DEBBIE SUMUAL - PATLIS
Debbie Sumual-Patlis has been a journalist at Voice of America in Washington DC since 2006. Her career as a journalist began at Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia (RCTI), where she was a script writer from 1996-2000. Debby later became editor of the magazine Her World Indonesia from 2000-2004.
While pregnant, Debbie graduated from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Indonesia; soon after, she worked for an NGO called Mercy Corps that dealt with the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami in Aceh. One of the most important tasks Debbie performed for the NGO was to organize, collect, and edit 20 stories written by Achenese children aged between 8 to 15 years old that survived the tsunami tragedy. The stories were compiled in a book titled, Kiyamat Sudah Lewat (Judgement Day Has Passed). The book shows how children can channel suffering, sorrow, and despair into writing.
Apparently the saying "you can take the girl out of Indonesia, but you cannot take Indonesia out of the girl", is true. As an Indonesian woman married to an American husband and living abroad, Debbie realized the gravity of the task of raising children to appreciate and embrace being from two different worlds. Debbie is the mother of six year old Benjamin Patlis Balarama; she is very proud when she sees her son read the book Cucumber Mas, which is an Indonesian children’s story that Debbie uses to shape Ben’s bilingual capability. Although Ben reads the story in English, Debbie believes that she can gradually introduce the world of Indonesian folklore to her only child.
While pregnant, Debbie graduated from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Indonesia; soon after, she worked for an NGO called Mercy Corps that dealt with the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami in Aceh. One of the most important tasks Debbie performed for the NGO was to organize, collect, and edit 20 stories written by Achenese children aged between 8 to 15 years old that survived the tsunami tragedy. The stories were compiled in a book titled, Kiyamat Sudah Lewat (Judgement Day Has Passed). The book shows how children can channel suffering, sorrow, and despair into writing.
Apparently the saying "you can take the girl out of Indonesia, but you cannot take Indonesia out of the girl", is true. As an Indonesian woman married to an American husband and living abroad, Debbie realized the gravity of the task of raising children to appreciate and embrace being from two different worlds. Debbie is the mother of six year old Benjamin Patlis Balarama; she is very proud when she sees her son read the book Cucumber Mas, which is an Indonesian children’s story that Debbie uses to shape Ben’s bilingual capability. Although Ben reads the story in English, Debbie believes that she can gradually introduce the world of Indonesian folklore to her only child.