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USIPP 2016: Please Read!!

I want to say that this has been the most remarkable, wonderful, happiest summer of my life. But to paint this summer with just warm colors would be a lie. This has also been the most challenging time of my life so far. Last semester I fell apart. I was broken into a pile of tiny pieces. Fragmented on the inside, but no one could tell on the outside. I was doing great. Dean's list both fall and spring semester for my first year at Lehigh, e-board member of 2 student organizations, UN NGO Youth Representative, Tour guide, Gryphon "RA", TRAC Fellow, Global Citizenship Cohort, Volunteering in Antigua, Participating in the United States Indonesia Partnership Program, Going on vacation with my family in Canada. I seemed to have everything, but inside I was just desperately trying not to fall apart. I couldn't do enough. I felt worthless. I didn't know what I was doing with my life. Where was I going to go to grad school? What was I going to study? Where do I want to work? What do I want to do? I am 19 years old. I don't know and I shouldn't have to. I put too much pressure on myself. I took myself too seriously. I lost my youth, my joy, my childhood. So no, this was not the most terrific summer in the books. It was a time of me desperately clinging to my life and trying to reshape who I am. To the friends I made in USIPP, I know that the past is past. Regrets are pointless, but I know that one will stay. I regret that I was not able to be fully present during my amazing experience with USIPP. I learned so much and value my friendships with each of you, I just wish that I could have made them stronger. I regret not singing at the top of my lungs to every song on the bus, or dancing with all of the craziness I could muster. The truth is, I hadn't danced in a while. You probably don't need me to admit that I don't let loose often. The time we spent in Indonesia was hard for me because it forced me to confront the depression I had been feeling for the past few months. Finally seeing this black hole in my life brought me down, and I apologize if I ever had a sad expression on my face... I was just lost in thought. I want you guys to know that you are the ones who brought me back. Abu- you were the first friend I made on the trip. You made me think about life and all of it's wonders. I never left a conversation with you without learning something. I had forgetten how much I loved learning and you reminded me. Teal (like the color)- you made me laugh. You are SO COOL. Like seriously you are the definition of cool and I am so taken aback by your travels and incredibly open mind. You reminded me of my longing to travel and explore. Lodang- you make me smile. You are so sweet, intelligent, funny, and thoughtful. I remember struggling at UI to come up with one word to describe you because too many entered my mind. You reminded me of God's beauty and helped me recognize that even if people aren't perfect, God is. Gya- you are my swing buddy. I'll have you know that I've gone swinging a few times since coming home, and it's all because of you. I owe you my youthful smiles and all of the warmth that they bring to my heart. You reminded me of how to have fun, relax, and be my childlike self. Amalia- you are often called "innocent" by the group. But to me, you are so much more. You are also brave, determined, and sweet. You reminded me that sometimes if we really want something, then we need to try more than once to get it. We never give up on making our dreams come true. You reminded me to believe in myself. Lintang- you are such a gifted writer, even if you only "kind of study journalism on the side". The quotes you have saved on your tablet contain the inexplicable beauty which accompanies good writing. You reminded me that writing can, and often should be, an art. Theresa- you surprised me. You blew me away actually. I hadn't expected you to be so amazing. To be honest, I stereotyped you. I pinned you down as some sort of cliché sorority girl who just wants to travel to shop and get a new profile pic or something. Gosh, I was totally wrong. You are the most incredibly bright, motivated, multidimensional, goofy, loving, strong people I have met. When I think of you, I think of what you said about what would happen to Syifa and her host parents if Trump was ever elected president. You opened my mind and helped me learn so much. I respect and admire you greatly. You reminded me that each of us has a story, and we can't just stop after seeing the cover. Sarah- you also surprised me. You are the underdog who knocked everyone's socks off. When you dance, when you overcame your stay at the hospital, when you make everyone laugh, when you will (soon) begin teaching people ESL and go to Spain. I am so impressed by you. You reminded me that nothing is impossible if I set my mind to it. Syifa- I've said it before, I'll say it again... You are going to change the world. You inspire me so much and I respect you greatly. You are a breathtakingly beautiful person inside and out. Your salsa dancing is the best that I've ever seen and you have the most beautiful faith and worldview. You remind me to be myself, even if that self may seem complicated and diverse. Rachel- you boggle mind. I already had a feeling that you were really cool but I didn't know how much so until this journey. Your story is unbelieveable, and I don't even know the half of it. Finding a nonprofit as a teenager, writing daily letters, and getting through a horrible relationship all by yourself in high school- How?? You are so strong. You remind me of my mom and you also helped me rediscover my love of reading. Nera- you listened to me. You listened to me when I didn't even want to listen to myself. You let me cry the tears that I have been holding back for months. You let me fall without shattering. I released the pain and, although I wasn't able to recover in Indonesia, I have faith that I will soon. You reminded me that I should take pride in being "fun fact girl" and that there is nothing wrong with having to pick yourself back up off of the floor once in a while. It's because of you guys that I have been able to dance again. Like really dance.... Dancing in the car, on my bike, across the kitchen floor. Dancing at the worst times and in the goofiest ways possible. I wish you all could have been there to join me. Thank you. Thank you all so much. I love each and everyone one of you an incredible amount. Terima Kasih..... Please accept my love. Angie

Number Matters

Hi #USIPP2016 ! It's Eid, and Eid Mubarak to my friends here who celebrate. As the Indonesia's Eid greeting says, I'd like to appologize if I did something wrong in our very first month knowing each other and doing the program together. Anyway, It's been a week or so, since we closed the program. I got mixed-feeling ever since, and every moment we share provokes me to think and contemplate even more. And I get few things to highlight with me, as a conclusion (?). Too bad we didn't have much time to hear individual reflection like after we finish US part :(((((, but I'm happy to write it here so other people can read and I can get back to this whenever I need it. I name my post with "number matters" for I applied this program because I want to see the dynamics of religious majority and minority groups in democratic society. It scares me, that throughout the visits and lectures, I can see my initial assumption was true, that numbers matter. Being large in numbers can be very prone to make a religious group arrogant, feel as the righteous and when they got governing power, policies can be so much self-centered on their own religion. Meanwhile being small in numbers can easily make a group feel less-worthy, voiceless and oppressed, even though they are not. But, I adore late President Abdurrahman Wahid and all his family's movement which untill now strives to make Muslims as majority in Indonesia as a friendly community, who are not judgy, but appreciating and respecting religious diversity in Indonesia. Knowing that being majority in number nationally, does not always mean majority regionally, keeps this movement humble. At many regions, Muslims can be the minority and can be prone to oppression, just as prone as other minority groups in regions where Muslims are majority. I adore how the movement also chooses to interpret verses in Holy Scriptures for the good of not only Muslim community, but the good of the nation, for the harmonious relationship between any believers. As strong religious figures, people in Gusdurian network can be very influential in driving Muslims to be friendly, as majority nationally. I love this initiative. Because minority who speaks up for religious harmony might make changes, but not as big as if the majority who speaks it up to their brothers and sister who are very prone to be the actors of conflict and oppression. I adore, in US side, how Jewish community never felt less as citizens, just because they are small in numbers and been experiencing the terrible Holocaust. Also the Confusians we met in TMII Jakarta and local believers of Kejawen we visited in Yogyakarta, never felt less as citizens. Both are in faith with their religions, and always feel like the government should protect them in exercising their beliefs even they are small in numbers. Thanks to constitution in both US and Indonesia. I deeply hope, may any pretentious government officers who are still oppressing minority get an enlightment to look back at the beauty of protection granted in constitution. The beauty of this program is not only it answers a lot of my questions through lectures, visits and individual sharings, but it leaves me questioning further, which I would love to find the answer: If rights belong to human as an individual, why less numbers make somebody feel less worthy as a human? why more numbers drives arrogancy and oppresion? why religious groups play with numbers? why religious groups "play" the games of oppression to others? can somebody just believe in religion and keep it in private spehere with God, not using it as a tool to create chaos? As a final note, I believe everyone (participants and committee members) is tired, physically and emotionally, feel uncomfortable with all the culture shock, but all the lessons, all the good and bad feelings are worth for memories so much to me. I'll carry the lessons in every steps in life I take after this. Thank you USIPP for putting so much on my individual development to acquire your beautiful values, so much different with other programs I ever joined which demand participants so much to spread out the thoughts to home communities without concerning how the program values play out in participants' mind. At the end of the day, if I think the program lessons are good, of course I would like to share some with people at home whom I feel would appreciate the lessons, without me necessarilly required to be " a preacher of religious pluralism and democratic society", with a sudden burden to make my home community better in understanding pluralism. What a naive goal, thank you for not imposing that much naive things, USIPP. You're good and keep it good by keep involving people who are passionate in the theme, like you always do. Gayatri 'Gya' - Universitas Indonesia

#usipp2016 #tuinternational #globallehigh #universitasindonesia

Understanding Others

06/30/2016

After our closing dinner last night, I met up with some of my friends in Surabaya. I told them how we got the chance to explore many religions in this program. I told them how me met a Jewish Rabbi, a Buddhist Monk, Christian Priests, a Confucian Teacher, and Moslem Takmirs (I really don’t know how to phrase this in English). I told them how we attended a sermon in a church, had iftar together in mosques, celebrated Jewish holy day with sabbath dinner, recited Jewish prayers, being given a Confucian holy book, and had discussions on religions with religious leaders I mentioned above. And I told them how my view of religions had changed.

Since long ago, I had been taught, be it in religion classes or normal conversations in communities, that people who are not Moslems are the ones who stray from God’s path. And therefore, they will not attain salvation in the end of day. It is the basic foundation of religious teachings that are used all over the world, that our religion is the righteous one, and others beside that holds incorrect teachings. I, who had been the subject of such approach through Islamic perspective, naturally believe that there is only one way to embrace the Creator, that is by being a Moslem. And from that view, I had the separation of people who adopt the same belief as mine and the ones who doesn’t naturally set in mind. I tend to get closer and put more trust into the first group, for how am I supposed to accept a person who, I thought, have strayed? All through elementary school until high school I saw how social groups that were formed are most likely based on whether you are a Moslem or not, and I guess that is also happening outside of classes.

In terms of religious diversity, Indonesia is most definitely a salad bowl. There are mixed ingredients in it, but you can clearly see its colors–they are distinctive features that makes each religious communities seems exclusive on its own. There had been little attempts to construct the same understanding, or to even socialize with others on religious basis. They are occupying the same space, though not necessarily interacting with each other. A lettuce, for example, will not adopt tomatoes’ flavor and will still have its refreshingly bland taste garnished with some sauce. And somehow, the ingredients are even spllit into groups, like a salad that have separated layers and yet to be mixed.

For me, our one-month experience together in USIPP 2016 acts as a fork in that vegetable mixture. Having the chance to have my comfort zone invaded by others, being questioned on our religious practices and teachings, and discussing God with a social scientist’s point of view made me realize that we are all actors in this play called life. All of us might hold a certain perspective and believe that ours are the righteous ones, and it is so naturally constucted that we stand on our own foundation. But actually, if we just try to learn a bit about others, we might find that there are a lot more simmilarities rather than differences between us. And well, I guess focusing on the values we shared is much more interesting than bringing up the differences.

In this program, through curiousity, I had learnt a bit on the religions I mentioned above, on the teachings and history. It made me want to learn even a lot more on religions. My friends warned me, not unlike what my religion teachers used to say, that it is not encouraged to learn of other religions for it may lessen your belief in your own religion. I am fully familiar of that saying, but personally I feel like this journey had made me believe even more in Islamic teachings, though in other hand made me aware that there are no religions that can be deemed as wrong. And, honestly, religions are just so beautiful to be missed just because of our differences.

PS: In the end of our US session, Jen asked how this program had changed us. Well now I can say for sure that it has a big influence in changing my final thesis’ idea.

Lintang Cahyaningsih - Universitas Gadjah Mada

Utilizing USIPP knowledge in every day life - Take 1

Today, my first day back in the states, I got my armpits waxed. (There's a point to this story I promise) The waxer said, "wow your hair is so fine you must come in often". To this I chuckled and said, "no I've actually been on an exchange program for the past month so I haven't been in for a while" She asked where I went and when I told her Indonesia. She asked if I saw wild elephants roaming around. I explained to her that Indonesia is made up of over 17,000 very diverse islands and that while there might be wild elephants on another island, I was in quite developed cities on the most populated island called Java. She was in disbelief. I went on to tell her that it is the 4th largest country in the world, she gasped. And that the country has the largest Muslim population in the world. She was in disbelief. She continued to ask me many more questions about Indonesia which I answered eagerly. I left the wax center with a big smile on my face.I can't wait to continue to open peoples eyes to the amazing truths of Indonesia one day at time. Rachel - Lehigh

Gays and Muddy Stairs

One of my favorite lectures in Indonesia was definitely the one about the LBGTQ community in Indonesia and around the world. Gay rights issues is definitely something that I have struggled with as a Catholic. Obviously the Catholic Church doesn’t support gay marriage and will not support it any time soon. But as Pope Francis says “Who am I to judge?” and who am I to judge people’s preferences on who they love. Jesus also teaches us that we need to love everyone, even if they have “sin”. Even going forward as an American, I think the decisions for our country shouldn’t directly affect the decision of the church. The state should do what it can to make all of its citizens feel comfortable and loved in the community that they are in. My decisions as a person and as a Catholic should be different than my decisions as an American citizen and what is best for my country.

That being said I loved how different the lecture was than everything else that we talked about. LBGTQ issues are facing democratic societies all over the world today and the safety of the people in this marginalized community are being affected. It was also so awesome to hear about the history of Indonesia’s history with LBGTQ issues. Learning about the Bissu as a part of the older Indonesia society that is suppressed by the current conservatism. I hope in the future we can move away from the hatred of the LBGTQ society and be willing to accept them just as we can accept everyone in society.

In a unrelated topic, probably the coolest thing I have ever done in my life was going to hike Mt. Bromo. Even though I prefer to be at a beach rather than a mountain, it still was a very cool experience. I loved getting to see all of the nature and challenging myself to climb up the muddy stairs all the way to the top. Angie said that it is so much easier to regret the things you didn’t do rather than the things you did do. I completely agree and even though my shoes are ruined climbing an active volcano with my friends is something that I will never forget. Thanks to USIPP for showing my the lunar landscape of Mt.Bromo and the sulfer clouds that I will never forget!

~Theresa, Lehigh

Purity

06/27/2016

“When religion accommodates culture, it doesn’t mean that the value is reduced.” - Wahyu Wicaksana

I simply love this lecture. The professor was quoting a part of another professor’s paper, and for me, it fits perfectly well with my perspective of religions. He was summarizing the paper that says how religion can never be pure enough as it always accommodates the community’s culture, and that is perfectly normal. I believe in that stance too, that religion and culture are so intertwined that they always affects each other.

I was reading a book when we were on our way going around Yogyakarta. It was on a critical understanding on the Arabic world pre-Islam and the global Islamic views afterwards. What got me interested was that the writer critically analyzes how some of the Islamic practices are rooted in the previous Arabic practices, such as fasting and hajj, with some alteration of course. Another interesting point is that the Islamic council globally mostly base Islamic laws upon Arabic culture, though many of it are not written in the Quran. Then, doesn’t that imply that we are merely practicing Islam, but also Arabic culture? And if it is so, then how is it that if some people started accommodating their own culture into their religious practices are called impure?

There is no practice of religion that can be called pure. From a social scientist perspective, this can be seen as very clear. Different person have different background, experience, and knowledge, and can interpret the verses differently according to their own understandings. Islam is not all about Arabic culture, it can accommodate others too, and that is not wrong. As the Arabian guy that sat next to me on the plane to Chicago said, it is suffocating that people tend to see Arabic countries as having a high level of devotion and understanding of Islam. Because simply, most of it are Arabic culture, and not even Islam’s. Islam is not the religion of Arabians.

A few days ago we visited a community that practices an indigenous “faith” alongside their “religions” called Paguyuban Hayunging Bawana Tata Lahir Batin. One of the questions asked to the speaker was on the impurity perspective I mentioned. And, the Romo answered it quite easily, “these practices gives us more understanding and devotion towards each of our own religion.” Of course, many will still label this faith as the impure version of Islam, but I just think that it is beautiful. For me, Islam has no strict boundaries. It is so open that people can interpret and practice it in different ways. It is the institutions that hold power to set the regulations and determine right from wrong that are strict. Yet, what power do we hold to justify which are right from wrong when it comes to the Divine Creator? Nothing can ever become pure, but it is okay, because the most important thing is our beliefs and efforts to embrace God.

Lintang Cahyaningsih - Universitas Gadjah Mada

Opening Wounds

06/24/2016 "The general population doesn't know what is happening, and it doesn't even know that it doesn't know." - Noam Chomsky We had arrived in Indonesia for more than a week, but only today that I felt we started to learn something on Indonesia's religious pluralism condition. We visited lots of religious and governmental institutions in Jakarta and Yogyakarta, but none of them ever talked about the disruptive issues on Indonesia's religious harmony. They were all saying that there is no issue at all that can bring about interreligious conflicts in Indonesia. All of them had said that Indonesia can bring harmony in between the six religions facilitated and other beliefs, something that was deemed by Nera as a utopia. I guess that was one of the main reasons why I found Alissa Wahid's lecture this afternoon as something extremely refreshing. Though she is the daughter of Gus Dur, former President of Indonesia, she was clear in speaking the problems that had arose in several past decades on Indonesia's attempt to be a religious pluralist country. She was exactly like how I potray her late father in mind, open, clearspoken, and righteous, having no shame feeling of exposing Indonesia's real condition. She is perfect for her profession as a human right activist. We talked a lot about religious minority groups in Indonesia and how they were oppressed, as well as government and NGOs effort to support them. I was so frustrated on our previous lectures because nobody really talked about Indonesia's dark history be it in the form of mass violence or genocide, but she flat-out pointed the facts that a big number of people had died in our previous governmental cycle. She did not sugarcoat any of the facts, and that was exactly what I expect from this program. In our US sessions, we had discussions on how minority groups such as African-American and Native American were being cast out by both governmental regulations and their communities. The lectures were very critical on the issue, showing recent conflicts and social groups that want to minimize the level of discriminations. It is extremely different than the lectures we had previously, which focuses on Indonesia's capability of keeping everything in place without conflict. But somehow, from my perspective, being critical to the real condition is what this program all about. I share the same perspective as Chomsky does on this point, that ignorance is not bliss. Without acknowledging something and make it public, there is little possibility that the condition will change. It also applies in conflicts. If no one talks about the problem, then how are we supposed to solve it? I am perfectly aware that though in paper Indonesia seems to be a utopia for minority groups, the real condition may not be as smooth, but we cannot cover it up by saying that nothing ever happened. A religious pluralist country may ot exist without a number of frictions, and that is perfectly normal. It is nothing to be ashamed of. The things that need to be highlighted are the facts that we still struggle to overcome those frictions though having so many potential conflicts. And we have to open up our wounds first to let it heal. Lintang Cahyaningsih - Universitas Gadjah Mada

Welcome to My Humble Little Shack

I was excited to visit Yogyakarta last week. I keep calling it my humble little shack to everyone because despite its simplicity, Yogyakarta keep inspiring me over and over again, just like a humble hermit shack that teach people about wisdom and the value of life. This is the city where modernity meet with traditional culture. This is the place that teach me to think theoretically and act in accordance of humanity. This is also the place that teach me about diversity and religious pluarlism. Raise in one of the stronghold of conservative, Jogja give me a whole new experience on tolerance and living in harmony. During USIPP visit, Jogja once again inspire me to think globally and act locally. The visit on humble buddhist monastery (yes i will keep calling it humble) teach me on how muslim in this area could tolerate and accomodate buddhist community and its annual Vesak celebrations. A visit on local indigenous religion teach me on how local wisdom could coexist with other religion, even though certain abrahamic religion think that it is the act of heretic. The lecture about Kraton Politics give me a perspective that religious harmony is something that need to be constructed and regulated However, this trip also make me want realize that religious harmony is not something to taken for granted and not embedded in culture only. It has to be obtained through struggle and constant effort. I realized that througout the years, Jogja is no longer become a safe haven for religious diversity. The rise of conservative group and our ignorance to actively contain it has crippled Jogja and its value. The discussion with Alissa Wahid about intolerance practice in Jogjakarta and Indonesia made me realize that the sileng tolerant majority have to act. We almost do nothing when vigilante group close the transgender islamic boarding school. Majority of Jogja people, including me, care less when certain islamic group attack a christian congregation or attacking discussion about communism and feminism. We barely do anything when our King and government practically doing nothing when these things happened. This trip made me realize that I have to do something for my humble little shack. Its hermits is in the bad shape and its walls almost collapse. Lodang

#usipp2016 #globallehigh #tuinterntaional #universitasgadjahmada #yogyakarta

Let's Do #usipp2016throwback !

Can't believe that today is gonna be the end of this program. As we had learned so much about religious pluralism and democratic society, I think I'm ready to end this program now, but I'm not ready to say goodbye to these 12 amazing participants that now feel like family. We share jokes, annoy each other, laugh about silly things together, listen to each other, and be each other's back. That's what brothers and sisters do. It's amazing how close we had become. The last couple days we have been having so much fun! I know most of us are physically and mentally tired (including me!), but we made it through, woo hoo! I can't wait to recover and post pictures, share memories, notes, amazing quotes I found during lectures, and all wonderful memories I had during the program. Get ready for #usipp2016throwback guys! 😁😁😁

#usipp2016 #globallehigh #tuinternational

Dust Perspectives

06/25/2016 Remember the story of Lyra Belacqua and her daemon? In Lyra's world, there are divine matters spread all over living beings that gives them power to be alive. It can be found throughout the universe while having conciousness of its own to move things in the way they are supposed to be. For its patterns of spread and its flow through every living beings, it is named after the simplest particle in our everyday life. They call it Dust. While Phillip Pullman formed a fantasy fiction full of living animals with conciousness, the Dust described quite controversially debated in theological perspectives. Some people, including me, interpret the Dust as God's fragments, which cannot be seen by naked eyes but its importance is noticeable through its creations. The divine matter connects all living beings with its flow, and so does God's fragments. It is the sole creator of our universe. Today I had a talk with Sarah on the Dust mentioned in Phillip Pullman's the Golden Compass. We talked about how it is unnecessary to debate on who our God is nor the number. The sole important thing is that we recognize and communicate with the Being that makes us alive, no matter in what form we interpret it. It is just a matter of perspectives and different ways of practices. All religions and faiths are based on our need to communicate with the Creator, though we can find the essence in many ways, including nature and self-finding. In the book, it is also told how religious institutions have enough knowledge on the Dust to manipulate people so that they can gain enough number of mass. Which, on this point, Rachel commented as not being too far from the truth. To some extend, I do have the same point-of-view. Maybe the truth is that we are not too different, but differentiated. Lintang Cahyaningsih - Universitas Gadjah Mada

Found this ad. on the street of Jogja. It is a beauty center ad. saying "Make yourself pretty for your husband." A strong reminder of strong patriarchy is, in my opinion. Women are constantly told to serve their husband by culture, putting men on the higher hierarchy in comparison to women. The patriarchy is stronger with bad education system and bad law enforcement that somehow leads to rape culture in Indonesia. I agree that the treatment towards women is much better here compared with India, but it doesn't mean rape culture doesn't exist here. Lately Indonesia has been facing series of cases of how women were raped and killed brutally and it might only an iceberg phenomenon. I hope next USIPP program (both US and Indonesia) can facilitate more to discuss the issue regarding women in both countries. Abu - Universitas Indonesia P.s. further reading about opinion regarding rape culture in Indonesia can be accessed here https://byrslf.co/indonesia-you-have-a-rape-culture-problem-stop-pretending-that-you-dont-63d301bb021#.9h6e5yg0n

#usipp2016 #globallehigh #tuinternational #universitasindonesia

Visiting a Chinese temple "Hong Sang Tang" in Surabaya while having lecture about Chinese diaspora in Indonesia especially in Surabaya. There are so many theories about how Islam was brought to Indonesia, now I am convinced that "IT WAS BROUGHT FROM CHINA" instead of Middle East. Interesting ;) Abu - Universitas Indonesia

#usipp2016 #globallehigh #tuinternational #universitasindonesia

At Rektorat Kampus C Universitas Airlangga

this supposed to be a lecture on religion, conservatism and LGBT in Indonesia, but the sentence that stucks in my head is the side dish "Balinese these days are getting scarier". As an "overseas Balinese" I guess I agree to some extent (?) that's why it stucks here. Good to meet somebody who shares the same thoughts. #USIPP2016 – at Rektorat Kampus C Universitas Airlangga – See on Path.

Keep your face

Today we had a very in depth and honest lecture with Bu Diah and Surabayan and Indonesian culture as a whole. She spoke about the Indonesian ideal of "keeping face". Acting with pride and dignity and keeping your shame to yourself. She spoke about how this leads to a lot of women suffering from domestic abuse and not speaking up about it or trying to protect their individual dignity as a human being. The thought stayed in my head for the rest of the lecture. The more I thought about it the more I realized, this ideal isn't an Indonesian thing, it's a US thing too, a human thing. We all have things we hold in our realm of shame. The human instinct is to keep these things tucked away in order to maintain our public dignity, "our face". Yet what were really going by tucking these things away, things like abuse, is destroying the dignity we have on the basis of being a human being. I think the key to helping women out of these abusive situations is not only educating them that the situations are in fact abusive, but showing them that these situations are not ones that they should hold in their realm of shame. The only way to do this is by sharing experience. I was in an abusive relationship that I had a hard time getting out of much for the reason of shame. I play a role in helping these women. I must stand up and show them that I am not ashamed. I must show them that I am proud that I can now protect my human dignity more wisely for having gotten myself through that struggle. That I did it and they can too. And they are not alone. Rachel - Lehigh

Finding Brotherly Love Across the World

I see so many similarities between Surabaya and Philadelphia, my home city. Through out the tour of the beautiful city I can see why it is so important to Indonesian culture. To start I loved learning about how Surabaya was the start of the revolution for Independence and it was the starting of the government structure of the new Republic of Indonesia. Similarly, Philadelphia was the starting and meeting point for all of the patriots during the American Revolution.

I loved getting to learn about the lecture by Ibu Diah about the culture of Surabaya. She really didn’t leave anything out even teaching us a curse word that Surabayan people usually say! It definitely reminded me of the tough attitude and colorful language that Philadelphians use on a daily basis. She also talked about the Nasi Bebek, and how it is the best in Surabaya, similarly with the cheesesteaks that are not as good as they are in Philly.

Even the sports and dance that she mentioned reminded me of Philadelphia. She said that the soccer club team of Surabaya has a very crazy fan base, which definitely reminds me of the crazy Eagles fans from home. Philadelphia is also home to the Mummer’s Parade on New Years Day which has very interesting costumes and dances similar to the style of Surabaya.

I have enjoyed my time here in Surabaya a lot, even though the heat is a little overbearing. Going to the Consulate General was also a great experience and I hope to one day have her job and come back to Surabaya!

~Theresa, Lehigh

I got lost

Our first day of activities with UGM we had a discussion with a group of students about Religious activity at UGM. There were Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and Catholics I'm attendance. Maybe we weren't asking the right questions or the way we asked the questions, or maybe I was just lost in the sauce. What I got was that they did a lot of talking like discussions on campus for religious harmony. I did however get some some sense of how some of them feel living and or going to school as a religious minority if they are one. One of the participants said it themselves not to long ago that when she began attended their college they were judged a lot being that they weren't your "typical" Muslim I guess. I'm not from Indonesia so I don't know how or cannot comment on how they should do things. But I do know a conversation is where it starts. And with the inclusion of the minority religions they are broadening the conversation because they matter too. 6/21/2016 Tinera Davenport- Towson University #USIPP2016 #globallehigh #tuinternational

Governors office Discussion vs. Something real

An imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect. We visited the governors office for a discussion with governor office representative. I appreciate them taking the time for us but I feel I did not get a concrete understanding. I mean nothing is concrete when it comes to world, its so complex. They said Yogyakarta is a city of education, culture, and well known for tolerance. I have no doubt it is all of that; but I don't believe this province is utopia. They didn't say that but it was sort of implied. Information received was either sugarcoated or avoided. I asked if there were any current issues that would jeopardize religious harmony since Indonesia's issues would mainly involve religion versus the US with race. The representative said there aren't any issues. Really, is that so? The Indonesia students are not us American people. They live here they are not unconscious to what goes on just like we are conscious about our society and political system. They are in this program for a reason. Because they experience, see, or heard what occurs and they know what kind of questions to ask for clarification. The problem is they don't exactly know or have clarification on what goes on in Indonesia because incidents could be covered up. Its great they have the three pillars of religious harmony and the forum. However, they speak as if Yogyakarta has no problems but from our stand point there is still issues present or on arise. In later discussion with Alissa Wahid the daughter of a former president of Indonesia was a breath of fresh air. She's an activist on humanitarianism. She spoke on real issues in Indonesia, from violence between Christian's and Muslim's to the Army and police. I do agree although to see Indonesia as an example for the world. "Indonesia is not a religious state but not a secular state" she says. The predominant religion which is Islam in my opinion can set an example of how Islam should be depicted. When you think of Muslims you think of the Middle East and you think of terrorism. I agree that the world needs Indonesia in order for people to see "friendly Islam". However, for people of minority religion in Indonesia are more vulnerable. Same for a minority race in America. Tinera Davenport- Towson University #globallehigh #tuonternational #USIPP2016

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