The writer, Nicola Menda, center, with children from Yayasan Sahabat Mulia. (JG Photo)
“Halo, apa kabar? Hari ini, aku bicara bahasa Indonesia ya” (Hello, how are you? Today I’m going to speak in Indonesian, right).
If I could write the entire article in Bahasa Indonesia language, I’d give myself a pat on the back. Unfortunately that’s not going to happen, I still need a little more practice.
But the point I’m trying to make here is, my Indonesian has improved, all thanks to the myriad volunteering activities I’m involved with, from interacting with kids at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital cancer ward to teaching English at Rumah Baca in Benhil.
Ironically, a language barrier is one of the fears to overcome as a newbie volunteer in Indonesia. Questions like “How to make the kids laugh? What to say to them? What would they think in response?” pop up.
But fears are gone as soon as you are face to face with those children. Surprisingly, all you need is a friendly smile and a keen ear, not excluding some vigorous hand movements to communicate at the start. Indonesians are very friendly in general and also very understanding.
If you do not know what to say at first, just smile and laugh. Although learning a few basic phrases like “Siapa namamu” (what’s your name) won’t hurt. The more you attempt to speak the more you will learn, pay attention to what they say in return, pick out words you hear often and ask them what it means. After only a few hours of volunteering, your language vocabulary increases tenfold.
At the moment I teach English to Indonesian kids in the elementary and junior high school age at Rumah Baca and after every class it feels like my Indonesian vocabulary is increasing.
If I don’t know the Indonesian counterpart of an English word, hand gestures are the immediate remedy. Little kids always manage to make sense of what we do and often blurt out the Indonesian words.
It just goes to show that learning the language doesn’t always need to happen at a school or through a course, you can pick it up through volunteering and in everyday communications. Locals love it when you can speak their language and it’s never too late to start.
I guess I’m not wrong in saying that almost all of us want to do some good in the world. My encounter with the “urge to do good” started pretty early on, in high school to be precise.
I had always wanted to do some good for the farmers in India but I didn’t know how. My immediate thought was to study their trade and that’s how I ended up pursuing agriculture as my main degree.
However, as years went by, other things took priority and social service in farming took a backseat. Fast-forward to the present day, here I am in Jakarta and I have finally started to do what I love, or should I say I have found my calling as a full-time volunteer; but, it wasn’t easy getting started.
In the case of searching for volunteering options in a country where you’re not fluent with the language, it isn’t impossible. Based on personal experience, you can find ways to make it easier to start.
Rather than being too generic in sending applications, it’s better to find one or two organizations that interest you the most, check if their visions and missions align with what you are passionate about.
Research the organization and find what skills they need or are looking for. If it isn’t explained on the website or if you have received their contact through word of mouth, email them or telephone and ask them what areas they need help in. They will be more than happy to give you details.
Do not get disheartened if you do not receive an immediate reply; send another email after a fortnight. Try a few more times, if they still do not reply, maybe they do not need volunteers at the moment.
If you cannot find any yayasans (foundations) on the Internet, ask friends if they know of any such organizations, or better still join community groups.
To sum it up, do not stop trying. It took eight months for me to start volunteering in Jakarta, but it was worth the wait. Through volunteering experiences, I’ve met so many other amazing people and now I volunteer for 3-4 organizations and am on the lookout for more.
The post To Learn the Language, Research Options Then Jump in and Volunteer appeared first on The Jakarta Globe.