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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
6 Apr 2025
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Description
My name is Edison I have a wife, her name is Nofi. I also have two children, Ochta (32 years old) and Fadlil (12 years old). Ochta can speak English.
I run a private English school for children between the ages of 7 and 19 in the small town of Batusangkar, West Sumatra. My goal as the principal of the school is to provide youth from my region with the English skills required to communicate better in the modern world, and therefore provide them with better opportunities in their lives.
I would like to welcome any fluent English speakers under the age of thirty to assist my teachers in the classroom. You would help immensely by having simple conversations with the students and providing them a real English speaking experience inside or outside the classroom.
All the students are very welcoming and curious about my visitors, and I am certain that you will have a great experience while interacting with them. You can expect to answer all their questions, pose for pictures, and be invited for lunches, snacks and dinners. We don't often have foreigners, or 'bule' visiting Batusangkar, so you will receive plenty of positive attention. In this regard it is very common for locals to take videos or pictures of you, often without your consent. I ask that you be mindful of this culture and accepting of their attitude towards you, they are excited to see you, and be seen with you!
Classes in my school run from 3pm to 6pm from Monday to Saturday and mostly consist of two lessons/classrooms per day. Sometimes, you will be asked to teach during the morning depending on the time of year. I would also like to invite you to visit government schools in the mornings, where you can help me by talking with students there and promoting my after-school English program.
In return for your efforts, we will provide you with accommodation in a private room next to my house, with its own separate entrance, private bathroom. Apart from that, during the working days we will provide you with breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited tea/coffee. During the non-working days, volunteers are expected to obtain their own meals in the cafe.There are some cafes near my house, and plenty of food options in town. Dinners are prepared by my wonderful wife Nofi, she cooks delicious, traditional Padang food.
No credentials are required, so don't worry if you don’t have any previous experience in teaching. Your presence in the classroom and your efforts in encouraging students to have simple conversations is still very valuable.I hope to host you at my place and the villages of my teaching staff, introduce you to my family, friends and unique culture of West Sumatra.
Please note that we are unable to host couples that are not married, as my family and I are Muslim and it conflicts with our beliefs. Thank you for your understanding.
If you would like more info, ask me for the link.
Important information about visiting: Indonesia
IMPORTANT- All guests interested in joining our program will need a C6B volunteer visa. I will provide all necessary documents and instructions. Just reach out AT LEAST 2 weeks before entering Indonesia. If you do not gain the proper entry into Indonesia you may face fines and/or deportation, do not risk it. To find out more information contact the embassy in your home country, and visit the Indonesian Immigration website at:
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Teaching
Interests
Music
Hiking
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
They will have a chance to learn the Bahasa Indonesian as well as Mingkabau language. Volunteers may see a traditional wedding party, Pencak silat, the traditional dancing of Minangkabau, the bull race, the culture of Minangkabau and experience the real life of people from Minangkabau and Indonesia in general.
Live Music on the Weekend.
Travellers can hang out and mingle with the local people in the local cafes. This is the most favourite place for young people in Batusangkar to hang out, especially the on weekends.
Travellers can enjoy being there and drink a local drink “Kawa Daun and Teh Tolua” and converse with the local English teachers, students and musicians – everyone is excited to get to know our guests and will have lots of questions for you! Every Saturday and Sunday evening, travellers can listen a live music performed in town and at the cafeteria.
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities.
Living with my family, you can experience the real local culture of West Sumatra. It might happen, that you are going to be the only tourist around. You will meet a lot of local people, learn their habits and language. Teaching will also give you the opportunity to hang out with the students outside of the class room.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Volunteers will help for 4 hours a day ( 2 pm - 6 pm) as an assistant with the class teacher in the classroom. The volunteer will never be asked to teach the class. The help will involve lots of conversations with students before and during class. The volunteers may stay as long as they like, but we ask for a minimum of two weeks. If the volunteer is passionate about teaching and has previous experience, they may run classes with assistance for translation from a local teacher and in combination with current matieral. Please come prepared to engage with students about the English language, and set a good example for the children of Batusangkar.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
Home stay provided by owner. You will be given your own room with private bath and separate entrance from the rest of the house. We may accomodate two people at once, given they are married, if they aren't married one of them will be accommodated by my teaching staff in their village. Here you will be the centre of attention because locals here seldom see the white people or 'bule', but the people in the village are very friendly and generous.You will get lots of offers to have coffe, tea, or traditional food.When you by chance have time to hang out in the Coffee shop, very quickly the coffee shop will become crowded and almost everyone will offer you to taste the various food, and no one will not let you pay. It is common to give people gifts here, so be prepared to receive gifts with grace, and understand that there is no requirement for you to provide gifts in return.
What else ...
Batusangkar is a small town at the centre of Minangkabau culture where you can see the King's Palace, which is a very beautiful and unique place. The views around Batusangkar are also very beautiful, surrounded by lush jungle and tropical plants abound. On Sunday we go hiking with the students and teachers up to Singkarak lake, a place with beautiful landscaping at the top of a small mountain.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Feedback (14)
I had the pleasure of working with Alex over the past month as He volunteered to help teach English at my school. Alex was an incredibly supportive, enthusiastic, and patient presence in the classroom. HIS ability to connect with… read more
The students are very nice and curious to learn about different culture. The classes are very lively and fun to attend and participate as teacher.
Thank you so much for… read more
English at my school and promoting my school too from school to school to get more students.
My students, my teaching staffs and my neighbors like him so much because of his friendliness .He is a problem solver and a lovely person. We wish you… read more
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I had the pleasure of working with Alex over the past month as He volunteered to help teach English at my school. Alex was an incredibly supportive, enthusiastic, and patient presence in the classroom. HIS ability to connect with… read more
The students are very nice and curious to learn about different culture. The classes are very lively and fun to attend and participate as teacher.
Thank you so much for… read more
English at my school and promoting my school too from school to school to get more students.
My students, my teaching staffs and my neighbors like him so much because of his friendliness .He is a problem solver and a lovely person. We wish you… read more
Thanks so much for your help. My students ,my teaching staffs, my neighbors and my family were very happy to have you here..We all had a very good time with you.
The students you were teaching were very sad and disappointed ,They still wanted to know more about you ,They still wanted to know about the conditions and the… read more
1. you need a C6B volunteer Visa to volunteer here. I did not know that before and wasn't able to teach in the classroom. though I prepared everything for the next volunteers the simplyfy the visa process.
2. Be aware that… read more
They told me that Spending two weeks with you felt like one day,How fast time flies . They have talked a lot about you… read more
The community is muslin so you have to be open to the differences because if you are going from the west world and if you are Christian that is a LOT of differences.. beggining from the clothes.. You also should be prepared to everyone talking to you, people you… read more
Mr Edi has amazing facilities… read more
My family and all teaching staffs were very happy and proud… read more
The house of Edy has a good design. The door of volunteers's room is separated from… read more
If Qian applies to stay with you, grab her with both of your… read more
It was such a privilege to be able to be living with monks, have an insight in their life and deepen my understanding about Buddhist… read more
Chelsea has been staying with my family for two weeks ,She was very friendly, very kind, very easygoing and full of understanding. I could
say that she was an amazing girl .For the first day She was with my family. She could adjust… read more
If Pieter applies to stay with you, grab him with both of your hands.He… read more
There were two things I did while staying here. First I went with Mr Eddie to the goverment school where he works. I… read more
say that she was an amazing girl .For the first day She was with my family. She could adjust herself directly to the new family,my family,After staying and spending few days with my family I didn't feel that… read more
You are amazing, You never complain. You work very hard and sincerely. You really help me tremendously. My students, My teaching staffs, My family and even my Colleagues at the state school loved you so much. They all are very close to you. You are very friendly and very easy to… read more
If They apply to stay with you, grab them with both of your hands.They… read more
He is amazing ,very helpful and encourage my students to improve their English. He has… read more
