Class of 2000 Reunion

It started with a WhatsApp group created by the "godfather" Sid Tiku in 2023 during an impromptu reunion in Singapore. What began as a casual digital reconnection quickly evolved into something special: four days in Bali that left 90 JIS Class of 2000 graduates, family, and friends questioning why they had waited 25 years to do this.

This wasn't your typical high school gym affair with wilted decorations, rubber chickens, and awkward small talk. The genius move? That WhatsApp group had given everyone a full year to reconnect digitally first. By the time we all landed in Bali, we had already caught up on the basics, created new inside jokes (Salmon DNA and Labubus, anyone?), and were ready to meet each other.

Four Days of Pure Magic

July 24: Cuca, Jimbaran

We kicked things off with dinner at this farm-to-table gem, keeping it low-key so everyone could ease back into each other's company over chef Kevin Cherkas's incredible Indonesian cuisine.

July 25: Rock Bar, Ayana

Welcome drinks flowed on the clifftop bar, then came the showstopper: the organizing committee had secretly arranged fireworks to light up Jimbaran Bay right on cue. Watching our classmates' faces light up as the sky exploded felt like the perfect metaphor for friendships firing back to life.

July 26: Saka Museum and the Main Event at Kampoeng Bali, Rimba Ayana

We started with Ayana's award-winning Saka Museum, learning about Balinese culture while marveling at massive ogoh-ogoh demons. But the evening at Kampoeng Bali was truly unforgettable — the centerpiece of our entire reunion. The pasar malam-style feast transported us into authentic Indonesian cuisine and culture, complete with a sunset procession and traditional welcome dancers, followed by the hypnotic kecak dance and spectacular fire dancers who had everyone mesmerized. 

The team at Rimba brought our vision to life. But the real magic? Recreating the Senior Year Superlatives for the now. The 300+ images slideshow of our teenage selves while 1990s hits blasted had everyone simultaneously cringing and laughing. The Yos-styled studio photo booth from our youth turned proper adults back into goofballs within seconds — complete with all the cheesy poses and the backdrop we fondly remembered.

July 27: Ayana Grounds

Our last day was intentionally unstructured; wandering beautiful grounds, easy meals, and savoring final conversations and laughs from the night before.

What We Learned

The most surprising thing wasn't seeing how everyone had grown and changed, but how easily we fell back into old rhythms. Jokes and memories from 2000 still landed perfectly. Core memories from Jakarta in the 90s — including the 1998 riots — resonated across the board. 

Despite careers and families scattering us across six continents, we'd all maintained that same JIS spirit: curious, open-minded, and genuinely excited about each other's stories. Hidup Naga!

Signing out with love,

Penny Schippers, Maiko Kawano, Karen Chuan, and JJ Liu

(Class of 2000 25th Reunion Organizing Committee)