Young writer Brea Salim has just launched her first book ‘Bright Eyes’ on 23 May 2013 at Books and Beyond Karawaci, Jakarta, Indonesia. ‘Bright Eyes’ is a compilation of Salim’s written works during her time in Phillips Exeter Academy (PEA), a prestigious American boarding school in Exeter, New Hampshire, a small town an hour away from Boston. Approximately 29% of PEA’s graduating class every year matriculates to the best American colleges, including the Ivy League schools, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Salim was the seventh Indonesian student to ever get accepted to PEA and during her three years, Salim was the only Indonesian student enrolled. ‘Bright Eyes’ tells the story of how fifteen-year-old Salim packed her bags and moved halfway around the world all to enroll at PEA.
GIV had a chat with the young talented writer about her new book and how she has grown as a writer.
Global Indonesian Voices: Firstly, how did you end up studying abroad, especially in Phillips Exeter Academy in USA?
Brea Salim: Well, many Indonesians go to America for summer program, including me. When I went there for the summer program, I found out that there were a lot of boarding schools to attend, which will allow me to stay there for more than a year. I took many brochures back and the only one that caught my attention was Phillips Exeter Academy’s. I fell in love with the school at the first sight. If I can get in, it would be a dream coming true. When I applied to the school, I did not really have much hope because I knew that it would be a tough selection. Surprisingly, I was accepted and that was why I went to America to study.
What were the ups and downs that you experienced in the Academy?
I knew that I was the only Indonesian among thousands of students, but I did not really think much about it. In the first year, I was still in the “honeymoon” period. I was so happy, excited, and amazed by everything. However, in the second year, two months before I had to return to the US from Indonesia, I had Dengue fever and I did not fully recover until my departure. In fact, the second year was one of my toughest years; I had a lot of pressure on me, from school works, school newspaper, and college preparations. I was down and my grades were not as good as I expected. Given that Exeter is a preparatory school, people go there to get into a good college. To get into a good college, a qualified resume is a must. Thus, the school provided more than ten extracurricular activities. Many of my friends, including me, did not have enough time to sleep. It was a very intense year and I was not in a fit condition. I was nothing compared to my friends, who were very outstanding and ambitious. I was down and my advisor even told me that I was in a state of depression. I told my story in details in my book.
But the good part is that I obviously learned a lot from the school and my lowest moments. Graduating from this tough school gives me the confidence to think that I can easily counter any other harsh difficulties in the future. I also had many priceless opportunities and experiences, such as being able to work in the school newspaper.
Could you tell us more about taking time off from college to work on your book?
I have been in the US for quite a long time, 4 years, and I am currently a student in Barnard College, the Women’s College of Columbia University in New York. I was a bit frustrated after studying for 4 years in a row, and my parents suggested that I should take a break. They were worried if I pushed myself too much, I would be running out of energy and it might affect my study. That was when I went home and my parents encouraged me to focus on writing for a change. That was when I worked on my book.
When did you discover your passion for writing?
I have been in love with writing since I was a kid. And when I studied in Exeter, writing was the main component because it was part of the English class. I had to write personal essay and essays for college preparation. Before getting in to Exeter, my passion in writing was not something that could be made into something serious. However, during my years in the academy, I dealt with writing every day and also through joining the school newspaper, the oldest one of its kind in America. In there, writing was not something easy but very serious. I had to put in full efforts since a new article had to be printed every week and they were very strict with deadlines. Since then, my passion in writing keeps on growing. It leads me to writing articles in several newspapers, such as the Jakarta Post and the Jakarta Globe.
Now, what is your book about?
In a nutshell, my book tells about my journey as the only Indonesian student who was pursuing her dream to study in Philips Exeter Academy. The Academy is one of the most prestigious boarding schools in America; its alumni include Mark Zuckerberg, Dan Brown, and John Irving. In the book, I also talk about my problems and struggle during my time there.
Why did you choose to write ‘Bright Eyes’? What does the title signify?
The book is a compilation of essays that I wrote in Phillips Exeter Academy and ‘Bright Eyes’ is the title of one of the essays in this book. It was the first essay that after I wrote it, I became like a new and better person. I chose ‘Bright Eyes’ as the title because I hope that the readers will have that same experience and get something meaningful out of it.
Last question, what makes your book different from the others?
Many Indonesian authors, when they tell about their journey in America, most will share about their success. But in my book, I tell about my lowest moments, my difficulties and struggles in America and how I overcome them. Actually, there is no one who does not experience feeling down at one point in their life. And I feel that in our culture, there is an unspoken rule that you cannot tell about your failures and struggles. I hope by publishing this book I can break out from the norm and tell people that it is okay to not be okay, it is a universal feeling.
Brea Salim’s Bright Eyes is available in major bookstores in Indonesia. For more information, visit her Facebook page.