Eleven Av�԰� Christi students are currently nearing the end of an amazing language and culture tour to Indonesia, arriving back in Perth on Sunday 20 December.

So far they have had an impressive array of experiences: language study with built-in fun challenges like buying phone credit and interviewing people in the street; visits to awe-inspiring sites such as Borobudur and Mount Merapi, a shopping/cooking cycling expedition to buy ingredients in the market (in Indonesian of course) and then cook their own lunch; a pencak silat (martial arts) class; making their own filigree silver jewellery; riding in becaks; experiencing life in an Indonesian host family and school; trying all kinds of new foods; participating in a friendly debate with St Hendrikus students, exploring the mangrove forests of east Surabaya and seeing the biggest mosque in south-east Asia (Al-Akbar in Surabaya).

Still to come at the time of writing are a visit to Taman Safari to see unique Indonesian wildlife and have fun at the theme park; watching the sunrise at Bromo volcano and, finally, a relaxing few hours at Waterbom Park before boarding their flight to Perth.

The students are all doing us proud and the teachers have really enjoyed their company this last two weeks. They are a little tired but it’s been great to see them getting to know Indonesia and accepting the “comfort zone challenge” to try new things and speak in Indonesian.

Many thanks go to my colleagues on the Tour Mr Vic Gecas for compiling a stunning Facebook page of photos and Ms Wendy Quint for her endless good humour and practical advice. We’ve had a ball.

Sue Cooper