Teachers are also really important members of the school community, and they not only teach, but they also organize events, plan tests, serve as administrators and sponsor clubs.
There are also many other people in the community that keep things working and help us do ordinary things. One example of this is the people who stand at intersections and help direct traffic. Streets can get pretty crowded in my city: even though the roads are plenty wide for all of the cars and motorcycles, it can still be quite hard to get out of parking lots or turn onto the busy boulevards. Because of this congestion, many places hire (often older) men to direct traffic and keep it flowing. Without them, I would have been stuck many times at the little restaurants and shops I have visited!
Besides being helped by workers and volunteers, I have also been helped many times by people, without benefit to themselves: for example, I had an issue with the app. that I use to order ojek (motorcycle taxis), which resulted in my driver being accidentally unable to drive with that company. However, one of my teacher friends, and even an ojek driver who was resting nearby, were eager to help. I have also met shopkeepers who helped me find other people who could help me with different things that I was looking for. One friend of a shopkeeper helped me find a good motorcycle helmet, while another brought me on the big cycling trip that I mention in another blog post. My fellow teachers have also been very generous and like to share a lot, as have many other people that I have met. Because of these people, I have felt welcomed when I was new and rather lost, and my needs were met before I even had time to explain what they were!
