"NICHT zu kurz,” the note on the piece of paper carried by Kriya Arsjah Sjahrir. On his way to a barber, Buyung—the nickname of the 9-year-old child—tried to memorize it. And at the barber’s, he could say it boldly to him, “Nicht zu kurz,” which means: not too short. The second-grade little boy was hugely pleased.

That was how Buyung learnt German, bit by bit from his mother, Poppy Sjahrir. Every afternoon she gave a brief lesson to h