Java Trip

I just got back, about an hour ago, from the airport from my orientation in Jakarta! I mean, hearing all of the rules of exchange over and over again wasn't too exciting, but it was really good talking to all of the rebounds (students from Indonesia who just returned from their exchanges) and the inbounds (students like me who are in Indonesia now) and comparing our experiences. There was a girl from Jakarta who lived in Honolulu last year for her exchange that I got a chance to talk to, and by the end of our conversation we were both dying for some Hawaiian Host chocolate covered macadamia nuts and maui onion chips. It was also funny to get to hear a reverse perspective from students who had gone to America. One boy said something about how his friends in the US would always miss school and ask him if he'd want to ditch- and he couldn't get why they'd want to pass off such a good education that they can receive in the US. I've really noticed that, especially in a place that is as poor as Gowa, that education is the only chance most kids have from hopefully one day getting out of poverty. It made me feel pretty guilty for all of the things that I took for granted when I was in school in the US. 

Indonesia is kind of like America in the sense that every region is really different from one another and it made me realize that a lot of things that I say about Indonesia are mostly derived from me living in Sulawesi. When I got off the plane in Jakarta I felt cold. I had never even learned the word for 'cold' living in Sulawesi. But getting off the plane, I looked up and saw only smog and clouds with the promise of rain. I couldn't see the sun at all. The people in Jakarta were really different, too. Indonesia is neat because everyone is Indonesian, but when you ask an Indonesian where they're from they say "Oh, I'm Sumatran" or something, kind of like how in the States if people ask me where I'm from I say I'm Swedish and Irish. The people in Jakarta, however, come from all corners of Indonesia because it's the capitol and economic center of Indonesia. No one is Jakartan. That's why every food from Indonesia, even my favorites from Makassar like spicy fried noodles and fried bananas, you can get anywhere in Jakarta. Also I only got one 'Hello, mister!" when I was walking around the streets in Jakarta and not one person asked to take a picture with me! It was weird to feel 'normal' again. 

So we spent two days in Jakarta, and on the third and last day we went to Bogor and went to a nature reserve that had animals from all over Indonesia, as well as the world. I even got to take a picture with a baby orangutan! It was cool learn about the crazy species that are all represented in a single country, from Sumatran tigers to Black rhinoceroses, as well as to hear more about efforts that are going on to preserve that biodiversity. 

And the other week, I was lucky enough to get to go back to Puntondo, the eco hippie village on the ocean about two hours from Makassar with my host sister's family. When I go there, the only other people I see are the scientists and volunteers on occasion who work there but usually they're pretty busy with research and stuff so when I'm there I'm usually alone somewhere on the beach with a good book. I never know what time it is and I leave my phone and stuff at home in Gowa, and I don't think I've ever felt more calm than when I'm there. 

I'll be sure to post in a week or two after my trip with school to Yogyakarta for the dance competition there... wish me luck!