NINNA.ID– Do you want to know more about Batak? Come and meet me in Homestay Ruma Genteng in Kampung Ulos Hutaraja Samosir. Homestay Ruma Genteng is one of the old houses on Samosir Island.
Do you want to get more experiences during your holiday or vacation? Staying and spending time with me is the answer. Do you want to explore many things on Samosir Island? I can be a guide for you.

You can ask many things about Batak, the history, the culture, the food, and brings you to wonderful places in Samosir or another part of Lake Toba.

You can eat Ombus-Ombus, Ikan Arsik, Naniura, Saksang, Mie Gomak, Dali Ni Horbo, Daun Ubi Tumbuk, Natinombur, Tanggo-Tanggo, and other Batak food. We will serve Tuak also. We will serve the best for you.

You Can Learn
You can also learn how to cook those foods before you taste and eat them. We will be very happy to invite you to take part in preparing the food and drink.
So many things you can learn while you are in Ruma Genteng if you can spend more time here in this homestay.

You can learn how to be a weaver, shepherd, farmer, and fisherman.
This village has several people working as farmers. You can take part in working on the farm.
Either in onion farms, corn farms, rice paddy, and other farms. There are terraces of emerald-green rice paddies just close to the homestay.
You can also take part in becoming a fisherman. The homestay is close to Lake Toba. Some men still depend on Lake Toba as the source of their income.
Responsible Tourism Practice
You have purposeful travel to natural areas to understand the culture and natural history of the environment, taking care not to alter the integrity of the ecosystem.
Another benefit you can take you getting to know Batak people. Often, travelers come to appreciate that negative views about Batak are not true.
I hope your travel contributes to understanding people of other races and cultures and developing treasured friendships.
A lesson impressed upon many tourists is that possessions do not necessarily make people happy. More important is one’s relationship with others—enjoying established friendships and making new ones.
So, why don’t you visit and meet Batak soon?
Volunteering Job
Something you might not find it anywhere, here in Ruma Genteng you can do a volunteering job. Kampung Ulos Hutaraja is one of popular tourist site.
But the people, especially the woman who makes Ulos (Batak traditional cloth) here cannot speak English.

That is one of the reasons why this village needs more teachers or guest speakers to help local people here to improve their ability in English.
I think one of the opportunities to increase the ability of people here is to make them live together with tourists who speak English.
So, people here push themselves to talk and to communicate with the foreigners.
As a local people in here, I will help all the tourists who want to spend their holiday, helping people in here—in Kampung Ulos Hutaraja.

Right now, I have two classes every Monday and Wednesday. There are more classes that will be open soon.
When I was a kid, spent my childhood here. So, I am familiar with many things in Kampung Ulos.
All things the tourist need, I will help as much as I can to help. Feel free to ask me anything about this program.
I put the name “Language and Cultural Exchange Program in Kampung Ulos Hutaraja, Samosir Island”.
I hope this program can help you to exchange your language and culture with us. So do we, we share our language and culture with you.
Be a Part of Family or Community
In this house, all guests will be treated as family members. We respect and love each other. Be happy every day. Use kind words. Always tell the truth. Say please and thank you.

Other rules are smoking is not allowed indoors, please do not bring strangers into the homestay. If you would like to invite a friend over, ask first.

Heritage House
One more important thing you should know is that Ruma Genteng is a heritage house. This house already hundred years that was built in the past by Goti Situmorang and his wife Teus boru Simarmata.
Teus boru Simarmata still alive around 100 years before died in 2003. When I was around 8 years old in 1999 she was already around 96 years old.
She was the eldest woman who was still alive at the time in Kampung Ulos Hutaraja.
No wonder many people in Kampung Ulos Hutaraja know her. She was a great woman. She taught me many things, especially about hard work.

In her age 100 years old, she still works on an onion farm. I always miss her so much. I always remember many things about her.
So many things I want to tell and share with you. But it would be very great if you come and meet me here in Ruma Genteng Kampung Ulos Hutaraja. Or, before you want to come, you may contact me by Whatsapp +6285297732855.
Writer: Damayanti Sinaga