~By: Neelam Vohra, ETA in Pangkalpinang, Bangka Belitung Islands~ Her hands reminded me of my mothers hands, and I found myself watching hers just as I so often watched my mothers. I watched her feel potatoes and onions at the traditional market, her hands carefully pressing the vegetables, dropping and picking up each one with intention,…
~By: Anisha Tyagi, ETA in Semerang~ It means I am teaching a language that has always tried to erase my mother tongue. When I was in preschool, my best friend and I would talk to each other in Hindi. I spoke the language with my parents at home. That was until my preschool teacher complained to…
~By: Andrew Shifren, ETA in Labuan Bajo~ During orientation in Jakarta, a speaker warned that politics would suffuse life in Indonesia. This is an election year and he said to expect people to be quite engaged in the democratic process. I saw this firsthand at my first Indonesian wedding. It took an hour in…
