the webinar.

The webinar held on the micro teaching room. Regina told me before that they used this room when she is recording for her mock teaching, where she teach a certain materials to her friends. Once I entered, I saw Carlos and Saffie as the moderator of the program, while Alya and Dian (The inbound student from UST) are at the back door. Inside, all of us are pretty nervous about our presentation, especially my as I'm going to tell my experiences to the whole Physics education department.

We are required to present a topic that we experience in Indonesia for 30 minutes, Bu Nurul suggest to discuss the research topic that we presented during the ESIC but tweak it a little bit with the experience I learned here. Hence, I decided to discuss the educational culture between the Philippines and Indonesia titled, "Experiencing a New Perspective: Educational Culture in the Philippines and Indonesia." In it I first discuss our curriculum and the process of becoming a teacher. I specifically highlight why our major is "General Science" not specific disciplines such as "Physics, Chemistry or Biology" that is a common thing here in Indonesia. I told them that a Filipino Science teacher must mastered every discipline in Science. In addition, I shared our teaching education, and how one must be a science teacher from UST. In the end, I share the similarities and differences of our educational culture.

It is a serious discussion as I was able to share my personal thoughts about my observation here. It felt like it opened my eyes a little bit. However, I got pretty scared after my presentation ends as my classmates and my Filipino supervising teacher are both watching my presentation. In the end, the three of us are able to present our experiences pretty well and hoping that the future PST's will be able to join this wonderful SEA teacher's program. After the webinar, they give us gifts for sharing our experiences. When I tried to open the gift, Dinda and Regina told me to save it later once I return back to my dormitory room.

Giving out the gifts during the webinar

The event never ends as after the webinar I attending Sir Rams' class for the very last time, and Pa Atin invited him to join a lunch with everyone at the Samarinda Park (It is a small mall near UNMUL). We went to this local restaurant called Solaria. Dian told me that it is been so long since she ate in this restaurant that she missed it.

I ordered a fried rice dish and an ice coffee for my lunch. Dian started sharing her experience while in UST, I asked about the weather and she told to me that it is horrible that the university started flooding, which is a common thing to happen under heavy rain. I also asked her if she have difficulty in finding halal food, but she answered that she is a Christian so she can eat what she likes, but her friend, Naomi who is a Muslim, so they mostly eat in Jollibee. She then shared that she is having a lot of fun time staying in our university that they are able to meet new people from different countries and my classmates. She loved it that she started crying during their farewell ceremony (I feel you).

Today is a fun, sad and memorable experience. When I told once again to Enthel that I don't want to go back to the Philippines, she jokingly said, "You are now having some sort of attachment issues."