The 2024 Online Exchange Program scheme between SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Yogyakarta (Indonesia) and National Zhuolan Senior High School (Taiwan) was conducted virtually on Monday (6/3) by TEC Yogyakarta. The students from both schools took advantage of this chance to participate in the agenda. The moderator introduced the agenda, followed by opening remarks from Ms. Grace Ou (Director of the Education Division TETO Indonesia), Mr. Chih Wei Chang (School Director of National Zhuolan Senior High School), and Ms. Eny Widyastuti (Vice Principal of SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Yogyakarta). Following the introductory speeches, the participants proceeded with the schedule to the picture opportunity.
Moving to the main session, the introduction of SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Yogyakarta, traditional foods, cultures, and traditional dances and customs were all covered by the Indonesian students throughout their presentation. They also gave a dancing performance called Nawang Sekar to close their presentation session. Regarding the Taiwanese students, they gave a presentation on Zhuolan High School, the historical sites, landmarks, and significant songs in Taiwan. The Taiwanese students demonstrated a strong interest in Yogyakarta’s traditions, and a number of them also brought up the city’s rich and varied cultural heritages. The subjects that the Taiwanese and Indonesian students brought up were fascinating and improved each other’s understanding of the history and cultures of their respective nations.
Following the presentation, the agenda included a question-and-answer period. Students asked questions about the subjects covered in this session. An Indonesian student posed a query regarding the daily habits of Taiwanese students and the must-see locations in Taiwan, particularly Taipei. Another student was curious about how difficult the exams taken by the senior students in Taiwan were. The Taiwanese students also had a strong interest in Indonesian culture, especially Yogyakarta, and asked several inquiries concerning the culture they also wondered how many hours a week the Indonesian students study English since, during the presentation, most of them were pretty fluent in delivering the material.
Finally, the program was held successfully, and both schools took a lot of advantages during the agenda. Not only experience a new way of studying other nations’ cultures, but this program also allows the students to gain new friends from abroad. Hopefully, this agenda could be continued to other exciting agendas, such as the outbound exchange program.
