AMINEF bridges cultural gaps
AMINEF bridges cultural gaps
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
While some say that art is a universal language, the American
Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF) believe that it is
education that can bridge cultural differences.
"I had a wonderful time sharing knowledge and at the same time
learning a different culture as a Fullbright teaching assistant
here," said 23-year old Lauren Weisskirk who spent the last 11
months teaching English in a public senior high school in
Yogyakarta.
Lauren, who has a degree in women's studies from Claremont
McKenna College in Indiana, joined the first batch of AMINEF's
Fullbright teaching assistant program aimed to provide native
English speakers for Indonesia's senior high schools.
AMINEF, previously known for its Fullbright scholarships, is
trying to reach Indonesian high school students by sending 13
teaching assistants this year, an increase from five in the first
batch, to cities nationwide.
"More than 40 schools applied to get an assistant teacher, but
we can only provide 13," AMINEF executive director Richard L.
Carhart said in a recent interview, explaining that the recruited
assistants came from various educational backgrounds with an
additional training in teaching English.
The assistants will spend a year helping local English
teachers in senior high schools in Depok, Denpasar, Sekayu (near
Palembang), Balikpapan, Manado, Bandung, Madiun, Malang,
Yogyakarta, Banjarmasin and Surabaya.
"Indonesian students, especially outside Jakarta, have very
little chance of interacting with English native speakers,"
Lauren said. "This kind of experience will help them learn the
language as well as the cultural context."
AMINEF, founded in 1992, at first was only administering the
Fullbright program in Indonesia by sending and funding people
from Indonesia to study, teach or conduct research in the United
States and vice versa.
Initiated by the late U.S. senator J. William Fullbright not
long after the end of World War II, the program claims to "bring
a little more knowledge, reason and compassion into world
affairs" by fostering exchange between North Americans and people
of other nations.
"Although we had quite a drop in the number of applicants
after 9/11 (terrorist attack) and the Bali bombing, we have seen
it rise to normal now," Carhart said.
His office recorded about 1,000 applicants from Indonesia this
year, 70 of which have been shortlisted to receive the
scholarships to take post graduate studies in the U.S.
In return, 51 Americans, including the 13 assistant teachers,
will study and teach in Indonesian schools and universities.
"Last year, the number of Indonesian applicants was only 800,
shortlisted to 55, and there were only 42 Americans who joined
the program here," he said.
All Fullbright scholars are required to return to their home
country once they finish their study.
"They return home with a confident look once they got back
from their study or research," Carhart said. "It comes not solely
from the degree that they obtain, but from having seen the world
from a different perspective." (003)
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
While some say that art is a universal language, the American
Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF) believe that it is
education that can bridge cultural differences.
"I had a wonderful time sharing knowledge and at the same time
learning a different culture as a Fullbright teaching assistant
here," said 23-year old Lauren Weisskirk who spent the last 11
months teaching English in a public senior high school in
Yogyakarta.
Lauren, who has a degree in women's studies from Claremont
McKenna College in Indiana, joined the first batch of AMINEF's
Fullbright teaching assistant program aimed to provide native
English speakers for Indonesia's senior high schools.
AMINEF, previously known for its Fullbright scholarships, is
trying to reach Indonesian high school students by sending 13
teaching assistants this year, an increase from five in the first
batch, to cities nationwide.
"More than 40 schools applied to get an assistant teacher, but
we can only provide 13," AMINEF executive director Richard L.
Carhart said in a recent interview, explaining that the recruited
assistants came from various educational backgrounds with an
additional training in teaching English.
The assistants will spend a year helping local English
teachers in senior high schools in Depok, Denpasar, Sekayu (near
Palembang), Balikpapan, Manado, Bandung, Madiun, Malang,
Yogyakarta, Banjarmasin and Surabaya.
"Indonesian students, especially outside Jakarta, have very
little chance of interacting with English native speakers,"
Lauren said. "This kind of experience will help them learn the
language as well as the cultural context."
AMINEF, founded in 1992, at first was only administering the
Fullbright program in Indonesia by sending and funding people
from Indonesia to study, teach or conduct research in the United
States and vice versa.
Initiated by the late U.S. senator J. William Fullbright not
long after the end of World War II, the program claims to "bring
a little more knowledge, reason and compassion into world
affairs" by fostering exchange between North Americans and people
of other nations.
"Although we had quite a drop in the number of applicants
after 9/11 (terrorist attack) and the Bali bombing, we have seen
it rise to normal now," Carhart said.
His office recorded about 1,000 applicants from Indonesia this
year, 70 of which have been shortlisted to receive the
scholarships to take post graduate studies in the U.S.
In return, 51 Americans, including the 13 assistant teachers,
will study and teach in Indonesian schools and universities.
"Last year, the number of Indonesian applicants was only 800,
shortlisted to 55, and there were only 42 Americans who joined
the program here," he said.
All Fullbright scholars are required to return to their home
country once they finish their study.
"They return home with a confident look once they got back
from their study or research," Carhart said. "It comes not solely
from the degree that they obtain, but from having seen the world
from a different perspective." (003)