My very own TED-ish Talk

The embassy has a community think space, called @america, which is at a local mall for Indonesians to come to and learn more about everything American. 

@america is the U.S. Embassy's American Center located in Jakarta, Indonesia. Our mission is to provide a space for young Indonesians to learn more about the United States and to share ideas about issues that are important to both Americans and Indonesians.

All of our events are free and open to the public and include diverse topics such as education, the environment, music and arts, science and technology, and entrepreneurship.

At @america, discover state-of-the-art technology and learn more about the United States. Through discussions, webchats, performances, debates, workshops, and exhibitions, you can experience the best of America—its ideals, creativity, and diversity. 

Well each week the embassy has a speaker series for local schools to come and listen to an American speak about life in America. The community liaison office at the embassy put out a message saying they were short on speakers, asking people to consider giving a talk because whether or not there was a speaker, the local kids would still come- and how dull it would be for their visit if they didn't get to listen to a presenter. 

I considered it and said "why not?" I signed up for Super Bowl week and figured that was an exciting 

enough topic to talk about...

When I got there, the kids were already lined up to get in, and I felt like a celebrity!

The staff "warmed up the crowd" for me-

I brought along some props-

We were still in temp housing without any of our belongings, so it was slim pickings! Thankfully Lynn had sent Tate a 49ers shirt for Christmas that fit me

Besides football, I was able to talk about the commercials, celebrity half time shows and food! All things that kids know and love.

It was funny trying to explain what ranch dressing is and why we Americans dip chips, vegetables and chicken in it!

 Ive gotta admit- I was super nervous to do this, but once it was over- it was so worth it! I cam up with a 20 minute power point (which was a family affair) and presentation, all in English, and the rest of the hour was spent answering the kids questions. They spoke such great English that we didn't even need a translator, so the whole thing went so smooth.

 The kids questions were most about what I liked so far here in Indonesia, and none about football. Phew. One girl said she'd never had Doritos and asked what they tasted like, so I tossed her the bag from my display. She was so excited!

To practice their English, a few kids volunteered to get on stage after my talk and perform some karaoke. They were so brave and willing.  Not sure if they will remember me, but I will forever remember this experience.