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…”

An Ibu by Any Other Name...

A small, dark-skinned Indonesian woman in a bright head scarf excitedly greets me with a hug, and a kiss on each cheek. Her name is Hadijah, or Ibu Hadijah for me, and she will be my counterpart for the next nine months. In Indonesia, Ibu is a term used to show respect for older women; but, Ibu also means Mom, and Bu Hadijah encompasses every sense of the word. We have only known each other since Tuesday, but she is already worrying about me and has told me that I am like another daughter to her (she has three children- 2 in University and 1 in Junior High School). She is very uneasy about me living alone and has offered to pick me up and drive me to school everyday- a 2 kilometer/10 minute walk- so that no one "follows me." She is worried that the Pekanbaru heat will be too much for me and has created my teaching schedule so that I have rest periods on long days. She admits to being overprotective; but, I hope that this trait of hers will help put to rest the fears of my family in the states.

                                            

                                                      Me, Ibu Hadijah, and Ibu Falin (Brian's counterpart in Pekanbaru)

Bu Hadijah has prepared my two-bedroom house, paying careful attention to the kitchen because she loves to cook and hopes that I will too. Although my idea of "cooking" is most likely very different from hers. I will be living directly next to my landlords, an older couple, who like Bu Hadijah are also worried about a young woman living alone. They have requested that I tell them when I am leaving and that I do not come home later than ten o'clock at night. I will also be living close to a bunch of University students; but, my Bu thinks that they will be trouble. Unfortunately, I will not be able to settle into my new house until the middle of next week. I am currently back in Jakarta waiting for further instructions to fly out to Singapore and finally obtain my visa.  I am crossing my fingers that everything will work out and that I will be settled and ready to begin teaching within the week. 

A Lesson in Etiquette

We've been attending classes on how to teach English as a foreign language and learning to speak Bahasa Indonesia; but, today was our first lesson in etiquette, cultural etiquette that is. I knew that Indonesia would be a far cry from the U.S. in all aspects of life, but I had no idea of the subtle complexities of these inter-cultural relations. Among other things, we were introduced to the "Culture Shock W" a love-hate relationship of ups and downs with Indonesia and it's people (in the shape of a W) that we will inevitably experience in our time abroad. I learned that it's okay to cry in public, which I feel may also be inevitable given the sharp downturns of the former W.

According to a poll cited in today's presentation, Americans are thought of as "serious and arrogant" by Indonesians. I can't hope to change this view toward all Americans but what I can hope for is the ability to accept the culture that I have been thrown into. What I most hope to leave this country with is the tidak apa-apa (no worries) attitude of the Indonesian people- the attitude of "relax, don't worry about it" that Americans so often voice, but do not live by. Indonesians on the other hand do live by these rules, putting family first and money second. (My fellow ETA's and I have begun to adapt to this lifestyle by showing up to everything about 10 minutes late- which is actually right on time here.) If I learned nothing else today, I hope to survive my experience on this simple advice: "learn to smile and learn to squat."

Pictures

I have finally been able to put up pictures from my trip! Enjoy!