At JRS’s English Learning Center in Bogor, Indonesia, two JRS interns had the opportunity to host an English discussion session for refugees. Elizabeth and Liam both count this as one of their favorite memories from their Indonesian internship with JRS. Elizabeth reflects: 

We began with a quick round of icebreaker introductions, learning where everyone was from and what their favorite foods were. Then we shuffled off into small groups to get to know each other. 

My group was composed predominantly of refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia. Some had been born in refugee camps, describing a country they had never been to when I asked where home was.

We moved on to a discussion of culture, comparing our experiences growing up in different countries. When asked to summarize her culture in three words, an Afghan woman said: “handmade, delicious, beautiful.”

This prompted another man to jump in, eagerly offering to cook a traditional Afghan feast for the class. The rest of the students shot him down, apparently out of concern for his mother, whom the group suspected to be the real chef in the family. 

We discussed cultural divisions, racism, and the kind hospitality Indonesians shared. We also discussed feeling like outsiders in Indonesia’s monolithic culture. When they asked me about America, I described my hometown of New York as a cornucopia of diversity, where anyone could walk down the street and be considered local. 

Amidst the levity, an unspoken homesickness hung in the air as we talked. It is not safe for these refugees to go back. Here at the JRS Learning Center, they can share warm memories, the parts of their culture that shaped them into who they are. Every refugee I spoke with carried the pride of their nation, even after fleeing for their lives. 

Beyond learning English, JRS Learning Centers have also created a space for community. Through collective memory and shared strength, refugees here can support and sustain each other. 

After small groups, we came back together and launched into a series of vocabulary games. Everybody relaxed and joked around, and that day is one of my favorite memories of my internship.