In Jogja, Central Java

You know, I am already back in Jakarta again, but I still need to write about my time spent in Jogja (Yogyakarta) in Central Java. So, ...here we go.

I left for Jogja in Central Java (on Tuesday, March 18) early morning, with the safest national air company - Garuda. I made it, and landed in Jogja shortly after 7am (the very same day!). Flight was smooth, and a driver from my language school was already waiting for me. And no matter I have no breakfast, yet still having and going through my 12 hours jet lag, I had to meet my principal and my teachers and sit down in a classroom - for 6 goddamn hours!- to learn "bahasa Indonesia"! Yes, the official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. Not the bahasa, as many "reliable" sources are informing you (even I got confused). And that 6 hours were what was happening for next two weeks, daily, from 8am until 3pm - in Realia (name of the school). Daily portion of intense, 1-on-1, language learning. Thanks, Realia, I had a lunch break. Hmm....just wish someone would do this for me with English, ever, before. So, based on what I said, when I finished my classes in the afternoon I was just exhausted, ready for a bed. Lucky for me, nothing much was going on in Jogja, Central Java; even though, this city used to be a capitol point of the country. And most (if not all) of USAID and embassies' reps come here for language training. Who would expect that teaching Indonesian would be such a big deal?!

About my housing situation here, it was so called "home stay"; my hosting organization picked this setting for me (over a hotel stay) because they assumed if I will stay with someone local I will pick up the language faster. You know, practicing live language, in real life. I had a room (with the only living AC in the house) with a bathroom in a family-like house accross from the Realia, very modest setting; I shared kitchen and living room with others (if there would be such....). Well, when I came "home" the first day I just went directly to the bed...and arose next day in the morning, pretty much. I was happy to made it for my class @ 815 am sharp. I am not sure what was going on much, I believe, I learned something actually. I learned that I will be the only student for a while, and that I will have 6 hours of bahasa no matter what and that I will have only one field trip, in my two weeks. Yahooo! Most of my teachers were English students from local universities (1 of the 48!), working on their thesis (whatever that meant); they were around age of 25. They liked to practise their English, during my official "bahasa" hours, which I actually did not mind. Yes, I learned, but ...not everthing. After all, I was there just for two weeks. I appreciated that I learned about Indonesian culture and people (at least, in Central Java).

My home stay set up was very modest (as I already mentioned). I stayed in a house which belongs to Realia and my house "mom and dad" was a young couple (average 25); she was an English teacher in a private elementary and he was a director of photography (that's what his business card said). They both were actually very sweet and open-minded. It took a while before a I actually met her, her name was Laras, due to our different 'waking-up hours' (school in Indonesia starts @ 7am!!!, I mean s-e-v-e-n in the morning!) and also because of a long weekend and holiday (Muslim) which she spent with some relatives out of the town. My house hosts names were Laras & Maman (or Maman & Laras - whichever sounds less familiar to you).

So, I was in my own exhausted world, so to say, when I went out shopping on Wednesday late afternoon (after class, second day), paying attention to busy streets (which were not actually that busy as in Jakarta); I shoud say I was really food hunting more than anything else. I was kind of hungry, after torturing my brain with a new language in a 12-hour-difference set up. And yet, even though, there was a plenty of cooking happening on the street, I did not dare to buy it. I went to a western-like store named Parsley which was recommended be all the teaching faculty in Realia, in about 1 km distance from my stay. Hey, if I would not feel responsible for picking up on some new vocab (in name of HKI and all deaf children in Indonesia), I would buy a dinner at the first cart-dinner I met on the street. BBQ squirells (without a fur, of course) sounded just OK for me. But, I have some responsibilities on my shoulders, and therefore, I made it to Parsley store and get some sandwiche-like products (e.i., teriyaki chicken sandwiche). I was soooo happy to made it back home in a humid hot evening, after exhausting bahasa coaching, throughout narrow Jogja streets; so far away from ...from DC....and the Czech Rep. So, I came "home", tired as much as possible....faaar from anyone and everything that I was living with or through, in past 5 years, and found out that there is American Idol on TV! The American Idol! Season 7th. I was shocked. Shocked, pleasantly, though. (You know, you won't find this detail at Disability & Development issue, not even in the most recent one.) Well, what can I say, probably something what Paula A. says - this is the most talented season ever ...and I would hate to miss it. Even though, Indonesian version is one day behind the US (when actully almost the all day and everything is ahead, right?). Wednesday is actually the performance day, then Thursday is the "kicking out" day; but hey...it is all alright, alright. Thanks for globalization, and Indonesia having enough money from oil sale to pay for the "AI" licence. Well, well, well....develompmental job feels all of the sudden better. And my house hosts are Maman & Laras. Could I wish for more?

I probably could, but ....I am OK. Here is the picture that was posted on my toilette, and here is my bathroom. Modest, yet, I had a warm water running through my shower hose ...which is not common at all in Indonesia! Folks are using a cold water, splashing themselves with a water-bucket when they come back home from their little rice field. Simple life. The enrichment in "my house" was also represented by several geicos running throughout our kitchen (I was even able to capture a unique shot of cockoo and geico - cockoo came from the wall-clock house), plenty of antz.z..and other creatures (not sure of all their names). But, as the M & L said, nothing new here, in Indonesia (wonder if they have any common car insurance here...with dancing ...geico?). Cats are very very skinny here, looking so predatory-like, and even chicken, I am almost scared of them. Our near by cat was whining ....whining ....and whining...like if nobody was feading her. And no one actually was, as we all assumed that she/he will do her/his business with some rats....(But, she/he was really one that was about to be...hmmm... *illed. Whiner.). Geeee....certain animals in developing countries...these should not exist, rather.

In two weeks, I had a rice for lunch every day (lunch was provide by Realia). And noodles for diner, almost. Exception happened on Saturday when I went to visit Prambanan and then Malioboro. Prambanan is one of the central attraction in Central Java, Hindu monument celebrating Shiva. Malioboro is a main street in Jogja downtown, surrounding the Sultan Palace. Yes, Jogja district, even though part of Indonesia, has its own Sultan and governemnt ruling. From Prambanan to Malioboro we, me and my teacher-friend, took a new bus service of TransJogja company (with AC and fresh lemon scent); good for me - it just started to run this month. Maliobory was crowded. Crowded...with more millions of people because of holiday. Really, millions. You did not have a moment when someone would not push you....kick you...or both. People were coming here to pick up famous Indonesian batik, batik...batik...and maybe something else. I was not able to pick anything, as all these people were really distracting me. Next time. I came home barely walking, aftger having a chicken schnitzel with FF in a famous student-date diner. Really not that bad. Chicken schnitzel in Jogja, Central Java.

My language acquisition went OK, I think. And at the end of the 1st week I got a companion. Dude who will work for New Zealand emabassy. He was pleasant but rather not talkative guy, staying in a nearby hotel. We made connection, we had lunches together..for about 10 days? He will stay in Jogja for whole two monthes! And maybe we will see each other in Jakarta...later on, it two months...in 10 mill. population Jakarta. I guess, in New Zealand embassy? Or rather in Czech one? Before me there was an anthropologist from Standford, and local CEO for Red Cross.....I guess, not bad here, huh? And then...ME. No one from the Czech Rep as far as they all can remember. Bagus!

What else? Oh...I learned some language. Bahasa Indonesia does not seem to be that complicated ...as English or Czech. No conjugation, no declination, no irregular verbs! And plural? You just repeat the word ...anak-anak means children (and then, child is...?) Bahasa just needs to be practiced, as any ohter language...which did not happen much for me....as we spoke English in my house. Only "bahasa" I had a chance to practice when I went shopping to local stores....especially, buying fruites. I became famous while buying tiga bananas and satu 'nanas. I bet you got this, right?! Cool. (Tiga = 3; satu = 1).

In two weeks, of language schooling, I was entitled to 1 field trip. In middle of the second week, I went to admire other attraction of Central Java - Borobudur. The biggest Budhist palace in the world. Amazing place! ! 10 levels of stone statues and stories carved in the stone - basically, about a little Budha. His story. When I climbed on the top, I was all awakened - from the heat and humidity. Uffff...But it was really a great moment to be on the top...looking down...on the jungle and mountains surrounding the monument.

I survived two weeks, I learned...and probably could learn more, but...I was living my situation. And watching American Idol and discussing matters with my host family. With my broken "bahasa" we would not be able to talk about women emancipation in Indonesia, trash not-recycling or gay-lesbian agenda in Indonesia. Even though, my hosts were rather conservative Muslims...hmmmm... even though, I am not so sure about this 'label', after all. Laras was wearing her hajab everyday accordign to traditions and the couple was truly praying 5 times a day, did not drink alcohol and all that muslim jazz....there was not a taboo in our conversations. And I appreciated. We even talk about woman picking up her boyfriend/husband in Muslim community... what Laras's actully did - she even had a several BFs, before settling down with Maman!..in her age of 25. (She said. Good for her, I think, Maman is a great choice.) And, we even talked about how common it is for older folks (her co-workers at Muslim boarding school, that is!) to ask her about "what sexual position they are using with her husband that she is still not pregnant?!?!"...or if "Maman is experienced enough to make her pregnant?!" ...and we are talking here about a time period of 9 months after their wedding. Hmm....her co-workers (not even being her best-freinds-kind-of co-workers) are more blunt than I am! And I am not sure, if this question would belong to my own mother to ask (me). And would like to picture that kind of conversation happening behind the blackboard within the US school districts...hmmm...lets say at Christian school in Oklahoma City (or just plain public school), but...i can't. I can't. (Well....as I am not sure if thinking about a term "sexual position" is already a sin or not there,... yet).

OK, I did not have a bad time in Jogja.

Saya belajar bahasa Indonesia dan saya ada waktu bagus!
But, I was happy to pack and go back to my apt in Kemang, Jakarta.

Sampai bertemu lagi!
Nashle!
See you later!