If you’re a bule (foreigner) traveling or living in Indonesia, people always want to know where you come from. You can expect to hear the question “Anda dari mana?” (Where are you from?) from just about everyone you meet. If you’re from some place very far from Indonesia, such as I am, then chances are most folks you meet will know little about your hometown and most likely have never been there. Introducing your hometown is a great way to practice your Indonesian, get to know people, and give locals a sense of what it’s like on the other side of the world. For a little reading practice and to teach you some useful vocabulary, here’s a little write-up of my hometown in Indonesian, followed by an English translation:

Indonesian Version

Kota Detroit adalah di Michigan.

Saya berasal dari Amerika Serikat. Keluarga saya tinggal di Michigan, di Kota Detroit. Di sekitar kampung halaman saya ada lima Danau Besar. Di Amerika, Detroit disebut Kota Mobil, karena di sana ada tiga perusahaan mobil.

Di sini, orang suka bola bisbol.

Kota ini ada bermacam-macam penduduk. Sebagian penduduk rajin, sebagian artistik, dan sebagian inovatif. Mereka sangat suka olahraga, contohnya sepak bola Amerika, bola basket, bola bisbol, dan hoki. Di pusat kota ada tiga stadion.

Pusat kota ada Pasar Timur.

Pusat kota juga ada banyak museum, contohnya seni dan sejarah. Penduduk juga suka ke Pasar Timur, karena bisa berbelanja sambil makan, minum, dan dengar musik dengan teman-teman.

Roti sosis enak sekali!

Di kota saya, makanan dan minuman enak sekali, contohnya roti sosis dan kerajinan bir. Saya cinta kota saya. Selamat datang di Detroit!

English Version

Proud to be from the D!

I come from the USA. My family lives in Michigan, in the city of Detroit. Around my hometown there are five Great Lakes. In America, Detroit is called the Motor City, because there are three car companies there.

This city has a diverse population. Some people are hard-working, some are artistic, and some are innovative. They really like sports, such as American football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. In the city center there are three stadiums.

The city center also has many museums, such as art and history. Residents also like going to the Eastern Market, because they can shop while eating, drinking, and listening to music with friends.

In my city, the food and drinks are very delicious, such as hot dogs and craft beer. I love my city. Welcome to Detroit!

Vocabulary

• kota = city

• kampung halaman = hometown

• perusahaan = company

• bermacam-macam = various/diverse/assorted

• penduduk = residents/population

• rajin = hardworking/dilligent

• olahraga = sports

• pusat kota = city center

• seni = art

• sejarah = history

• pasar = market

• berbelanja = go shopping

• enak = delicious

• roti sosis = hot dog

• selamat datang = welcome

Practice

Now it’s YOUR turn! Where are you from? Try to introduce your hometown in Indonesian. Think about these things:

• Where is your hometown?
• What are the people like?
• What do people do for fun?
• Is there any special food/drink in your hometown?

Leave a comment at the bottom – we’d love to hear about your hometown!