Hello lovelayes in this post I'll talk about the trip to Jakarta with nine of my schoolmates and two teachers (Mer, Julie, Mas, Ahmad, Nadia, Wati, Basirah, Aqidah, Shafiq, Miss Yip, and Mr Thiang). Heeeeh its the best overseas school trip ever like zomg!
Its an overseas exchange programme with SMAN 3 Jakarta for four days from 22nd Nov to 25th Nov. Singapore Airlines flew us there, and gosh I love the way the air stewards/stewardess attended to us. Yay SIA! Anyway, since its been years since I fly, I was like super scared when the plane took off. Anyhoo, traffic jams in Jakarta occurs everyday I assume. It took us quite a long time to get to the school. And when we arrived, we were welcomed warmly by our buddies. Heeeeeh the first picture up there is my buddy! Her name is Marsha. Oh and since she's my buddy, that makes her Julie's buddy too. Marsha's family was very sweet. They prepared everything for us, show us around Jakarta to shop and even brought us to watch Harry Potter at the cineplex.
Anyhoo everyday, we have to wake up at 5am Jakarta time. The school starts at 6.30am. AND EVERYONE THERE KNEW I AM A BATAKNESE (since its obvious with my surename Sianturi and my schoolmates and teachers telling people I am a Bataknese). They said I look Indonesian-ish. On the second day, we had a chance to enter their class and spent a few hours of learning together with them. Most of the lessons were conducted in Bahasa Indonesia, so we kinda had a hard time understanding some of the terms used. Soon after, we had a friendly debate in English with their debating team. The topic was "Should people be treated differently?". We got the affirmative side and they got the opposition side. Julie is the first speaker, me the second and Mas the last. The victory however was ours (: After school we went shopping with everyone else together with Marsha's mum. Heh heh got back to her place quite early only to find ourselves sleeping as soon as we got back. We were like so tired!
On the third day, early in the morning we had a friendly basketball match with their school team. Sadly we lost (but its already obivious, especially with Mas screaming her lungs out as soon as the ball is in her possession, me running away from the ball, only able to defend and not attack and Mer's ability to score only when she is near to the hoop since she's a netballer not a basketballer). Then we went to a place called Thousand Islands. In that place we can see the different cities in Indonesia displaying the traditional houses of the different groups of people there. I took a photo on a traditional Batak house (: Heeeeeeee I like. After snapping like lots of photos, we went shopping like a lot! That's my favourite part. Went back to Marsha's place feeling so sleepy and Marsha's mum wanted to bring us out for dinner. Washed up, performed our prayers, and headed out to this really posh restaurant. And I was wearing my pyjamas, ha ha ha. I thought we were going to a normal eatery or something. Marsha and Julie said I look like a clown wearing the pyjamas I was wearing. Anyhoo, after the feast, got back and packed our luggages. Had a heart to heart talk with Julie (it is always fun)!
The last day, we had a farewell party. We prepared a video and powerpoint presentation. While the SMAN 3 students prepared performances like a Bataknese song (which they got me to dance with them), salsa and traditional dance. Soon after all that, we went around the old city of Jakarta and its really weally pretty. Then we headed straight to the airport to have dinner and finally the goodbye part comes in. I am quite sure everyone had mixed feelings about this; happy to go back to Singapore to be with the loved ones and sad to leave the newly made awesome friends behind. The experience is sure an enriching one. We overcome the differences, we adapted ourselves to a totally different environment, we learn to stand on our own two feets for four days since our parents are not with us, and we transformed people who were once strangers to friends. Thank you for the hospitality because it really helped to make the four days fun! Come to Singapore and it'll be our turn to show you around (: Thank you so much once again lovelayes! Love you like delicious Indonesian foood!

"I will not forget, ever."