Heny Astuti/何妮 (Hé nī)

Heny Astuti , usually called Miss Heny by her English students, 老师 (Lǎoshī) by her Mandarin Chinese students, Heny by her friends or just Ni by Mr. Hendrawan (head of administration affairs of MAN 1 Bandar Lampung), was born in a small village in Central Lampung names Sendang Asri in 1977. She grew up very happily there. She had a lot of childhood friends who created so many beautiful memories in her life.

She went to an elementary school in 1984. It’s SDN 1 Sendang Asri which became her first school. She graduated from the memorable school in 1990. Then she continued her study to SMP Muhammadiyah Sendang Agung, also in Central Lampung. It happened to be her sweetest school ever all her lifetime. She met many kind-hearted friends and teachers there. She was so in love with the school that even on holidays she wanted to go to school still. The saddest day was when she was declared graduated by the school official and had to leave it forever in 1993. She was extremely sad; it even became one of the saddest moments ever in her history.

She used to be crazy about chemistry and biology subjects when she studied at SMAN 1 Labuhan Maringgai, Central Lampung. Her dream was actually becoming a chemist or a scientist of plant genetic manipulation but fact told her to become a language teacher when she was accepted at Lampung University in 1998 with English Education as the major.

In 2003 she started working for MAN 1 Bandar Lampung as an English teacher. So now in 2022 she has been teaching English for 19 years. Unquestionably there are many ups and downs situations of being a teacher.

In 2014 she got a chance to study Mandarin Chinese at Fujian Normal University in Fujian Province, China, for 1 semester. Before leaving for China, she initially  attended Mandarin Chinese training twice and a selection test in Jakarta. At the end of 2014 she was back from China and took a trip to South Korea for almost a week. Being able to visit both countries is very valuable experiences in her existence.

Currently besides teaching English she also teaches Mandarin Chinese at the school. She really enjoys teaching both foreign languages.

The big dreams that have not been achieved yet in her time are being able to study at a prominent university in the United Kingdom and visit Japan to drink gyokuro tea in a spring atmosphere in Tokyo and in Shizuoka Prefecture.

This gardening lover usually starts her day by getting up early at 04.00 in the dawn. She feels totally blissful if she can get up early in the cockcrow time because she can feel the fresh morning air with a blessed circumstance . After the morning prayer she then went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her dearest family. At about 6.45 she goes to work on foot because it only takes approximately 5 minutes to get to the school. No matter what, she tries to give her best when teaching her students at school. To make the students more enthusiastic in learning, what she does first is getting them to like the languages being taught. This is based on a universal principle that when we love something we will do/give the best for what we love. Likewise the students, she believes they will bring out their best to learn the lessons she teaches if they like the subjects. If there is no additional class, she usually leaves work at 4 p.m. otherwise she will return home at 5 p.m.

A principle which always guides her in life is “I’m nothing but YOU”. One day she is eager to help many people, as many as possible, by being a kind of a social activist. Hope all dreams can come true at the right time.