Hosting an international visitor is its own small craft. After several years and a few mistakes, we've settled into a rhythm.
A week before
- Confirm dietary needs and language preference over WhatsApp.
- Match the right host: Mas Adit for English-speaking groups, Pak Bambang for groups interested in farming, Mbak Rina for craft-leaning groups.
- Plan the meal — always one dish from the kebun, one from the kampung kitchen.
On the day
- Meet at the bridge, not the kebun. The walk in is part of the welcome.
- Translate the kampung's small jokes — they always land with a half-second delay, and the laugh is worth it.
- Slow down at the pendopo. Hospitality is mostly pace.
Almost every visitor remembers the meal more than anything else. Cook well, sit long.
After
A short message the next day, asking what they'd take home from the visit. Their answers slowly shape how we host the next group.