Advice from the Stones

My father is known to quote the Stones: “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you find you get what you need.” This has been my motto for the past few days. I may not have gotten what I wanted in terms of housing, but I did get what I need in the form of the most loving and supportive peer teacher group anyone could ask for.

I am currently living in an offshoot of an older couples home with two bedrooms, two Indonesian bathrooms and a small living area. My living space is connected to that of my landlords with a wall of sheer-curtained windows. Bu Jus (the land lady) and I have formed a relationship over gestures and misunderstood Bahasa Indonesia. She usually talks at me in bahasa while hugging some part of my body, and I smile, make non-committal noises and butcher responses in bahasa.

The house is dusted with mold and cobwebs although the landlord’s maid claims she cleans it twice a week. Small geckos and spiders make themselves at home, but I don’t disturb them because I hope they’ll eat the flies, ants, and mosquitoes also residing here. The ants that have moved in are the smallest ants I have ever seen and have only taken to attacking the small amount of American food I have left- even through a Ziploc bag!

My bedroom is air conditioned which is a blessing, although it hasn’t been hotter or more humid than a Maryland summer yet. I have to be careful with the air conditioning since there is no hot water to shower with- an Indonesian standard. I learned quickly to only turn the air conditioning on after I shower so that I don’t freeze. On a positive note, I’m conserving a ton of water!

The staff at my school have been generous with fixing up the space and have even offered me alternative housing which I hope to go check out this week. If it works out I’ll be moving in three months when my rent is up. Until then I’ll try to keep my chin up and keep singing “you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes…”