LifeInContrast.com

The first pangs of homesickness have finally set in.  Not really strong, mind you, and I’m not even sure I’d call it a proper “sickness”.  Maybe more of a “homemissness.”  There’s a Bob Dylan song from the “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid” movie soundtrack, and it rings true for me right now.  In the chorus it mourns, “Billy you’re so far away from home.”  Listen to the song here.

So I’ve been outside of the USA for about 7 weeks now, and I’m starting to realize some things.  First, I will always be a semi-celebrity everywhere I go.  Even just walking down the street means there will be many eyes on me.  This is a blessing and a curse – it is nice to have people so willing to smile at me and say “Allo mister”.  But sometimes you just want to blend in, and that’s just not possible most of the time.

On a more amusing note, last night Denise and I were taking a taxi home with some furniture and groceries, in heavy traffic along a main thoroughfare in north Bandung.  There are generally troubadours with guitars and violins along this street, playing to the cars and angkots.  But on weekends there are often huge throngs of high schoolers, singing in unison to cars and acting like… well, wacky high schoolers.  On this particular occasion they caught me smiling, and suddenly swarmed the taxi as if that was a green light for wackiness.  They spread themselves out on the hood of the taxi, pounded on the doors and roof, took pictures like paparazzi, and sang a song to the smiling bule (Westerner).  The taxi driver pulled up the e-brake and we all had a good laugh while they sang their hearts out.  Maybe they thought I was a movie star.  Or perhaps it had something to do with the school term ending that Friday.

My second observation is that being unable to communicate meaningfully with the vast majority of people around you is very frustrating, and sometimes depressing.  We’re taking Indonesian language lessons, but we’ve had to cancel the last few due to schedule conflicts.

My third observation is that buying the cheaper version of something means it is likely to break quickly.  If you want it to last, go ahead and purchase the more expensive option.  In the U.S., sometimes you can buy a cheapo version and have it work just fine.  Here in Indonesia, it feels like many things have failed recently at our house because they were cheap, and it’s kind of exasperating.  Our kitchen faucet suddenly stopped working, meaning we couldn’t turn off the water (yikes).  Our drinking water dispenser started leaking all over the table.  And the height of irony: our voltage regulator (surge protector) electrocuted me twice today.  Go figure.

Looks like it might rain soon, which is odd because the rainy season ended 3 weeks ago.  I’m off to go play Playstation 2 with the local lads, for the bargain rate of 30 cents per hour.  Planning to get a motorbike soon, for the convenience and freedom to explore that it gives.