Peter D’Auria OC ‘14

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Syiah Kuala University, Indonesia (2017-19)

Peter D’Auria graduated in 2014 with a degree in Creative Writing and Neuroscience. Peter is interested in both journalism and teaching, and has worked as a reporter in Oregon and Alaska since graduation. At Oberlin, he was also deeply involved in improv comedy and OCircus!, and will no doubt incorporate his performance skills into his lessons. He has a deep curiosity about the world and other cultures, and has traveled to the UK, Brazil, Italy, Norway, and Belgium. In 2016-2017, he taught English to primary school students in Cayenne, French Guiana, which he described as “a great and fascinating opportunity to engage with another culture, to learn about my own, and to get a picture of the educational system of another country.” He hopes to bring his interests to Asia, where he will continue engaging with different cultures and communities.

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Finding Solid Ground
Finding Solid Ground

Peter D’Auria ‘14, Syiah Kuala University Fellow

Sometimes while falling asleep in Aceh I would feel earthquakes. In a country crisscrossed by fault lines, in a city devastated fifteen years ago by a catastrophic quake and the following tsunami, it always seemed inevitable that I would experience an earthquake before my time there was up. Lying in bed, slipping into unconsciousness, I would suddenly feel the house shaking—the bedroom wobbling around me; the mattress shuddering, and I would think: This is it.

A Butterfly Entering Your House
A Butterfly Entering Your House

Peter D’ Auria ‘14, Syiah Kuala University Fellow

A butterfly entering your house means that you will have a visitor. It’s become clear that the house I live in does not belong to me. The creatures living here are following their own schedules, pursuing their own agendas. A small brown frog has made my bathroom its home, returning even after I gently evicted it.