Beautifully Brave Twins from Germany
When Anna Eller was still in school, she once heard her biology teacher describe a dense, untamed forest full of challenges, mysteries, and wonders. That story lived in her memory for years, until one day she decided it was time to experience it for herself. This time, she wouldn’t go alone. She would bring her husband, Philip, and their twin daughters, Lotta and Frieda, into the heart of Borneo—Kutai National Park in East Kalimantan—for three days and two nights of living in the wild.
For many parents, the thought of taking young children deep into a tropical jungle might feel impossible. But Anna and Philip wanted to give their girls something that no classroom could teach: the chance to learn from the jungle itself.
From the moment their boat crossed the Kabo River, nature became the teacher. Three crocodiles lay stretched out on the banks, so still they looked carved from stone. Most children might shrink back at such a sight. Lotta and Frieda leaned forward, wide-eyed not in fear, but in curiosity. They whispered questions about the crocodiles’ habits, what they ate, and how they could stay so still for so long.
Living in the jungle is not just about seeing animals it’s about adapting to an entirely different rhythm of life. Sleeping in a simple hut, waking to the sound of insects and birds, bathing with water drawn from the river, Lotta and Frieda embraced it all. At night, when the forest came alive with the calls of unseen creatures, they didn’t cling to their parents in fear. Instead, they listened, trying to guess what each sound could be.
During a trek, they met Luna the orangutan, who swung between trees with graceful strength, and later Luna’s mother, Labu, with her baby, Lukir. The girls watched them closely, learning how animals care for each other, how the young depend on the old for safety and skills—just as they did with their own parents.
The jungle also tested their courage. Narrow tree bridges, muddy slopes, and steep climbs were part of the path. Many adults hesitated or turned back, but Lotta and Frieda moved forward, helping each other when the ground grew slippery. They laughed when they got mud on their clothes and saw it not as dirt, but as part of the adventure.
And then came the quieter lessons. In Batik Paku, they learned to make batik, the slow, careful work of drawing wax patterns before dyeing the cloth. Their designs were inspired by what they had seen in the forest: the shapes of leaves, the patterns of animal fur, the curves of rivers. It was the jungle speaking through their hands.
By the end of the journey, it was clear that the forest had taught them more than facts. They learned patience from watching animals, resilience from the long treks, and creativity from the endless shapes and colors of nature. They learned that bravery doesn’t mean you are never afraid, it means you keep going even when you are.
The truth is, children have always learned from the natural world. Long before schools existed, the jungle was the first classroom, the river was the first science lab, and the stars were the first map. In just a few days, Lotta and Frieda experienced the kind of education that stays for a lifetime, one where you touch, feel, and live the lesson, instead of reading it from a page.
Kutai National Park gave them memories, but more importantly, it gave them roots in courage, curiosity, and respect for the world around them. And those roots, like the trees in the jungle, will only grow stronger with time.