Terima Kasih, Maraming Salamat
By Kara Nepomuceno ‘20, Gadjah Mada University Fellow 2020-2022
As a teaching Fellow at Universitas Gadjah Mada, it has been my pleasure and privilege to work with first-year English students and graduate students. In my final semester, I co-taught Academic Writing for graduate students and independently taught Expository Writing for English undergraduates.
Each week, English students would analyze an essay type in the Reading class, then practice outlining or composing that type in my Writing class. I had the freedom to choose assigned Writing texts, as long as they aligned with the essay type for that week.
One of my favorite activities was using "Explainer" comics to illustrate alternative forms of expository writing. Most students found the comic format visually interesting and easy to read together in class. These sources helped them better understand the structure of informational texts in order to write their own.
I enjoyed seeing student's writing develop from short thesis statements, to outlines, to essays. In their final project, a Problem/Solution essay, I glimpsed just a few of the issues that concern first-year students.
Topics ranged widely: personal development, interpersonal conflict, mental health, gender-based violence, and climate change. From tackling toxic productivity to improving sanitation on campus, students have demonstrated a deep desire to change the world around them for the better. Their writing inspires me.
I was invited to the American Studies department at UGM to give a short lecture on the history of Thanksgiving.
Sam and I taught an Academic Integrity workshop to help third-year students responsibly source and cite work.
Like many recent graduates during the pandemic, I have experienced major life changes. I am grateful to Sydney Allen, my senior Fellow, and the Shansi team for supporting me and providing encouragement. They made time to chat with me, helping me think through different circumstances while accommodating my time zone.
I chose not to travel and instead remain with family. However, my language teachers at Alam Bahasa helped me explore Indonesia virtually, sharing videos and resources with me that helped me glimpse life in Yogya.
Speaking with my language teachers for two hours at a time, I was able to talk about complex topics in a way I had not expected. They made me feel seen and heard, and helped me develop from a complete novice to an intermediate-level speaker in just one year. They inspire me to keep finding ways to creatively address learning objectives while centering students’ well-being and curiosity.
While teaching from home, I have been deeply grateful to Sam Perez, my junior Fellow, who was able to move to Yogyakarta this past April. Sam made our co-taught Academic Writing class that much more fun and concise–she efficiently found and adapted Indonesian-led research articles for students to better understand academic language and style in context.
She has achieved so much in just her first two months in Indonesia. With incoming Fellow Colby Fortin, the Shansi-UGM partnership can only deepen.
First Bahasa Indonesia classes with Mbak Siwi (Photo Credit: Mbak Siwi)
Last Bahasa Indonesia classes with Mbak Siwi (Photo Credit: Mbak Siwi)
With the Shansi Fellow Support fund, I hope to contribute to meaningful relationships in Southeast Asia in the near future–this time by accompanying teachers and experts from Samahan Filipino American Performing Arts and Education Center.
By joining their proposed future research trip in 2023, I look forward to learning from culture bearers and artists in maritime Southeast Asia, and sharing these experiences with my home community through performances and workshops.
Thank you again to the Shansi team and extensive community for making this possible. I look forward to writing again with new stories to share. Until next time–terima kasih and maraming salamat. Thank you, be well, and take good care.
I attempted a Yogya-inspired meal after our food lesson!
Glimpse from a photoshoot with Samahan Filipino American Performing Arts in fall 2021.