I'm going to Indonesia!

After returning home about a week ago from Ecuador, I've been a busy lady. I've had to simultaneously beat a mild Ecuadorian sickness, visit with my friends from home, start some post-grad application items, nap a lot, and quickly (and somewhat haphazardly) prepare for my next endeavor: two months in Malang, Indonesia.

I have received a Critical Language Scholarship, a scholarship funded by the U.S. Department of State. I'm one of approximately 550 American university students studying languages deemed critical by the U.S. government in 13 different nations around the world. I feel so fortunate to have this opportunity, and I am so grateful to my parents who gave me a love for the world, my many different language professors over the years, the Fellowships Office at Ohio State who read a bunch of terrible drafts of my application essays, and my references who probably spent a lot of time writing nice things about me.

This would be a good time to let everyone know that my blog and posts are not official U.S. Department of State websites and the views and information presented are my own, not those of the CLS Program, the Department of State, Ohio University, or The Ohio State University.

We get to see this volcano!

The university where I'll be studying!

Now, I know it may seem somewhat random that I've chosen to go to Indonesia for two months for language study, as someone who has taken a lot of coursework in Spanish and who loves Latin American culture. However, my connection to Southeast Asia is clear, as a Thai-American; furthermore, I'm excited to be a public diplomat of sorts for the U.S., and to share my values and learn from those of the Indonesian people. Also, I apparently visited Indonesia as a toddler! Who knew.

To be honest, it feels a little random even to me, but I am interested and nervous to see how I'll navigate in a country and with a host family where I truly do not know the language. It was a quick turnaround from my last international travel, about ten days, and I don't yet feel fully prepared. Fortunately, I know that it will be a transformative experience, and I look forward to seeing what these next two months hold!

Anticipations: Meeting the other participants, meeting my host family, food, language class, going to see a volcano, the beach, warm weather, getting to know the city of Malang

Concerns: travel sickness, failing at learning the language, learning a lot of cultural differences