SEAMEO aims to raise the caliber of education, which is why the SEA Teacher Project was formulated and the existence of the SEA Teacher Student Exchange Program was enabled.

Indonesia! Out of the two more countries possible for us to be deployed to, Indonesia seemed to be fated for us. Me and my team, Romena Pagay, and Joey Luces, accepted the opportunity and, of course, the challenge. Before going, we knew that it was not just an international trip; it would be a journey of learning and unforgettable experiences.

Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto (UMP) is our partner university in Central Java, Indonesia. UMP did its best to offer us great accommodations and ensure that our stay in Purwokerto would be meaningful. SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Purwokerto is our receiving school and has become our second home in Indonesia. The faculty and staff are so kind and approachable. They guided us in everything we do and everything we needed in their school. SMP 1 made us feel so much welcome and did the best they could to make us feel comfortable. Also, the students are courteous that's why we cannot help not to be attached to them. Our first week is challenging since we were not informed that our first day was also our first class. Thankfully, CAPSU students are trained on being adaptable to changes in time and flexible when the call of duty arises. We were welcomed into the room by a group of energetic and brilliant students, each of whom had their strengths and weaknesses. The fact that the majority of the pupils didn't know English and had trouble understanding the language was one of the difficulties we ran into. The pupils did their best to interact with us even though they struggle to speak. They communicated their ideas using gestures, facial expressions, and even a few words they understood. Their tenacity in bridging the communication gap was incredibly inspirational, and their readiness to share and openness to learning left me with a lasting impression.

Since I am teaching Science, it is even harder for me to teach and communicate because the medium of instruction for that subject is their native language. My cooperating teacher cannot speak English as well; that's why I was given student translators in my classes. Translators are not guaranteed that the class will flow smoothly because their English is limited, which causes a delay. For my next class, I decided to translate my presentations into Bahasa for my students to learn from me despite the barriers we have. Also, I made a lesson plan that has an Indonesian translation so that my cooperating teacher can easily check it. With patience, hard work, dedication, and love for teaching, I learned to cope with it and enjoyed my classes.

Through SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Purwokerto, we get the chance to visit 3 elementary schools namely; MI Muhammadiyah Sidabowa, SD Muhammadiyah Purwokerto, and MI Muhammadiyah Cindaga. Our tasks there are to inspire, motivate and share insights to them. That's why we prepared entertaining performances that would catch their attention and encourage them to participate. After entertaining them, I performed a simple science experiment and explain the scientific explanation of the activity afterward. The visit won't be complete without a question and answer portion. They get the chance to ask anything from us, and we answer them with the best that we could. It was such an overwhelming experience. My heart was full of gratitude and love during those times. I was extremely surprised by how accommodating they were in welcoming us. The 3 elementary schools have so much in common. They were all so polite, kind, respectful, generous, and loving. I was so happy when I saw the kids that are all eager to know and learn something from us. Even though there is a language barrier, when everyone cooperates and work together, imparting happiness, knowledge, and lesson becomes possible.

During our tours, I realized that just like other beautiful countries, Indonesia has a lot to offer. The month's stay made us love everything there; from the food to the amazing places, to the culture especially to their people.

It was also remarkable for me when we represented the Philippines on the international stage. Before the performance, it was all mixed emotions. We only have a day to choreograph and practice. We worked hard to be able to make our CAPSU Family proud and, of course, showcase what Filipinos have to offer Indonesians. We were overwhelmed by its result. I admire my team, for we are working together to attain a common goal. I am grateful that they are the ones I get to share everything with on this journey. My heart is full of love and gratitude during this program. I am grateful to be able to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in a pre-service teacher’s life. I am a living witness that experience is the best teacher. I learned a lot in this Student Exchange Program. It is a great idea to have this student exchange where students get to witness and learn the practices outside the country. I will forever carry the learnings I gained from this program. Thank you so much to everyone behind this opportunity. MABUHAY SEAMEO! God bless and more Power!