First Day at SMKN 6 and Exploring Jogja

Today was my first day at my new school, SMKN 6. SMKN 6 is a vocational school in Yogyakarta where I will be teaching English for the next 8 months! The students at this vocational school are grades 10-12 and they are studying tourism, hotel management, clothing manufacturing, and restaurant management to name a few things. The students had just returned from their 17 day break for Ramadan and a traditional ceremony was held where all shook hands to forgive one another and start anew. I shook over 1,500 students hands, not to mention 120 faculty and staff members' hands on Saturday in a similar ceremony. I felt so welcome!

I was super anxious, however, when the headmaster introduced me to the entire school and I gave my best introduction in Bahasa Indonesia. I just said my name, where I was from, that Michigan is cold and Jogja is very hot in comparison, and that I was happy to meet with them all. Also that they are all beautiful, which they are. Ibu Yiyis mentioned that my bahasa effort was valiant and that the students should show equal enthusiasm when we practice English. Everyone seemed to have a smile on their face and waved, said hello, and nice to meet you at the ceremony and in the halls. We arranged a (tentative) schedule for my classes, spoke with some teachers and faculty, and toured the school. This week I will observe the English classes being taught and starting next week I get to start lesson planning with teachers and arranging speaking activities with the students. Super exciting!

Afterwards, Ibu Yiyis (my amazing counterpart teacher), and I went House Hunting. I am still securing a place to live for the next 8 months so we checked on a place and evaluated another option. Once house business was taken care of, we drove around Jogja for the afternoon on her motor bike and visited the Sultan's Palace, a museum, and the Sultan's Water Palace.

Yogyakarta is actually a special Province within Indonesia. It is the only location with a Sultan. Kraton, or the Sultan's Palace, was constructed after several hundred years of being under Dutch rule.

After the Sultan's Palace, Bu Yiyis and I headed to a museum where antique carriages that were used around Yogyakarta and elsewhere in Indonesia can be found. Some carriages are still used. The first picture below is the Garuda Carriage, or Royal Eagle carriage. You can notice the crown on top and its elegant gold detail. This carriage is used to celebrate the new Sultan and ceremonially bring him into the palace. The second carriage below is the carriage for the deceased. It literally is a carriage version of a hurse and carries the Sultan's body to the Royal Cemetery, covered in Jasmine flowers.

The Sultan's Water Palace was extremely interesting. It is separated into several swimming pools. One is private for the Sultan and another is for beautiful young women to bathe in while the Sultan watches and selects one to join him in his private pool, then in his room. I am told it is no longer in use.

There was a very impressive Batik store at the Sultan's Water Palace. Batik is a traditional style of clothing that is extremely popular throughout Indonesia, especially in Jogja. It is made tediously by hand with many dyes using designs and patterns made of wax. Apparently, "Foto Dilarang ," means "Photos Prohibited."  Before my attention was drawn to this I captured a few images of some Batik artwork.

More to come later! I miss everyone at home tons, thank you all for the comments, you always make my day!