Highlights

How Culture Shapes the Way We Speak and Listen

April 26, 2025

Have you ever been confused by the way someone said something, even though they were speaking the same language? At Esa Unggul University, we facilitated a workshop on high-context and low-context cultures, exploring how communication is shaped not just by language, but by culture. High school and university students practiced and reflected on different scenarios, comparing communication styles in the U.S., Japan, and Indonesia.

Teaching is Like an Onion

April 22, 2025

Why is teaching like an onion? In our workshop, hosted in partnership with LTC and FILBA at UMY, we explored this open-ended question. Teachers and pre-service teachers reflected on how teaching, like an onion, is layered and complex. Through a series of scaffolded activities, we demonstrated how learning becomes more meaningful with intentional layering. To close the session, participants worked in pairs to create two-voice poems, encouraging students to consider multiple perspectives and recognize the commonalities that exist even between seemingly opposite ideas.

Voice & Vision: Communicate with Purpose

April 15-17, 2025

We brought our communication workshop, Voice & Vision: Communicate with Purpose, to MAN Temanggung, SMPN 1 Karangmojo, and MTs Afkaaruna Islamic School. These students already learn English from dedicated teachers, but with the curriculum constantly moving forward, it’s easy to skip over the basics. Sometimes, going back to the fundamentals is key to building real communication confidence. In our workshop, we focused on tone, body language, and pacing—helping students introduce themselves clearly and confidently.

Hello Yogyakarta! A New Chapter Begins

April 1, 2025

After years of traveling, we have established a base. The Mangrove Lab, alongside the Mangrove Cafe, will serve as a community space for professional development, both in formal and casual forms. We are excited for this new opportunity to lay deeper roots and create a more lasting impact.

The Mangrove is dedicated to every student I’ve had—past, present, and future.

In a world that can often feel dark, you’ve given me purpose.

May this space be a light for you, as you have been for me.

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