After leaving Indonesia in the bitter fallout of the attempted coup of 1965, Lien Lee dedicated herself to teaching Australian students about her homeland
Virginia Hooker
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Early days at the University of Indonesia: Lien (on right) with one of thefew other women enrolled for a Law degree in 1957Lien Lee |
‘She had a drive and passion for teaching and …ability to get amazing results for her students. We learned so much more than the language – culture, traditions and politics as well’. This is how Lisa Buckingham summed up her experience of studying Indonesian language at high school with Mrs Lien Lee. Lisa said her teacher’s dedication and commitment rubbed off on her students and made them want to do their best. Lisa studied Indonesian between 1990 and 1995 and did exceptionally well in her senior high school examinations. She was offered places at several Australian universities and entry to law degrees. But her love of Indonesia and its language steered her away from law and she enrolled in an Arts degree at the University of Melbourne, majoring in Indonesian language as well as history and politics.
Lisa said that one of the attractions of studying with Mrs Lee was participating in special study tours which her teacher organised for them to experience life in Indonesia and to practise their language skills. Before even leaving school Lisa had direct experience of her country of
