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A Dream Beyond My Classroom
Publishing my first book was already a deeply personal milestone. But what followed next, I never saw coming. Back in 2013, my publisher, Kesaint Blanc, received an exciting invitation: to participate in the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair, where Indonesia would be the Guest of Honor. As a publisher focused on foreign language education for Indonesians, they realized something important — they didn’t yet have books that taught Bahasa Indonesia to foreigners. That’s when Satwika, one of their team members, contacted me. As a native speaker and a Bahasa Indonesia instructor for expats, my materials aligned perfectly with their vision. I was honored — and a little overwhelmed. I created resources to help my students survive and thrive in Indonesia. Now, I was being asked to represent my country’s language at one of the biggest book fairs in the world.
Frankfurt Book Fair: A Turning Point
In 2015, Get Talking Indonesian and a selection of my books were officially displayed at the Frankfurt Book Fair (FBF). It was more than a proud moment — it was a turning point in my career as a writer. While I couldn’t attend the event in person — I was still teaching full-time and managing the household — the news filled me with immense gratitude. I realized then that these books weren’t just tools for language learning; they were bridges between cultures. Each expression and sentence I wrote helped foreigners understand not just the language but also the heartbeat of Indonesian life.
London Book Fair: Taking It Even Further
Three years later, in 2018, I received more exciting news: my books would be part of the London Book Fair (LBF). This time, the collection had grown. Alongside Get Talking Indonesian, my newer titles — including Practical Indonesian In a Week, Travel and Talk Indonesian, Conversations + Words Indonesian, and Indonesian for Beginners — were all featured to represent Indonesia on an international stage. Just hearing the words “London Book Fair” associated with my work was surreal. I paused to soak it in — the fact that something I started in a humble classroom was now amplifying the presence of Bahasa Indonesia worldwide.
Books Built with Real Needs in Mind
All of these books were built on one simple but powerful principle: make Bahasa Indonesia practical for daily life. My students played a huge role in shaping the content — their questions, challenges, and progress inspired the materials I created. That’s why every book was written not from theory but from real-world experience. To this day, I still write with those same students in mind. Their voices echo in my head as I design lessons, choose vocabulary, and organize each chapter. Whether it’s a tourist needing basic phrases or a professional expat trying to understand office lingo, my goal is always the same: make it practical, make it clear, and make it human.
From Classroom to Global Stage — Without Leaving Home
Although I didn’t attend the fairs physically, my heart was there. I chose to stay in Jakarta to continue teaching — the lifeblood of my writing — and to support my family. But the joy of seeing my books recognized internationally gave me a quiet, meaningful kind of pride. Sometimes, we think we need to travel the world to make an impact. But this journey taught me something else: you can still go far, even from home, if your work speaks to people’s needs.
What These Milestones Mean to Me
Representing Indonesia at the Frankfurt and London Book Fairs wasn’t just about prestige. It was about sharing our language — and with it, our way of life, our culture, our humor, and our heart. Each event reminded me of my “why” — to make Bahasa Indonesia more accessible, less intimidating, and truly usable for foreigners building a life here. And while these achievements felt huge, I knew deep down… this was just the beginning.
What’s Next: From Books to E-Books and Beyond
With every milestone came a new idea, a new goal. What if I could reach even more learners online? What if I created digital tools, e-books, and self-paced courses for expats around the world? That’s where this journey is headed — and I’ll share more about it in Part 4, Reflections and New Chapters: Building the Future of Bahasa Indonesia Learning, where we explore how my teaching went beyond the printed page.
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Want to Start Learning Bahasa Indonesia Now?
Want to Start Learning Bahasa Indonesia Now?If you’re looking for practical, simple tools to start your own language journey, I’ve got you covered. All my books are now available on Google Play Books, perfect for your phone, tablet, or computer — no shipping needed.
