Indonesia Post Descriptions

Role: English Teaching - The volunteer, who teaches in both the FKIP and Literature departments, is given a variety of subjects to choose from, ranging from Listening and Speaking, to Literature and Poetry. The administration is highly supportive of the volunteer's needs, while at the same time giving the volunteer complete freedom in designing his/her courses.

Housing: For housing, the volunteer is free to choose a home-stay, apartment or a dormitory environment. The administration helps to arrange the housing.

Place: Padang [map], the capital of the province of West Sumatra, is a town of 600,000, but feels like one of 60,000. The food and the weather are notoriously hot. West Sumatra is almost entirely ethnic Minangkabau; the Minang language is spoken more frequently than Bahasa Indonesia, the national language. The Minang, who are known for their strong cultural pride, their friendliness, and also for being rather forward, direct communicators, are both strongly Islamic and matrilineal. Within families, women have a strong position in matters of the household, inheritance and finance. On the other hand, Islamic tenets concerning women's "modesty" and behavior are strictly adhered to, which has a significant influence on female volunteers. Volunteers have had some difficulty in adjusting to the strength of traditional sentiment, as well as to street hassles, which happen with more frequency than in other posts.

Role: English Resource - Previous volunteers have primarily worked in the office writing, translating and editing portions of donor newsletters, program reports, and grant proposals. Other tasks may include designing/maintaining the CD Bethesda web page, seeking funding, collecting project data, or teaching English to children in rural villages.

Qualifications: A volunteer at CD Bethesda would ideally have interest in/experience working with NGOs and public health issues/community development. He or she should be self-motivated, very flexible, and able to work well independently or in teams. Good writing and editing skills and proficiency with computers are also important. Previous Indonesian language study and/or a willingness to learn Indonesian quickly are a must.

Housing: Volunteers can stay with CD Bethesda staff or rent a room/house nearby.

Place: Yogyakarta (Yogya) [map] is a special province located in Central Java that includes the city of Yogyakarta but also extends to the rural areas. Yogya is one of two traditional Javanese cultural centers. Yogya continues to function as a center of tradition, art, music and tourism. It is a university town, with many non-governmental groups active in the community. The town has a fairly cosmopolitan feel, though it is still heavily dominated by Javanese culture. People are polite, considerate and characteristically indirect in their dealings with strangers: a harmonious exterior is always very important. Javanese notions of mysticism, hierarchy and propriety also play a large part in life in Yogya. The city is lively with access to cultural events like poetry readings, movies, and occasional concerts. Volunteers have often taken the opportunity to learn batik or study gamelan. The city has a population of 1.5 million; it is dusty and crowded in the city center, yet little pockets of 'village' life are found throughout the city.

Role: English Teaching - The volunteer, in addition to teaching a variety of English classes, also has the opportunity to develop a cross-cultural-understanding course (CCU) focusing on the United States, and advises students with their senior theses. The faculty is friendly and outgoing, and there seems to be a strong teaching role for the volunteer.

Housing: The volunteer lives in a house provided by the University, located in the faculty neighborhood near campus.

Place: Tuban [map], known for its unique batik style, is located on the North coast of East Java about two hours west of Surabaya and two hours north of Jombang. Said to be home of the largest Confucian temple in Southeast Asia, Tuban is a small town with few buildings more than one story tall. The town has a relaxed and quiet atmosphere, although growing industry in the region has meant an increase in truck traffic through Tuban. Traditionally, the main industry here is fishing.

Role: English Teaching - The volunteer's main responsibilities are to teach English speaking, listening, and conversation in accordance with national curriculum guidelines. Outside of class the volunteer is encouraged to help with speech and debate teams as well as play sports with the kids. The faculty is very friendly and highly accomodating of the volunteer's needs. Students are equally friendly, but very shy when it comes to using English.

Housing: The volunteer can rent a room or house nearby or possibly arrange a homestay.

Place: PPSP is located in Candi, Sleman, Yogyakarta [map], far from from the bustling tourist areas of Yogyakarta. Around the school one can see rice paddies and fabulous views of the infamous volcano - Mt. Merapi. Conversely the more cosmopolitan aspects of Yogya are just a bus ride or two away. (For more details on Yogyakarta, please read the post descriptions for other Yogya posts on this page.)

Established in January 1970, this NGO's work has included developing and monitoring health and nutrition projects in rural Sumatran villages, publishing a newsletter on health and gender, constructing a youth center, a capacity building project reaching 12 villages and 6 districts, constructing a health center, and educating women on issues of emancipation and welfare. They have worked with organizations such as World Population Foundation, British Council, UNDP and CHRF.

Role: English Resource - Help develop monitoring, documentation and evaluation methods, improve staff English, assist with grant writing, help with trainings and translation of health newsletter.
Qualifications: Background and/or interest in public/reproductive health, nutrition, rural community development or tropical medicine.

Housing: A room is provided by SIKOK.

Place: Jambi [map] is a thriving river port city in the east coast province of Jambi on the island of Sumatra. This ethnically mixed city (Chinese, Sundanese, Javanese, Malaysian, etc…) borders some of Indonesia’s most impressive jungles, inhabited by a host of amazing flora and fauna. There is a small airport with flights to Jakarta and there is relatively easy access to the two larger Sumatran cities of Medan and Palembang.

Role: English Teaching – The volunteer teaches English, through classes such as Speaking and Pronunciation. Class sizes are large, usually around 50 students per class. Many students are shy, as Jombang is a small town with limited “access” to foreigners or native English speakers. The volunteer might also work informally together with the English Corner (English club), be asked to give occasional discussions on various topics, or review thesis proposals.

Housing: The volunteer lives alone in a house provided by STKIP. The small, two-bedroom house is within easy walking distance of campus, as it is two minutes from STKIP by bicycle.

Place: Jombang [map] is a small, contained city with a few large, tree-lined streets. Biking throughout most of the city is easily possible. STKIP is located adjacent to rice fields, and lies at the southern end of Jombang. At any time, one or two other foreigners might be working in the town. Jombang is approximately two hours away (by bus) from Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia. The East Javanese are known for their polite demeanor. While most citizens are Muslim, Christians comprise a small share of the population.

Role: English Teaching - The volunteer is expected to take on the role of a lecturer in the English Department, with particular attention paid to Speaking and Cross Cultural Understanding classes. The volunteer will also be expected to assist or lead extracurricular activities such as English club. The volunteer might also be asked to assist the English lecturers in teaching non-English major English classes such as Conversation and assist the entire department with various projects.

Housing: The volunteer may choose housing upon arrival in Malang. This would most likely be in a kos (boarding house) or with a family (homestay). The last volunteer lived with an Indonesian family in a house that is a 25 minute walk from campus or a 5 minute ride by public transportation.

Place: Known for its cool climate, Malang [map] also has a history stretching back to at least the middle of the first millennium, A.D. It is a medium-sized, rather spread out city guarded on two sides by volcanoes (they're not that close). It is home to numerous universities and is one of the bigger cities in East Java, although Surabaya is by far the largest. Universitas Brawijaya is located about 10-15 minutes away (by public transportation) from the traditional city center. There are a decent number of foreigners in Malang, although you probably won't see many on a day-to-day basis.

Role: English Teaching - Volunteers teach Speaking, American Literature, Cross-Cultural Understanding, and advise students on their theses. The English department is rather small: classes usually consist of 5-12 students. The English level of the students and motivation is surprisingly high. The university administration has been very supportive of the volunteer, and has given the volunteer absolute freedom in creating their classes. One recent volunteer started an American Film club.

Housing: Volunteers have typically lived in homestay settings.

Place: Mainland Riau is a region of swampy lowlands crossed by large meandering rivers. While tin and timber comprise the riches of the Riau Archipelago, oil and logging are the two main industries in the Riau mainland. The 750,000 people of Pekanbaru [map] are a mixture of Minang, Batak, Chinese, Malay and Javanese. Because of the high numbers of Minang people, Islam is most similar to that found in neighboring West Sumatra (see posts in Padang). However, this is somewhat tempered by the influence of the Batak (mainly Christian), Chinese (Catholic & Buddhist) and Malay people. Because of this mixture and the high number of immigrants to this area, Indonesian is heard more often than the regional dialect and there is a fair degree of tolerance for cultural differences. Volunteers generally enjoy the cultural diversity, different types of cuisine and ease of getting around in Pekanbaru.

Role: English Teaching The volunteer teaches English in the Teacher Training faculty, and to other lecturers and staff who want to learn English. The students are mostly highly motivated beginners.

Housing: Most volunteers in the past have rented rooms from a family. UMMY provides basic housing in the town of Solok for temporary needs

Place: Solok [map] is a small town located in one of the most fertile agricultural valleys in Indonesia, about two hours east of Padang. Surrounded on all sides by mountains, it is a one stoplight town. In the past five years, a two-story market building and a sprawling bus terminal have been built, but go a kilometer in any direction and you will find yourself back in rice fields. Most of the people are farmers, civil servants, or budding merchants, and even those who have moved away from an agricultural life are just one generation removed from direct farming. Like small towns all over the world, the people of Solok tend to be traditional, both in terms of religion and social mores. Since there are very few people from outside the area living in Solok, people usually speak Minang in daily interactions, including the office.

Role: English Teaching - Relative to other posts, the teaching is fairly structured and the volunteer works with a team of other teachers. The volunteer generally teaches varying levels of conversation, speaking and cross-cultural understanding. In addition, UNP has an active English club in which the volunteer plays a key role, by offering classes on public speaking, poetry, news reporting or singing. Volunteers have also helped in developing curricula in cross-cultural understanding and literature.

Housing: The volunteer lives in a campus house provided by the university, located in a faculty neighborhood almost in the center of campus.

Place: Padang [map], the capital of the province of West Sumatra, is a town of 600,000, but feels like one of 60,000. The food and the weather are notoriously hot. West Sumatra is almost entirely ethnic Minangkabau; the Minang language is spoken more frequently than Bahasa Indonesian. The Minang, who are known for their strong cultural pride, their friendliness, and also for being rather forward, direct communicators, are both strongly Islamic and matrilineal. Within families, women have a strong position in matters of the household, inheritance and finance. On the other hand, Islamic tenets concerning women's "modesty" and behavior are strictly adhered to, which has a significant influence on female volunteers. Volunteers have had some difficulty in adjusting to the strength of traditional sentiment, as well as to street hassles, which happen with more frequency than in other posts.

Role: English Resource - Volunteers posted at YDD have had to show initiative and find their own niche within the organization. The volunteers have worked in various roles: writing funding reports and proposals, editing an international newsletter, international networking, preparing and training seminars.

Qualifications: Interest in community based development and international self-initiative, experience editing and creating newsletters, reports and funding proposals. Ability to work independently and as a team member.

Housing: Volunteers generally room with YDD staff or rent an apartment separately.

Place: Yogyakarta (Yogya) is a special province located in Central Java that includes the city of Yogyakarta [map] but also extends to the rural areas. Yogya is one of two traditional Javanese cultural centers. Yogya continues to function as a center of tradition, art, music and tourism. It is a university town, with many non-governmental groups active in the community. The town has a fairly cosmopolitan feel, though it is still heavily dominated by Javanese culture. People are polite, considerate and characteristically indirect in their dealings with strangers: a harmonious exterior is always very important. Javanese notions of mysticism, hierarchy and propriety also play a large part in life in Yogya. The city is lively with access to cultural events like poetry readings, movies, and occasional concerts. Volunteers have often taken the opportunity to learn batik or study gamelan. The city has a population of 1.5 million; it is dusty and crowded in the city center, yet little pockets of 'village' life are found throughout the city.

Role: English Resource - The volunteer acts as a liaison with foreign funding agencies, translates and edits grant proposals, and teaches English to the staff. Volunteers also lend ideas and implement improvements in project organization, community outreach, document and collect project data, develop own projects based on interest and relevance to YDT.

Qualifications: Good writing skills, proficiency with computers, ability to work well with diverse populations, flexibility, self-initiative, and creativity. A willingness to learn Indonesian quickly. An interest in and experience with non-governmental organizations. A background in sustainable agriculture, organic farming, conservation, and community development required. (Japanese language skills helpful).

Housing: Volunteers typically rent a room or apartment near the office. YDT's staff typically helps to arrange the housing.

Place: Pontianak [map] is Borneo's largest city and West Kalimantan's center of government, trade, banking and culture. It lies on the equator and is just north of Indonesia's longest river, the Kapuas, the main highway into the interior of the Borneo jungle. Pontianak is a diverse city with Melayu, Dayak, Madurese and Chinese Indonesian populations. Dayak is a collective name for over 200 different tribes with unique cultures and traditions who live in the interior of Borneo and are more frequently being relocated to the cities.