PAX - Program of Academic Exchange is a program of PAX Laurasian Exchange and is designated by the U.S. Department of State as a J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program sponsor.

Indonesian shows us around his province

Hi, my name is Juan. I am an exchange student in the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program. I am from one of the Southeast Asia countries, Indonesia. I am very interested in introducing my culture. Unfortunately, my departure was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope this pandemic will end soon. Anyway, even though I can’t go there and introduce Indonesian culture face to face with you, by this video I will share to you about Indonesian culture.

Indonesia is located between two continents, the continent of Asia and the continent of Australia, and between two oceans, the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. So, Indonesia is located in the middle of the world. That’s why Indonesia has many cultures. In Indonesia, there are 714 ethnicities and 1,001 languages.

Indonesia is divided into 34 provinces. I live in West Borneo province. In West Borneo, the population is predominantly of the Dayak tribe. But there are many other groups also like Malay, Javanese, and Chinese. In West Borneo, there are many historical buildings, such as the traditional house of Dayak, the traditional house of Malay, Equator Statue, Digulist Statue, and Keraton Kadriah. West Borneo also has many tourist destinations, such as Pasir Panjang Beach, Paradise-Q Waterpark, Lemukutan Island, Kapuas City Park, and Riam Waterfall.

In West Borneo, the population is predominantly of the Dayak tribe. But there are many other groups also like Malay, Javanese, and Chinese.

The traditional food here is spicy porridge, named bubur pedas. It is a porridge that is given a little sauce and meat with a savory and spicy taste. West Borneo has many celebration days, but the most famous is Cap Go Meh. The word “Cap Go Meh” is taken from Hokkien language. “Cap” means ten, “Go” means five, and “Meh” means night. So, the meaning of Cap Go Meh is the timing of the event, which is held 15 days (or “nights”) after Chinese New Year.

To learn more, please watch my video!

–Juan (YES, Indonesia), Virtual Program