Late post for Fesper Event on 11,12,13 August 2015

So we were officially went back to our home town Jakarta for a long break holiday for almost two weeks now. And everything seems to be as smooth as kids are as enjoying the moments as me and my hubby does. And I’m so thankfull for that.

As we’re exploring the homeschool communities in Indonesia specially nearby around Jakarta area, we’ve found out (quite late) about this yearly event meet up for the homeschooler in Indonesia, FESPER, stands for Festival Pendidikan Rumah (School Education Festival).
My bad because I’ve been busy with all the settling down from Singapore to Jakarta and very slow on finding out about homeschool here in Indonesia. So when we’ve found out about this event it was already fully booked and we were on the waiting list. Max a bit dissapointed because he really looking forward for camping outside the house, specially this venue is something that we can never find it back in Singapore, the mountain hill with cold weather and very fresh air!

A day before the event, the organizer contacted us asking if we were still interested to join the camp in replacement of a family whose the in laws just passed away. It’s a frantic decicion to make since we didn’t have any preparation at all and it was D-1! There were so many things to plan about camping in short preparation specially if we have a newborn. Zac was only 10 weeks old! But after some consideration on how we’ve been looking forward for this, and this will be our chance to get to know more homeschoolers in Indonesia, so we roll the ball with a chance of either ended up extravaganza or disaster.

Day-1

We went to Ace Hardware nearby our place to get most of the essentials: tent, sleeping bag, flash light, lantern, batteries, pocket knife, flasks, water bottles, big trash bag, etc. The foods and snacks for the road trip and break time during the camp. We had the caterer provide us the meals, luckily the organizer managed to slot us in. I can’t imagine if we still have to cook our meals too, considering we’re camping with a super active preschooler and a newborn.

I packed all the stuffs and make sure we got all we need. And when all packed, it looks like we’re going for a week holiday, and the event was only for 3D2N. That’s the thing about camping with kids I guess.

Day 1

We reached the venue quite later than it was supposed to. It was a three hours trip from the Jaksrta city to the mountain area, we’re lucky that this year the event was held at considered nearby, well at least it’s still at the neighbour city, not a place that needs to be reached by plane or train. We went by car and it’s very convenient as we can load as many thing as we might needed.

After some registration and short introduction to other attendees, we started to unload our stuff and settling for the tent.
While me and baby Zac were waiting for Daddy to build the tent with a help from the organizer, Max was already been all around the venue. He was so excited, and that makes me glad that we decided to join the camp. He can run freely on the huge greenfields, jumping here and there, find so many new friends, and enjoy the flowing water on small river inside the camp area. Despite of the super cold water, he insisted to swim into the river. He came back to our tent soaking wet and freezing. I gave him a towel and a change and he went out to play again. Half an hour later he came back with a large leaf full of berries he picked from the trees around the camp perimeter. He was so happy to show me and again it made me feel so happy that we were here.

Dinner was came a bit late, but the food was good. With full tummy and happy face, Max fell asleep without any hassle or crankiness next to baby Zac whose already been sleeping the whole evening. While Daddy still setting up for his working time later at night time, we all already felt asleep. It was super cold at night but thank God our tent is super cozy.

Day 2

Starting the day with music exercise, Max was quite confuse at the beginning. To him it was dancing, not exercise. But after a while he did enjoy the moves. All the activities are well organized by the organizer (two thumbs up for that!) but we and the kids were free to join or to just hang around the camp site. All the campers were nice and friendly. It just somehow felt warm as home. Perhaps we were all on the same frequency of homescooling.

Max got lots of new friends on varies of ages. It was when I found out they’ve been catching and cooking grasshopper to then eat it together. I can hear their giggles while those happened. It was quite a new experience for Max, even me and Daddy had never eaten grasshopper before, phew! Just hope that he won’t get stomach bugs after, knock wood!

As this was the last night, we’re having huge bonfire and some performances by the homeschoolers. It was raining cats and dogs on the early evening, but when the rain was stopped, we can see a very clear sky showered with beautiful stars looked like magic dusts! There were also lots of falling stars, everything was so magical 😍. Although I couldn’t enjoy it for long, because my two kids were already on slumber inside the tent. Maybe next year Max and Zac will be able to enjoy this magical view.

DAY 3

It was the day when we have to packed and say goodbye to this amazing place with the amazing view. It was a hard time for me as it was for Max. He loves being at this place so much so that we have to drag him into the car to go back.

We were so glad that it all turned as amazing experiences, not bad for our first camping as family, specially with a newborn. Zac probably the youngest camper at this event.

So we were all went back felt refreshened, with new experiences, new friends and new perspectives about homeschooling. We met lots of great family whose already on this track for so long, it made us even more and more convinced to do homeschooling.

Big thanks and respect for the organizers whose all are homeschool family too. Big hugs for all the Fesperians, hope to see you again next year!