I came to see the famous Prambanan, and I was instantly swarmed by a crowd of Indonesian schoolkids. Their teachers bring them here to practice English with foreigners. I don't know who came up with this idea, but it's absolutely genius.

Two students give a mini guided tour and recite what's clearly a pre-rehearsed script. If you're not alone, they really ask you to split up and each take a pair. Of course, you can decline. But how could you not support such an initiative?

For their age, the kids spoke pretty well. At the end, the teacher comes over and asks you to rate the "guides" and tell them what could be improved. It really seemed like the schoolkids themselves were having a blast too. After getting feedback, they came over as a mob asking me to tell them about home traditions and food. Getting them to pronounce "echpochmak" took a few tries, but they tried so hard :)

PS. The pictures show not just Prambanan, but also Borobudur. Both incredibly monumental structures. Highly recommend.