Foreign Students Explore Balinese Culture

Denpasar, Bali, July 24 (ANTARA) - Foreign students are being introduced to the Balinese arts and culture, as part of an Indonesian Foreign Affairs Department programme aimed at promoting the diversity of the nation�s culture. "Fifty-four foreign college students, placed across the country, were exposed to the local culture of Indonesia over a period of three months," Balinese cultural instructor Dewa Nurjana said in Denpasar on Tuesday. Ten of them were in Bali and the rest were in Yogyakarta, Solo, Bandung, Makassar, and Papua. "Indonesia has many provinces, which have their own unique culture. Therefore, the foreign students would have an all-round perspective on the country," Nurjana explained. The 10 students in Dewata Island, Bali, had come from Spain, Serbia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Germany, Turkey, and Poland in order to learn about the Balinese way of life. Nurjana said the foreign students would learn about Balinese dance, adding that they had also been invited to experience the rural way of life in Bali. �We show all aspects of Balinese culture,� he stated, expressing hope that the foreign students would have an enriching experience. �They [the foreign students] were so excited to work with farmers and help them plough and harvest their fields,� Nurjana said. He noted that the students particularly enjoyed the sense of togetherness in rural Bali as they saw the locals perform their sacred rituals. �After immersing themselves in the Balinese way of life for three months, the foreign students are expected to raise awareness about Indonesian culture upon their return home,� Nurjana said.