SHOCKER! (and a semester test for you!)

I have been in Indonesia about 8 1/2 months now, and there are some things that began as a shocker every time they happened or every time I saw them.

I take it as a sign of cultural adaptation that I no longer am (too) shocked by some of the strange things that happen. If there is indeed something utterly odd, usually I just chuckle to myself and say, "Oh, Indonesia!"

Enjoy the memories of my weird encounters of 2012!

Seeing monkeys in random places...

Cow skin that appears in my food...which I casually do not eat. Ever. 

Way too much attention that appears at unexpected times...

Monster tall.

Street musicians that wear Teletubbies outfits. The first time I saw this I was blow away!
Teletubbies in Indonesia? But now I've learned it's the most popular (read: scary-looking)
street musician costume in my area...

Huge piles of shoes everywhere to sort through to recycle.
I've since learned that this is unique to my village, awesome. 

Inappropriate shirts worn by children. I also saw one that a Muslim girl was wearing that said
something about drinking and being merry. That one clearly wasn't translated for her...

Indonesia: totally normal to wear masks out when in transit. I'd personally go for gloves
 if I was gonna cover up, cause people here do not wash their hands often enough...

Men showing affection by touching. Definitely different than in the US, where
masculinity is often associated with not touching anyone other than a high-five or bro-hug.

Personal grooming in public is more normal than in the US. My neighbor was trimming
 her eyebrows on her front porch while chatting to me a few days ago. 

Mass amounts of food (usually) no longer leave me in awe of how much time that took to cook,
cause food in these amounts are just cropping up everywhere!

My friend Rois (biggest xenophile I've ever met!) frequently brings me foreigners to meet, because why would I not want to meet other random white people?? Usually it's harmless, but it's still a little weird, let's be honest!

Garbage strewn everywhere, yuck! I still have yet to throw anything away casually
on the ground, and here's to another year of keeping it that way! 

The living room becomes a garage at night...or 24/7!

Ants are all over the place, gross! I can't say that I totally am used to these guys
 all over, but I've learned preemptive measures to avoid them visiting! 

And for kicks, here is a semester one test for you (all of the students from elementary school to high school test every day for about 7 school days), based on the answers my students gave on their tests! Be it noted that my test was not in this format, nor was it 5 random questions. These are just random gems from a bunch of different places!

A: General review

They are to be going is fruit rais. [Just take a sec to try to figure that one out. Answer is at the bottom of this post...]

That is clock past 9. [It is 8:45. Seems we'll have to work on time again...]

B: How are you?

I am supper.         [Really, you = dinner?? I think you meant "I am super."]

I am borken heat.        [Borken heat? Wow, it really is a bad day if you are borken heat. Translation: I am broken-hearted." Whoever taught my students "broken-hearted" is my enemy, because that's all they resort to when I ask them how they are. Including the 14, 15 and 16 year old boys: "Miss, I broken heart!"

He is not bed.    ["I am not bad."But apparently everyone here feels "bed" and sleeps in a "badroom." ]

C: What do you want to do after you graduate?

I want to nurse. [Well that is dead honest. Usually we say, "I want to have children" but whatever works! Haha, but really, she wants to become a nurse.] 

I am be an architecture. [Some days I feel like I'd rather be a building, too, dear student. But I think you really want to be an architect.]

I want to doctor. [Again, working on the difference between the noun and verb, here!]

D: Introduction

I am 7.  [If you are 7 you are a brilliant kid because you are a 10th grader. What you really mean is, "I am the 7th child in my family."]

Two brothers want two sisters. [Hopefully those two brothers "want" two sisters from a non-related family, otherwise that's a genetically questionable sentence, cher student! The real answer? "I have two brothers and two sisters."] 

E: How does she feel? 

She is board.   [She is bored. That's pretty close, correct when you pronounce it, anyways!]

She is bork.    [She is bored. What the heck is bork!? I don't know, but I like it.] 

She is boark.   [She is bored.] 

The answer to that mystery sentence from part A? "They are going to eat fried rice." 

We Are The Light of the World

I am so thankful that my life is never short of inspirational people who continue to challenge and inspire me and equip me to better serve those around me.

                                                                         ~  ~  ~

In a pleasantly-unexpected email, I was invited to read Kathryn’s new “Blessings Blog,” in which she intentionally takes time out of each day to reflect on what she is thankful for. She hits the nail on the head in that we are abundantly blessed each and every day despite our shortcomings. I so appreciate her efforts to bring to light the little things people take for granted, when truly we believe all those little good things come from God.

                                                                         ~  ~  ~

During IST I was met with some harsh criticism on my character that was both humbling and hurtful. The important thing was that I left the situation feeling that I learned how I could improve my character. 

This being said, in the midst of being taught this lesson, I slipped into my old habit and wrote an email that I’m not proud of (prompted by frustration at our differences) to some of my siblings. After hitting send, I was hit with that sick feeling of, “What have you done? That was a terrible thing to say.” I couldn’t take back what I’d said, so I was left to wait in anxiety of how they’d respond.

My brother’s response to my email was met with tears of thankfulness that he was compassionate and so open in his response to me. I still maintain today that I didn’t deserve such a kind email after what I said, and I will not soon forget the things I continue from people who I don’t normally go to for deep conversations. If you are reading this, Brian, know that that email has still left a big impression on me. 

                                                                         ~  ~  ~

Yesterday a dialogue was started on our PC Indonesia FB group about calling ourselves “volunteers” if we still make decent money. Without going into the details here, my friend Joe advocates that we abandon this title. In our dialogue, he said two things that struck me: “I try to do my best to read the perspective of the poor and pass it on.”

Joe also shared with me something his professor said: “People will hate you for these opinions, but people who matter continue to starve if these opinions go unheard.”

At first I read this as, “the people who will listen need to hear these opinions so they are motivated to do more.” Yet when I read it again, I realized the other, perhaps more important meaning: “the people who we are called to serve need us to speak out with them even if others don't like what we advocate for.”

Joe did go to a Catholic university, so it wouldn’t surprise me if his professor was drawing from Jesus’ teaching about being hated for one’s revolutionary opinions:

 “You will be hated by all because of my name.” Matt 10:22

“You will be hated by all nations because of my name.” Matt 24:9

But what Jesus is teaching and what Joe is practicing is this- it doesn’t matter what other people think. As Dr. Seuss said, “Those that mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind.” Sorry, Dr. S, but I’d have to disagree that people who oppose your viewpoints don’t matter, but the point is to follow your heart if you know that what you are doing is serving a greater good and bringing about truth in the world.

Joe is constantly reflecting on some really awesome questions, I encourage you to look at his blog, "Thoughts from Indonesia." 

                                                                         ~  ~  ~

The last person I want to give thanks for today is someone that I actually don’t know. "Kenny's Russian friend" did something I wish I had the courage to do. Instead of walking past the person who was sitting in the subway tunnel asking for money, Kenny’s friend stopped to talk to the person. She wanted to know about this person and give the person her time and attention, something that this person usually got from no one. I don’t know if Kenny’s friend gave the person something to eat or drink or money or just talked. At the very least, this young woman recognized this person’s humanity in a way that most people didn’t.

“Whatever you did for the least of these you did for me.” Matt 25:40

I am often torn when I see a person asking for money, something that is very frequent here in Indonesia. 

My American-ness tells me, “This is an able-bodied young person who is old enough and capable of working. Why is he playing a guitar in the middle of the road and soliciting money from passerby who don’t enjoy his 3-stringed, usually less-than-great music anyways?? We have to show him tough love and not give him anything so he finds some legitimate work to do.” 

My Christian-ness tells me, “Lend expecting nothing back.” Luke 6:35 

What to do?

Kenny’s friend would probably ask the person to sit by her on the bus and talk to her. I continue to be inspired by this story when I recall it. Like Kenny's friend,  How can I live as an extreme example of Jesus’ love? Right now, I do not give as freely as I should or could.

                                                                         ~  ~  ~

All this being said, I am doing my best to be a positive influence to the people around me. Granted, they don’t know that my motivation comes from my Christian faith nor do they need to because they’d freak out and think I’m trying to convert them (which is definitely not the case! If anything, they're trying to convert me!) In my eyes, the important thing is the intention in my heart. Kathryn’s thanksgiving reflections, Brian’s compassion, Joe’s thoughtfulness, and Kenny’s friend’s bravery stand as examples of how I can better serve the people around me with a more pure heart.

                                                                          ~  ~  ~

This song has been a joy to listen to these last few days. It is yet another reminder to be a better person because I stand for so much more than just myself. I will be seeing Kari Jobe when I go to the Hillsong Conference in July in Sydney! Please watch the YouTube video, too, for a beautiful example of someone whose style of worship is so pure. 

Kari Jobe

Her song is related to Matt 5:14, 16, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden...so you light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly [God]." 

"We are the light of the world"does not mean that we are the best and brightest, it simply means that we know the truth about how awesome God is and we were made to let that truth shine. In everything we do and say, we are to reflect the love we've been given. 

Admittedly, I often fall short. Fortunately, I am given a new chance each day and forgiven so frequently by everyone around me. 

"We Are" by Kari Jobe      

We are the light of the world,

We are the city on the hill.

We are the light of the world,

And we gotta, we gotta, we gotta let the light shine.

We are the light, we are the light, we are the light,

So let your light shine brighter.