Oscar in Indonesia

My story
My plan to go to Indonesia actually started last year when I was in South Africa and received an email from DKVS saying they were looking for former interns/volunteers. Since I was scheduled to finish my studies around that time, I immediately contacted Ruben to ask if I could join. Fortunately, he was enthusiastic and I was allowed to join the pilot group. During my time in South Africa, we already had video calls with part of the group, and the excitement started building. In September, we all met for the first time over a shared dinner. There were six of us in total: Bo, Bo (Teuntje), Nynke, Puck, Jasper, and me. Later, Kat also joined the group. On February 5, the day finally came, and we flew to Indonesia.

We stayed in Semarang, Java. Since this was a new project, a lot still needed to be figured out—that was our task as the pilot group. The housing was arranged, and we already knew the local team members who would support us in Semarang (Yogi, Ayu, Giza, Wanda, Haris 1 and 2, Farhy). With our prior experiences, our job was to assess whether the current program and associated schools aligned with DKVS’s mission. At first, we were only working with two schools, and we quickly realized that one of them did not meet the necessary standards. This meant we had to look for new schools, which was actually a lot of fun. Visiting new schools, evaluating their suitability, and then passing that information on to the Indonesian team. Within a week, we had already found five new schools, which was fantastic. The Indonesian team handled it all very well, and after just two weeks, we had a solid program in place.

One challenge we faced was that many schools had only small courtyards, and there were few large fields for sports. Sometimes, we had up to 90 kids in a small area, so a lot of improvisation was needed to manage it all. Honestly, this happened often, but as a team, we adapted well. Finding new schools, teaching the kids, and the team dynamics gave so much energy—it was a great experience. My previous experience in South Africa also helped a lot, since it gave me a good idea of what would or wouldn’t work.

We also had a break for Ramadan. This gave us time to travel. I went to Sumatra with Bo, and we did a 12-day round trip. If you get the chance to travel during or after the program, Sumatra is highly recommended. The people are friendly, the nature is stunning, and there’s a lot to see and do.

After that short trip, we started the Ramadan program. This involved low-energy indoor games due to the fasting period. Inside, it was often just as hot—or even hotter—than outside, but we managed. The games focused on balance, throwing, and learning English. We also did a lot of dancing and adjusted the program in a new way compared to before.

Besides the occasional free time, our official days off were Fridays and Saturdays. One weekend, we visited the Dieng Plateau, which was a great trip. We saw a beautiful sunrise on top of the mountain. There are plenty of other trips you can take—Yogyakarta isn’t far, and there’s also a mountain near Semarang to hike. Semarang itself is fun enough to explore during your free weekends. The Indonesian team often suggested activities too, like visiting a university, watching the national team play, playing sports together, or just hanging out at Wisma and watching Netflix. Every Tuesday evening, we had a team sports activity, which was a lot of fun and great for team bonding.

Looking back on the entire trip, I had an amazing experience. Everyone contributed in their own way, and the group as a whole was just fantastic. We always had fun together, and the Indonesian team really went out of their way to make it unforgettable. We made great progress, and I’ll carry this experience with me forever. Hopefully, we’ll get to reunite someday.

The whole trip was SBB, terima kasih!

What advice would you give future interns/volunteers?
The same advice I gave last time: go for it! I’d recommend this experience to everyone. Living together with the group, getting closer over time, and enjoying the journey together is truly amazing. The country is incredible, the people are kind and helpful—it’s something you’ll never forget. Time flies, so make sure to reflect occasionally on what you’re doing and what you’ve done. Enjoy living in the moment and embrace everything that comes your way.