13th May 2012, by Louise

This week is exciting for us at IHF Medan Center. Some kids came here often to accompany me in the center, study together, and sometimes they help me and Devika to clean the house J . They are very lovely. After cleaning the house, we usually bought ice cream at the supermarket near the center. It’s really fun! I really enjoyed my days in here.

This week becomes a stressful week for sixth grade, as they will follow the National Exams in their school. Many of those afraid, but there is also claimed that they had prepared for this exam. I wish our children pass their exams, got a good results. Amen to that!

21st April 2012, by Louise

Greetings from IHF Medan Center!

This week was a busy week for children 6 grades elementary, 3rd grades Junior and 3rd Senior high school, because they will soon follow the national final examination. They are all diligent to come to our center to learn and ask questions about issues of their exams. Can be seen from their hard work in learning, I’m sure they can complete all their exams and get good results. By : Louise – Director IHF Medan Center

15th April 2012, by Louise

Greetings from IHF Medan Center!

This week we held a cleaning day at our center. Me, teachers or local volunteers, and
most of the children that their house were near the center, came to help us clean the
center. We all really enjoyed the activity, although we are very tired, but we are all
happy because our center is clean. After that we eat together. Really fun!!

Thanks to the kids and all the local volunteers!!

3rd April 2012, by Clover

Travis and I volunteered at the Medan branch of IHF for 2 weeks. We wanted to stay longer but 2 weeks was all the extra time we could manage. After volunteering here I wish I could have found a month or two to spend here because it has been an amazing experience. We have taught 3 different class levels and the kids are so eager to learn in all of them, although they do love playing games at the end of class as well. I really enjoyed teaching and the kids were patient while Travis and I came came up with lesson plans as neither of us have taught before. All the other staff here are amazing also and have been really helpful. We had Rini and Putri help us in our English classes and they were extremely helpful. All up this has been one of the best things I have ever done and I cant wait to return to Indonesia and help out again.

15th February 2012

 

Life goes back to the way it was now. Looking at the pictures taken in Medan, I begin to miss the life of last month, a troublesome but wonderful month.

 

For us, it is the first time to go outside and to be put into an environment, where cultures are totally different from ours. I learned to how to solve problems on my own and ask help from a stranger. Moreover, I did something I never imagined before, such as taking a shower with cold water, sitting with ants. After you did, you will find that it is not as horrible as you think. It is also a good opportunity to experience different cultures and broaden your view. I know how they show their respect to others. Also, I was impressed by how local people value their religious. At five o’clock every morning, we can hear the music for pray, which calls up people to get up and pray. No matter the habit or the clothes and food, they have so many differences with China’s.

 

After this month, I become more independent and learn to how to solve problems on my own. The cat, the unsophisticated Children and the big smiles on their face, I will never forget.

27th February 2012, by Shuxiang

This week in the Medan center was amazing. At the time when we arrived at the center on January 14, we were surprised by the decorations such as those cute pictures on the wall as well as some special maps and photos. As a result, we were soon fallen in love with this big family and looked forward to teaching lovely students. Although the food stalls near the center do not look very appealing, the food was absolutely delicious. On a weekend afternoon, two lovely girls, who were supposed to be our students, came to the center and taught us basic Indonesian words. Later at around 6 o’clock, Ella and I had our first class to taught students some basic English words such as clothing. Some students in the class were naughty and some were quite. Most of them were used to write down everything on the blackboard but few of them really read their notes. At the end of the class, we played a small game which involved new vocabularies to make students happy. In addition, there was a special meal is cooked by ourselves but it was not that good since we didn’t have sauce and other necessary things to cook the food.

After this month, I become more independent and learn to how to solve problems on my own. The cat, the unsophisticated Children and the big smiles on their face, I will never forget.

12th Febraury 2012, by Emma

You know it is Spring Festival in China now, and this is my first time been abroad so I miss my family so much. But I don’t regret about missing the Spring Festival. Here, I learn so much and understand how necessary to help the poor. At home, my parents help me do everything, I am just their baby, and I don’t have to worry about everything. But without my parents, I can do nothing. Comparing my living in China, I think the children in Indonesia are more sensible, their help their parents to look after their little sisters and littler brothers and do housework.

I enjoy the classes too. The children here are clever and lovely. They always call me “Miss Emma”, and I enjoy this calling. At first they are shy and cannot understand me, but using some body language, classes become more and more funny. When they response with their respect and love to you, you will know why so many people enjoy the job of volunteer. Everything will be bright, when you get the children’s smile face with love. In China, I am the baby of my parents, but here, I am parents of all my students, even I am not Indonesian, even I am not familiar with them, even I can remember each students’ name, even…

Volunteers, which is a job without salary, but paid by love.

12th November 2011, by Bally

This week we did a thank you poster for our respective sponsor. The Angle fish Maths class in particular had great fun creating the poster. They enjoyed being creative and letting their imagination go. It was certainly a team effort, surrounded by laughter, playful jesters and disagreements concerning the colours to use for the poster.  We all had fun making the poster, it was different from our normal class.