Indonesian student makes magic in Camden

Sunanda Creagh, The Sydney Morning Herald, November 11, 2008 - 1:48PM 

If the execution of the Bali bombers has you worried about reprisal attacks on Australians in Indonesia, spare a thought for Indonesian exchange student Mohammed Fauzi. 

"Before I came to Australia, I was a little bit afraid. I thought of the Bali bombing and how so many Australians were victims," said Mr Fauzi, a student of English who has been teaching Bahasa Indonesia to children at the Macarthur Anglican School. "I was a bit afraid that maybe I would be attacked." 

The Muslim Indonesian man is here on the Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program and has been billeted in Camden - the place where a vocal minority recently fought an Islamic society's proposed school because, as one resident put it: "My kids don't speak Muslim." 

Mr Fauzi is among 18 Indonesian participants in the exchange program, which has been sending Indonesians to Australia and Australians to Indonesia for 26 years. This year's batch of Indonesians arrived at a time when their country was in the news for all the wrong reasons but Mr Fauzi says he has been welcomed in Camden. 

"The students are very responsive and are happy I am here. Not only the students but the teachers are very friendly and gave me a warm welcome," Mr Fauzi said. 

That's not to say he hasn't fielded some tough questions from his students about the Bali bombers Amrozi, Mukhlas and Imam Samudra. 

"I told them that not all of Indonesian society agrees with what they did and I include myself in the number of people who don't like what happened. I also feel like, 'Why did this happen to Indonesia?'" he said. 

"I just tried to explain that there is fanatical Islam and then there is very different Islam. Basically, Islam hates violence. Of course, there are some Muslims who do not know better." 

Mr Fauzi, a self-taught illusionist, has found that nothing bridges the cultural divide like a disappearing-reappearing coin or scarf, and has been known to try out a few magic tricks in class. 

Ben Davis, a teacher at Macarthur Anglican School, said the Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program allowed some of his students to meet an Indonesian person for the first time. 

"Being a young guy and a magician, he's really lively and he's really helped in breaking down a few stereotypes," Mr Davis said. "His English is really good and he's been willing to give anything a go. It's been really good for the students of the school." 

Harry Wicaksana, 23, a Balinese man who has joined Mr Fauzi on exchange in Australia hopes that the program "will bring more understanding between Australia and Indonesia". 

"We also want to spread the spirit that Indonesia is a peaceful nation and Muslims should not be associated with terrorism just because some people do it," he said. 

The 18 Indonesian students have now been billeted in rural towns for the remaining part of their time in Australia and will then escort 18 Australians to Indonesia.