Bridging the culture gap

I had the incredible pleasure to spend a day teaching Jr and Sr high school students at a local Islamic boarding school. It was more conversational practice than instruction, which was a great way to interact with a beautiful group of kids. I visited around 10 classes in this traditional school where the students were all in uniform and the classes were segregated with boys and girls sitting on opposite sides of the classroom. I enjoyed the tattered converse all-stars and jeans that poked out from under the long gray skirts the girls wore. They added a little more personal flair with pins of pop groups on their white headscarves. Curious and timid, they concentrated closely as I introduced myself and told them a bit about me. It felt as if I broke through the wall between us when I asked about what music they listened to and what sports they played. Full of questions, but lacking the vocabulary to express their curiosities, their teacher helped translate questions for me. Many wanted to know what I thought of Indonesia, their city, their school...then they wanted to know about differences between our countries. The last group I met with were seniors, a bright group with a stronger command of english. One boy in particular was full of questions, asked in all sincerity. He nervously formulated his questions in nearly perfect english and anxiously awaited my answers. We were seated on the ground in a traditional classroom, the floor covered with prayer mats. The boys sat to my right and the girls to my left. After several questions, he asked me what I thought about terrorists and expressed his concerns about terrorists in his country and the world. I was very touched by his question and felt like a politician as my answer spilled out. Everyone was listening so closely as I told them about all the good people that there all in this world. I have been so fortunate to come to places where I can meet people firsthand and break down those barriers we have between us. Without knowing where I was going, I kept talking...about the responsibility we all have to break down those barriers and learn more about each other. There were lots of nods and smiles, as it seemed as if this was something on many of their minds. It was a beautiful interaction with a beautiful group of students that certainly impacted me...and I hope perhaps I impacted them also.