Biking in the Quiet Atmosphere of the Night--Peace Corps news

Newspaper article featuring Andorra

My daughter, Andorra, has been in the Peace Corps for over three months.  I am posting her latest blog entry here in which she translates a newspaper article written about her in the town she's in .  If you would like to read all of her  blog entries, go HERE.
We miss her very much, but her occasional blogs, along with video chats and Facebook messages, keep us connected.  I can see that she is doing fine!





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Andorra's entry:

Biking in the Quiet Atmosphere of the Night
 
This is my article in the newspaper, translated for your convenience. Translating from English to Indonesian and back to English causes it to be a little bit inaccurate in parts, sorry!  Enjoy this awesome article. My counterpart and I had a good laugh about it.

Enjoying Caruban's Quiet Night Atmosphere

A soul is called to becoming a volunteer. That is Andorra Katherine Morgan, who was willing to leave behind her family in the United States. She now must wrestle with the routine of teaching English at her school in the Madiun regency. And at the same time, learn the culture of Indonesia.
"The weather here is actually as hot as in America during the summer," said Andorra Katherine Morgan during an interview.
But in the matter of atmosphere, the woman from North Carolina felt much differently. The proof is in the bicycle that she bought with Rp. 1,5 million that she uses daily. Including, enjoying the beautiful village atmosphere such as in the rice fields.
Andorra is a volunteer from the agency Peace Corps, the U.S. Government's program of cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Culture. She admitted that she was often hot, especially with her house being quite far from the school - about 3.5 kilometers. [This is not true. I live ~ 500 meters from school.] "It is often hot here. Temperatures such as these affect me in activities," she said in English.
Even so, she said it was not a problem. In the agency, Peace Corps, she is prohibited from riding a motorcycle or driving a car. The reason is for safety assurance. "So I can only ride a bicycle or public transportation," she added. But for the matter of the hospitality of the people of Indonesia, Andorra gave a thumbs-up. Although often limited in communication because of the language difference, she stated there are still people who are willing to help. Including, teaching her Indonesian. That, she said, fit with her desire to learn the attitudes and culture of the people of Indonesia. "People here are so friendly. They like to accept people from any background and that makes me adapt quickly," said the woman who likes to collect batik clothing.
In addition to teaching English, Andorra is also trying to spend some time actively providing a private class. It is done outside of the school hours. Moreover, she claimed the students liked her teaching style, the face-to-face system. Andorra is willing to not get paid. "I do not charge anything," she said. [I do not remember saying anything in this paragraph. This may be referring to the English Club at my school.]    

Her job at this school will last for two years. When she misses her family, she will communicate through video calling. Before setting foot in Caruban, she trained for two weeks in Malang. [Two months.] In Caruban, Andorra claimed to like the night atmosphere because it is quiet and not too crowded. And so, her bicycle becomes her loyal friend to enjoy the evening in Caruban.