Wisma Bahasa.

Jen and I just got back from two weeks in Yogyakarta (pronounced Jogjakarta). The trip was a lot of fun, and we got to see a number of the famous tourist sites in the area, but the primary reason we were down in Yogya was to study Indonesian.

Francois and Genvieve, two friends of ours from the embassy, had studied in Yogyakarta at a school called Wisma Bahasa. They had only good things to say about it, and so we decided to give it a go.

Welcome to Wisma:

We started out our stay in Yogya at the Hyatt Grand Regency on the outskirts of town. We were met at the airport by a teacher from Wisma Bahasa, and driven to our hotel. The next morning, the school had arranged for a hotel driver to bring us to class.

Wisma Bahasa:

The school was about a fifteen minute drive from our hotel. Located down a quiet side street in a residential area, we never had any issues with traffic noise in class. I say this because we were a little surprised to see that the classrooms were open to the outside. At first we weren’t sure what to think: we had expected air conditioning and a cushy classroom. The fans and basic layout of the classes was a bit spartan:

Despite our initial misgivings, we were soon won over by the Wisma Bahasa program and teaching family. I say family because they put a lot of importance on making the students feel at home. Jen and I each had a team of teachers with one designated as our coordinator. My team was made up of Likhu (my coordinator), Isna, Roro, and Niken.

Likhu:

Isna:

Niken:

Roro:

Without exception, I found the teachers to be very knowledgeable, fluent in English (great for explaining difficult concepts), personable, and attentive to my learning style. I was always comfortable in class, and never felt that progress was either too slow or too fast. The teachers made the language learning experience incredibly easy and enjoyable.

Our gang of teachers:

Jen and I were a bit ambitious, and took three 105 minute classes per day. I was tempted to ask for a fourth class during the first few days, but once the teachers got a bearing on my previous language capabilities, classes became much harder as they pushed me to learn.

Jen’s birthday was on the first Friday we were at Wisma Bahasa, and we came at the right time of month to join in the school’s celebration of January’s birthdays. Jen was given a little batik scarf as a present, and the whole school got together to have lunch.

The feast:

One of the best things about Wisma Bahasa (besides the teachers of course) was the food. Most days we ate at the school’s canteen, and the food was always cheap, delicious, and healthy (enough). We always looked forward to lunch.

Lunch in the open area:

At the end of our two weeks, we were sad to leave the school. Our teachers were great, the lessons fun and engaging, and the overall experience excellent.

More soon on Borobudur, Prambanan, and pickpockets.

-Ryan

As always, extra shots on Flickr.

Food and Fire.

One of the other attractions in Ubud is the market. There were two main sections to the market: the touristy art market and the more local-oriented food market. While the art market was cool, and Jen convinced me to buy her a painting ($5) and two little sandstone statues ($3/each), the really interesting part was the food area.

Market:

In a recessed area at the back of the market, local vendors sold all sorts of fruits, vegetables, and meats. Jen was somewhat appalled (and concerned) to see raw fish and meat being sold with no refrigeration. We wandered around through the dark alleyways of the market, which made for some great pictures.

Descending into the market:

Exploring:

The other side:

On the way out:

On our last full day in Ubud, we spent a few hours at a spa and then caught up with Jen’s friends Christie and Dave. They were in Bali as part of a month-long trip around Southeast Asia. After being surprised by how expensive Singapore was, they moved on to the more budget-friendly towns of Bali.

We had dinner at an Indonesian restaurant (and enjoyed some Balinese palm wine and rice wine), then went to see a traditional performance. After dark, we walked down to a temple area, and watched a Kecak fire and trance dance.

The whole performance took place in the light of burning oil lamps, giving the dancers a pale red glow. The men chanted and swayed in unison, moving through the repetitive choruses and intricate verses of their chant without missing a beat. The movement and sound were hypnotic.

Monkey:

The dancers acted out a story as well, but I was too busy watching the individual performers to follow the bigger story.

An archer:

The small moments were mesmerizing:

Before you start thinking that the trip was all roses, I have to add one negative point to our visit to Bali: Seminyak. We decided to spend our last day and a half there, and were vastly underwhelmed (and somewhat disgusted).

There had been a flood in Bali the week before we visited, and evidently the flood had washed garbage down the rivers of the island and into the ocean and onto the beaches.

Our first impression of Seminyak Beach:

We tried to go swimming, but lasted only a few minutes. The feeling of garbage brushing against our legs was too much.

Paradise lost:

Despite the unfortunate ending to our vacation, our visit to Bali was generally amazing. The island is as beautiful as we had heard, the people as friendly, and the shopping (unfortunately for my wallet) just as varied. We will be back soon.

-Ryan

As always, more on Flickr.