Depok, September 10, 2026 — “Ada bule!” was one of the first reactions from students at SMPI Al-Attasiyah when three international students from Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) walked into their classroom.

The excitement quickly turned into curiosity. During the UIII Mengajar kick-off on September 10, Grace Olbrycht Palmer from Australia, Baston Edgar Kondowe from Malawi, and Waseem Ahmad Nadaf from India joined the students for a fun and interactive English learning session.

One of the simplest questions from the volunteers—“What is your favorite food?”—was enough to get the students talking. Some answered confidently, while others were still trying to find the right English words. What followed was a classroom filled with laughter, curiosity, and plenty of smiles.

For the students, meeting international university students was a new and exciting experience. Even though many were still learning basic English, they were eager to say hello, answer questions, take pictures, and try out a few English words.

“Senang, soalnya jarang ketemu orang bule. Ternyata mereka ramah dan seru diajak ngobrol.”
— Student, SMPI Al-Attasiyah

The session was not only about learning English. It gave students a chance to meet people from different countries and experience communication in a simple, natural, and enjoyable way.

For the UIII volunteers, the experience offered a different kind of lesson. Coming from different parts of the world and studying in Indonesia, they had the opportunity to see and experience another side of Indonesian society by engaging directly with students and the local community.

“We often experience Indonesia through campus life, but coming here gave us a chance to see another side of Indonesia and understand the community more closely. It was a very real and meaningful experience for us.”
— Grace, UIII International Student Volunteer

For one morning, the classroom became a meeting point between different cultures and generations. For the students, it was a chance to meet “the bule” from UIII. For the volunteers, it was a chance to learn more about Indonesia through its people and everyday communities.

That is the spirit of UIII Mengajar: creating opportunities for both sides to learn from one another, build connections, and discover new perspectives—one classroom at a time.