Yogyakarta • A Day in the Life

Yogyakarta • A Day in the Life of Berbah village
Today we'll enjoy an exclusive O.A.T. experience: A Day in the Life of a village in Indonesia’s Berbah region, located about 5 miles outside of Yogyakarta’s city center.

Our first stop will be a visit to a traditional local market, where we’ll have a chance to practice a few phrases of Javanese as we interact with shoppers and merchants, and purchase ingredients that we'll later use to prepare lunch with the villagers.

Then, we’ll board an odong-odong—a traditional local bus, typically decorated in bright and cheerful colors—and drive to the village center, where we’ll meet the chief, who will introduce herself and tell us about the community before we set off to explore and meet its members for ourselves.

As we stroll through the village, we’ll witness scenes of typical life, with opportunities to roll up our sleeves and pitch in with daily tasks. Depending on the season, we might help out the farmers in their fields as they plant, harvest, and tend to their crops throughout the year. We’ll also learn more about the village’s culinary traditions as we help to prepare local staples like tempeh (fermented soy bean cake), and learn how to roast and brew coffee.

Next, we'll return to the chief’s house, where we’ll help to prepare a community lunch using the ingredients we purchased earlier. We'll learn how to make traditional dishes using the local methods and techniques that the village residents have used for generations.

Lunch: We'll sit down to lunch alongside the villagers. As we eat, we'll have the chance to enjoy intimate conversation with the locals, to get a firsthand view of what daily life is like in this region of Indonesia.

Afternoon: We'll say farewell to our new friends and drive back to our hotel in Yogyakarta. When we arrive, you'll have the remainder of the day to yourself. If you'd like to continue your education into local traditions, consider visiting the Batik Museum, which showcases this Indonesian craft.Read more