“Kerinci? Where’s that? I’d rather go to Korea or Japan.” This was an extremely common response that I received when I told my classmates about my Gap Semester International Course. Before the trip to Kerinci, I was not particularly excited about it either. I had never heard of this place in my life, and the thought of going there in August for a cultural exchange didn’t excite me. However, at the end of a fruitful five-day trip, I had a completely different perspective of Kerinci and Indonesia, and left the place with four massive takeaways.
- The Importance of Sustainability
Harvested wood stored at RGE’s tree plantation. This wood is used by APRIL, a subsidiary of RGE, to produce printing paper under its flagship PaperOne brand.
RGE’s tree plantation. For every hectare of trees harvested, another is planted to promote sustainability.
When we arrived in Kerinci, the first place that we visited was the RGE (Royal Golden Eagle) Exhibition Centre. RGE manages many big companies around the world, such as APRIL, which owns the flagship brand PaperOne. At the exhibition centre, we learnt about how RGE places a strong emphasis on sustainability. For example, for every hectare of trees harvested, another hectare is planted. We also had the chance to visit their tree plantation. When we were there, I saw the enormous scale at which these trees were being harvested. I was impressed that even on such a large scale, they are still able to remain sustainable and focus on conserving and managing their forests. It made me feel guilty that in Singapore, we consume and waste a lot of resources but do very little to recycle them. After the trip, I told myself to make a more conscious effort to exercise the 3Rs and be more sustainable in my daily life.
At the Community Development Centre, an employee explained how the company has created jobs for locals through fish, animal, and vegetable farming.
We managed to see how a small town like Kerinci has thrived under the expansion of the pulp and paper industry. When we visited the Community Development Centre, an employee explained to us how the company has created jobs for the locals through fish, animal, and vegetable farming. It was inspiring to learn about Kerinci’s growth and expansion over the years since RGE was founded.
- Gratitude: a necessity
We conducted a community service project to teach children English at a local primary school. It was heartwarming to see that they were so enthusiastic to learn from us.
The second day of the trip began with a community service project. We split ourselves into groups to teach the students of a local primary school. I was assigned to teach Primary 3 students. The other students went to their respective classrooms, but my group could not find the Primary 3 classroom. A teacher at the school brought us to a shelter with some small tables inside, and told us that this was where the Primary 3 students were. When we were teaching the students English, they displayed a positive learning attitude and were very determined. It was heartwarming to see that they were so enthusiastic. While we sit in air-conditioned classrooms with personal learning devices to aid our learning, the children here do not even have a proper classroom. The community service project made me feel more grateful for Singapore’s well-developed education system.
- Family-bonding time: a must-have for all of us
At my buddies’ house, I was treated to a plethora of sumptuous local food. I am very grateful for the warmth and hospitality of the host family.
The next part of the trip was the homestay with our buddies from Kerinci. When I arrived at my buddies’ house, I was treated to a plethora of sumptuous local food. The host family was extremely welcoming and accommodating. During dinner, I talked to them and shared about my daily life in Singapore, while also learning about theirs. After dinner, my buddy and her siblings called me down to the living room to play UNO with them. The whole family was sitting in the living room while talking to each other and bonding with each other. This was quite different from my family, as we usually stay in our own rooms and do not spend much time together in the living room. This homestay experience inspired me to spend more time with my family. I am also very grateful for the warmth and hospitality of the host family.
- We should make music and dance a part of our daily lives
On Wednesday, we went to Sekolah Mutiara Harapan (SMH) Senior High School for activities such as this traditional dance.
On Wednesday, we arrived at Sekolah Mutiara Harapan (SMH) Senior High School early in the morning. We started the day off with an energetic dance at the basketball court, then we proceeded to try out some of their traditional games, which were both challenging and exciting. I thought to myself, “That’s enough dancing for today right?” Unfortunately, I was wrong. After a quick cultural presentation on the different ethnicities in the Riau province, the RI students were split into two groups: dance and music. I was placed in the dance group. The students and teachers patiently taught us a traditional dance. We only had a few hours to practise it before we performed in front of the whole school. The dance was very difficult to learn as the duration of the performance was quite long and it required a lot of coordination. Most of us were on the verge of giving up. Despite this, we persevered and after hours of practice, we were ready to perform. It was nerve-racking to perform in front of so many people. I made some mistakes during the performance, but I was still relieved when it was over. The other RI students also learnt how to play the angklung. It was nice to see that dance and music were such an essential part of Indonesian culture. The change in environment from the stressful and busy life in Singapore to the fun and relaxed environment in Indonesia was quite refreshing.
Watching the sunset from the airplane window, I reflected on the fruitful and meaningful trip that had allowed me to take my learning outside of the classroom, and step out of my comfort zone.
As I watched the sun set from the plane window on the flight back to Singapore, I reflected on the fruitful and meaningful trip that had unfortunately come to an end. I made many new friends during the trip, and learnt so much about Indonesian culture. This once-in-a-lifetime experience has allowed me to take my learning outside of the classroom, and provided me with the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone.
