Monthly Archives: August 2006

The mosquitos, or nyamuk, seem to be of a hardier, craftier sort here in Depok, on the Southern end of the Jabotek metropolitan region. Perhaps it reflects that sink or swim mentality of Indonesia that has such an impact on me, a native of a land of easier living. Not that the Minnesotan mosquitos areContinue reading “HUT RI KE 61! Viva Independence!!”

Greetings, my good friends and beloved family A week of BIPA classes have come and gone, a four hour daily dose of intensive Indonesian language. To tell the truth, it does not seem any more intensive than most of the rest of the day as I navigate through the spaces and places that are Depok,Continue reading “Depok, My Backyard and Beyond”

My trusty laptop has, unfortunately, picked the island of Java to walk towards the light. Well, hopefully the good Kharma that I’ve been keeping in a jar under sink will guide it back to reality, but I suppose we won’t find that out until the good old boy can make its way into the handsContinue reading “All for a phone call”

My first fellow “Bule” (foreigner) friends have turned out to be a couple folks from Japan. Very cool folks. Hitomi has quite the brain for language, I’m jealous; she is a University classmate of Kazuya, whose studying International Relations back in Tokyo and is also studying Bahasa for a year, on an exchange program. Hikita,Continue reading “Jakarta Sushi”

I am very much enjoying Indonesia, the culinary experience. I considered the possibility of an Indonesian restaurant back in Minneapolis/ St. Paul. The more I thought about it, the more I dripped sweat into my Soto Ayam, the more I realized that the idea just wouldn’t fly. It’s not that the food is too incrediblyContinue reading “Eating a state of mind”

I stood, watching the economy class train pull up to the Pondok Cina station. Ugg, my stomach dropped way down. Are ALL those people going to downtown Jakarta? Heads and limbs, entire bodies  hung out the windows and doors, people seemed to pop out onto the platform as many others pushed and shoved to getContinue reading “A Quiet Chaos”