Educational Friendship Links: SMA Negeri 1 Serang and Mac Robertson Girls High School

Educational Friendship Links: SMA Negeri 1 Serang and Mac Robertson Girls High School

We just recently had a group of participants from SMA Negeri 1 Serang. This occasion was organized by Bapak Herli Salim and Dr. Peter Waterworth. The Serang group visited Melbourne for initiating educational cooperation with Mac Robertson Girls High School , and Melbourne High School. There were 15 participants who comprised 10 students, 2 teachers, 1 parent association, 1 school principal, and 1 staff from department of education Serang regency. They were in Melbourne for 9 days and during that time, the students had experience shadowing their Australian school mates learning in Mac Robertson Girls High school for the girls and in Melbourne High School for the boys. During night time, the Serang students went for home stay in Australian families. The teachers were also shadowing their Australian colleagues while the staff went to Eastern Region Department of Education to look for possibilities enhancing educational cooperation between the two countries. This visit happened by the invitation which managed by Ibu Rebecca Kristanto ( Mac Rob Indonesian LOTE teacher). Thank you Bu! Finally, the dream came true and thank you for the arrangement. Along their visit, the Serang group had a courtesy visit to Mercy College, Coburg, Melbourne. They performed songs and dances energetically. An amazing farewell party was also held by the Melbourne High School students for their mates from Serang. It was such a memorable occasion due to Melbourne High had beautifully arranged the program with many attractions: food bazaar, songs, and sports. Serang boys really felt at home. Thanks, Bu Jatni (the Melbourne High Indonesian LOTE teacher) for your hospitality! The next day, we went to Scienceworks where we gathered and met our Australian mates; we practiced English and Indonesian as well. At the end of occasion, we conducted a farewell party at Bhineka Room at Consul General Melbourne where SMA Negeri 1 Serang and Mac Robertson Girls High School signed an educational agreement. Good luck for all of the two schools, may you be able to follow up for exploring further collaboration (HS, 2008)