Teaching destination spotlight: Indonesia
Trail of palms in Indonesia
Why not consider teaching English in Indonesia?
Indonesia is simply stunning right from the moment you arrive in the country. From Bali to Lombok and Jakarta to Wakatobi, there’s a vast landscape open for exploring and you’ve got a whole year to do so!
If you’re heading off soon on your Indonesian teaching adventure then here are some fun facts, useful stats and other things you might want to know before you arrive.
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Indonesia is huge! No, really, from East to West it measures around about 5,120km. But, in fact it’s a country made up of thousands of tiny islands (approx 18,000-ish islands to be a bit more precise).
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When you’re spending money, you’ll be spending the currency known as Rupiah.
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Watch out, the country is home to the world’s largest lizard so if you’re not a fan of larger than average amphibians, we’d keep an eye out for the famous Komodo dragon. In fact, even if you are a fan, their bites are toxic and they’re pretty mean animals so just steer clear altogether and avoid the selfie taking if you spot one. No fear though, they can only be found on five of the islands - Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang, and Padar.
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If you’re a geographer at heart then you’ll definitely not want to waste the opportunity to research the many, many volcanoes which can be found in the country: there are 139 of them which means Indonesia comes third in the ‘countries who have a large number of volcanoes competition’, behind Russia and the USA.
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Indonesian cuisine varies depending on where you’re living in the country, however traditional meals tend to involve rice served with side dishes of fish or chicken, vegetables, spices and coconut milk… Street Food plays a huge part in local foods and we can confirm that, after sampling the rendang, nasi goreng and satay, they’re delicious!
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Whilst you’re living in the country then it would be absolutely rude not to pay a visit to see the orangutans who live in wild rainforests of Sumatra. Many of our students take the chance to explore their assignment countries at the weekends, plus it gives you even more knowledge and experience to take with you back into the classroom.
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Did you know the country has the largest ‘young’ population in the world? There are 165 million Indonesians under the age of 30 however only 8% of the population is over 60.
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Love football and badminton? You’re in luck! Indonesians are downright crazy about badminton, they’ve won Olympic gold medals for it. They’re also big fans of football so don’t be afraid to show off your skills and get involved! Perhaps you can start a football or badminton club at your school?
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Did we mention the miles upon miles of glorious white beaches? The surfing? The shopping? The celebrations?
Heading out on your teaching assignment? Stay in touch! Let us know what hidden gems of culture you discover whilst you’re out there, tag us in your pics and have the time of your life! Good luck…
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