Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Daga shekara shida zuwa goma (1967<unk>1971), Barack Obama ya zauna a Jakarta, Indonesia kuma ya halarci makarantun harshen Indonesiya na gida. An ba da rahoton cewa ya sami damar musayar gaisuwa da "albarkatun" a cikin "harshen Indonesiya mai kyau" tare da shugaban Indonesiya na lokacin da sauransu. A lokacin hira da Fadar White House tare da wani dan jarida na Indonesiya, ya lura cewa "ya kasance mai iya magana" a cikin Indonesiya amma bai sami damar amfani da shi sosai a matsayin balagagge ba. A lokacin da yake
A lokacin yakin neman zaben shugaban kasa na shekarar 2008, yayin da yake tallata ilimin harsunan kasashen waje a Amurka, Obama ya ce, "Ba na jin harshen waje. Abin kunya ne!"