There are less beautiful sights as well, such as the bucket baths with no hot water and the bouts of diarhea that I have been getting. But seriously I am fine. My host family could not be more welcoming and helpful.
I live with Pak Rofik, Ibu Mujianik, Adik laki-laki Aril, Kakak Arinda, Kakak Opick, and Kakak Leli. The first day was a little awkward seeing as how I was moving in with a family from a completely different culture who dont speak the same language as me. When the cultural facititator dropped me off it was a quick introduction (in Bahasa Indonesia) and then they left. we sat there and looked at each other and I said things like "selamat siang" (good afternoon) and "di mana kamar kecil?" (where is the toilet). beyond that it was mostly me smiling while they spoke very fast around me then would look at me on occasion and I would realise that they had asked me a question. "tidak tahu" (I don't know) "Tidak Mengerti" (I don't understand) and "Maaf" (sorry) have become my most used phrases.
The people around the village are just as nice. Me and my host sister were on a jalan-jalan and many Ibu (little old Indonesian ladies) would invite us in for cakes and snacks. when we got home I was almost too full to eat supper. The food is pretty good. I do miss hamburgers and pizza already, but I am sure I will get used to the food here. I am not so sure about my stomach though.
Did I mention the diarhea? I shouldn't have eaten that street meat.
Everyday so far I have had English classes form 7:30 to 11:30. then we break for lunch where me and the five cohorts in my English class get together and eat the meal prepared our host family. They always put them in those plastic containers that elementary school kids pack their lunches in. We all feel like helpless little kids because we can't do anything for ourselves and we cant hold conversations with anyone except little kids. It also dosen't help that they put our lunches in these brightly colored felt bags with little tassels and things... pretty cute I guess. I'm not sure if they are making fun of us by giving us these lunch bags or not.
After lunch, we go to our LINK classes. This is where volunteers from 3 of the villages around come together and have one class about teaching in Indonesia. these last until about 4 or 5 and then we have the rest of the day off to integrate into our community. right now I am mostly sitting around because I want to be close to a toilet.
My poopy has never been this soupy. It's like campbells chicken noodle soup without the chicken or noodles. But you know what? Even though this is definitely the worst diarrhea I, or possibly anyone in the world, have ever had, using squat toilets instead of western style toilets makes it so much easier. It just sort of falls out of you and then you get your left hand up there and make sure that its all nice and clean afterwards.
Bugs havent been too much of a problem in my house, I think that thats mostly because of an overabundance of geckos running everywhere. i would much rather have geckos than mosquitoes. It did freak me out though on one of my many midnight bathroom runs (no pun intended). I hung my pants up on the hook (pooping with no pants on a squat toilet is sooo much easier) and then when I was done, I grabbed my pants and two very large geckos ran out from behind my pants on the wall. I might have screamed a little bit.
Hey, Dan,
ReplyDeleteWow, sounds like a beautiful place. Hope your stomach gets accustomed to the food, etc. there. The family looks like they are very nice and the kids sure are cute! Sounds like you are enjoying your time there, and are getting plenty to eat. We are still in a winter status here with more snow yesterday , April 19th!