Adventures of a Family

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

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