Posts

I Have Two...

By -
Image
When I get into a taxi I usually try to practice my Indonesian by talking with the taxi driver.  My bahasa is terrible but I try.  Indonesians are so kind, encouraging and happy that I am speaking their language. I like to ask easy questions about family and where they are from knowing they will probably ask the same questions of me.  One particular evening on the way home from my physical therapy appointment (the reason for that is another story for another time) I decided to engage in conversation with the Go-Jek driver.  Here is how it went though I will translate it to English to spare you the effort and pain of reading my broken language skills. ME:  [Apa kabar?]  How are you? DRIVER:  [Baik. Dan bapak?]  Good. And you? ME:  [Baik.  Terima Kasih. Apakah anda punya anak-anak?]  Good.  Thank you.  Do you have children?  (a common question in Indonesia) In anticipation of his question to me about MY KIDS I prepared the response in my head.  Ya.  Saya punya dua. DRIVER
Post a Comment
Read more

As Long as it's Got a Good Beat...

By -
Image
Malls may be dying a slow death in the United States, but here in Surabaya mall culture is alive and thriving.   It is the social center for families, teens, couples, and everyone in between.  I suspect part of the allure is the air conditioning.  Afternoons here are often pretty hot and humid. There are always special events, activities and performances happening at the mall and the Christmas season was no different.  As I was walking around the mall I came across a kids craft and performance area with cute Christmas decorations and tons of happy little kids.  A preschool sing-a-long performance was just ending and there was a craft area set up for kids to make an ornament or something like that.  So there were low tables full of glitter, glue, stickers, crayons and paper.  Kids had shifted to these tables from the performance area and were sitting with their parents or nannies giggling, getting messy and having a good time.  The young sound guy was taking down the microphone
Post a Comment
Read more

Piano Adventures

By Hallie Clark -
Image
My lovely Michael researched and figured out where to buy a used piano while I was in Portland. So I got to come home to just being able to go try it out, tell the sellers which one I wanted, and then a few days later have it delivered to my door. Of course there was  little more to it then that. For some very strange reason, the pianos where being displayed and sold from the former wine room in a Ranch 99 Market. (What?!!).  I'm pretty sure that the sellers thought I was a big spender, even though by US standards, these were pretty cheap ($3,500), because they gave me chocolates, followed me around Ranch Market with a basket while I shopped (VERY briefly because it was so freakin' weird to be followed around while someone held my shopping basket for me), drove me home, and then offered to take me out for dinner that same night. When the piano was delivered, there was huge excitement among the security guards, and one in particular who took photos and stayed around for most
Post a Comment
Read more

Turning 45 in Indonesia

By Hallie Clark -
Image
What a fun day. I find myself, during the last week or so, feeling a little more settled. Getting a tiny bit better grasp of where I am, and where I fit into the scheme of things. Knowing that probably I'm wrong and all of it will change. Understanding that this place feels safe, the kids are really happy, and it's ok to be a mom and not be running around 12 hours a day and just barely feel like you're keeping up, like I used to do in the US. It's ok to enjoy a book, and REALLY know that it's ok to relax. To be able to fall asleep in the afternoon should I want, and not have that voice telling me there's a million things to do, waking me up over and over again. So back to today. I had a wonderful morning with some new friends. Yenni, Christina, Teak. One Indonesian, one Chinese Indonesian, one Korean. All speaking English when normally they would speak Bahasa together. (How awesome to have that choice!). Fun, silly, happy ladies. An innocence and pea
Post a Comment
Read more

Saying Goodbye to My Dad

By Hallie Clark -
Image
So we'd been here about 4 weeks when my amazing Dad passed away. I still can't believe it. It doesn't seem possible that he is no longer on this Earth. It is a staggering, take-your-breath away experience that I am just starting to go through. This meant, of course, that I had to fly back to the US after barely getting over the first round of jet lag. Pretty rough, I thought. And in many ways it was, but in many ways it was a huge blessing. Even though the funeral wasn't scheduled until Sept 27th, I flew back a month early, thinking my mom would need help and company. But when I arrived, she didn't want anyone to stay with her. She just wanted peace and rest after the stress of taking care of him for so long. So, unexpectedly, I started couch surfing in Portland. I stayed with Heidi and Joe, Claire and Jed, Deb and Svatia, and eventually ended up in a beautiful apartment all by myself right on the Willamette river. It was a great place to gather my thoughts whil
1 comment
Read more

Knowing the Language is Helpful

By -
Image
We have moved to a new country where we don't speak the language.  I don't expect anyone to speak MY language.  I am the visitor.  The expat.  The bule .  But I have Google Translate on my phone so things will be alright.  I can get by.  Acquire the things I need, and get to the places I need to go. However, there are some very good reasons to have a basic understanding of the language that surrounds you.  It isn't too difficult to think of the scenarios in which you might find yourself suffering for the non-existent language skills you possess.  And you may find yourself soothed by the fact that many people do in fact speak your language, if your language is English.  It isn't an obnoxious "American privilege" I speak from but a fact . But knowing how to say hello, good day, thank you, please and where is the bathroom can only get you so far. I decided that I needed a haircut and had the afternoon available to do so.  I took a taxi to a place a colleagu
Post a Comment
Read more

Selling our Stuff, Moving Out

By Hallie Clark -
Image
If Michael and I had known what it really meant to move away from the house we'd inhabited for 13 years, getting it ready to rent, learning how to be landlords, getting all the paperwork together for our visas, figuring what furniture to keep and what to sell, and then selling SO MUCH STUFF on Craiglist...DEAR GOD! We both looked at each other at one point and expressed that this was pretty much the hardest thing we'd ever done. Any example of the millions of things we sold.... The 1st table we ever bought together Our first "nice" furniture we bought from one of Michael's colleagues 18 years ago     Then after selling all that stuff, it was time to pack and move, and then the house went from looking like this:   To looking like this for weeks:   With a pretty constant "free pile" outside on the parkway for several weeks: Clearly we are great neighbors We literally worked until 8 PM the night before the tenants m
Post a Comment
Read more