Today we visited the turtle hatchery again. I got to release my own turtle, it’s name is dude. The turtles were really cute and we had to release them one metre from the ocean. We also learned about sustainable tourism from a man we met called Chris Brown. He talked about how he gets local people to work for him so that he knows they will stay instead of people from far away who might leave after a few years of working there. He talked a lot about how if people find turtle eggs or a turtle on the beach they contact him instead of selling them because if you contact them you will get a bigger reward. This is good because some people don’t have a lot of money so they will find turtles or turtles eggs and sell them for money. The turtles we released were leather back turtles, they were so small and cute I didn’t want to let my turtle go. After releasing them you get a certificate with your name, your turtles name and the date you released them. It’s super fun watching them being released because if you are releasing more than one turtle you could race them. You also had to be careful with them because they could get stressed out and not go into the water.
By Libby
Today marks the last day of our Indonesian journey and what an eye opener it has been! From the heat and humidity shock we all weren’t used to back in Melbourne to the overwhelming joy from the children at our sister school receiving the precious gifts. Reflecting back on the trip, I am truly thankful for this opportunity to not only experience the world but another culture. One that I’m sure none of us will ever forget. Visiting the temples and monuments made us all feel immersed in the amazing culture and feel so small next to the grand scaled, global icons we had only heard about. Seeing these monumental temples really put into perspective how important it is to have traditions and learn the ways in which other people live. Experiencing both the city life of Jogjakarta and the rural village of Pemuteran was significantly diverse and helped us understand how lucky we all really are. We spent seven days in Jogjakarta and experienced a city where something was always happening and food was always available. Spending time in Jogjakarta to visit Mount Merapi along with Borobudur and Taman Sari showcased many cultural differences, and it taught us to embrace differences and further broaden both our horizons and our knowledge of or neighbouring country. Pemuteran was much more relaxed and we could all take it down a few notches. Releasing turtles and learning about a sustainable world was both a wake up call and an experience to never forget! Waking up to the waves each morning gave a sense of ease to the final few days of the trip. I know I have never been more relaxed than at Pemuteran! Overall I appreciate all the effort and planning taken into account to allow us to experience this country and see the sights along with other lifestyles. Special thank you’s to Mrs Lee, Miss Love and Mr Wenger for taking us to a whole different country and guiding us to build more confidence within ourselves and each other.
Thank you!
Sampai Jumpa
By Chantelle
It feels like just yesterday that we were leaving Australia for Denpasar and our stay in Indonesia had felt like a blur. These last ten days will be fine memories for years to come. Perhaps the best experience on the trip was our journey to Mt Merapi. During our ride up we learnt about the devastation of the 2010 eruption. It was a fascinating place and opened my eyes to the struggles that people go through that we don’t know about in Australia. The trip also encouraged me to interact with and make friends with people that I normally wouldn’t talk to. I will remember this trip for the rest of my life because of how much fun I had and the unforgettable memories forged during this trip.
By Justin
The past ten days have been an unforgettable time for all involved. We began in Yogyakarta, an extremely cultured place. The locals in Yogyakarta are not used to tourists so we all felt like celebrities when people asked us for photos and called us ‘cantik’. The original seven days were very enlightening because we were able to experience true Indonesian culture. This trip was jam packed with visiting many cultural sites. The Jeep tour was definitely a fan favourite. It was so much fun sliding around in the Jeep and looking at Mt Merapi. Seeing the differences in culture between Bali and Yogyakarta was truly interesting. The sites will be not be the only things we will remember forever, because people from all different year levels have become friends. This trip has been life changing for all.
By Steph
The Mount Erin Indonesian tour was an overall unforgettable and unique experience that provided all attending students with the opportunity to experience a new culture first hand. Our activities included releasing turtles at the Reef Seen Turtle hatchery, exploring traditional markets and taking Indonesian classes at Alam Bahasa. I particularly enjoyed the Jeep tour at Mt Merapi. The information provided was insightful and the picturesque views were one of a kind. My favourite day included our visit to the sister school located in Pemuteran, Bali. The children were incredibly kind and the amount of English they spoke was impressive. I truly loved this adventure and can’t wait to come back to these beautiful destinations some time in the future.
By Matilda
The Daily Insider 