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| This is the world's scariest small plane I will fly in in 4 weeks. Am I freaking out already? Yes. Woud Mom die if she had to get on this plane? Yes. Might I die from fright...yes. I may ask Dr. L for some sedatives just in case!!! But the perk is that we're flying through/above mountains that are guaranteed beautiful, if not the most scary and stressful $75 round trip of my life. |
So I wanted to buy these world's scariest plane (only according to me and probably mom) tickets like a month ago. The first time I tried, the internet wasn't working. The second time, couldn't pay because my bank thought someone was stealing my money. The third time I tried, the lady from the place booked for me, but then I was informed after the fact that I had to pay within 24 hours at the bank, and I didn't make it because I read the email 12 hours later and then missed the cut because I was teaching. Frustrating.
So today was the day it was gonna happen! I had already withdrawn 1,500,000 Rp (150 USD) for my ticket and Britteney's. I didn't have to teach until 10:15. I woke up at 6. I booked the tickets by 6:30. I called the company to confirm that I had to pay at my local bank, not a ticket counter in a big city (this was done in Bahasa Indonesia, success!!). And then I saw it. The cut off time this time was two hours instead of 24 horus. FOR GOSH SAKES, SUSI AIR! Throw me a bone! (Julia Zwak, I expect a good lie about where that phrase came from, please!)
So with my cut off time 8:30 AM, I planned to leave at 7:30 to get to the bank at 8 because it doesn't even open til 8, so really Susi Air was giving me a half hour time frame! 7:15 rolls around and crap! I still gotta make a worksheet before I go so I can photo copy it! 7:45 AM OMG! I run downstairs and breeze pass my host mom. I have 45 minutes to bike 4 km (2 miles, but a bumpy road, so usually about 25-30 minutes) and then wait for my number to be called at the bank. I made it to the bank in 20 minutes flat and ran in. Alas, sweaty and puffing I passed the security guard that I thought was cute. (But then I got a better look and he's probably like 35 and that's a little old!) I have 15 minutes to make this transaction happen. But I look around and see that is not gonna happen. Who knew the bank in my little town would be so hopping at 8 AM. Well, I guess these people have been up since like 4:30 for morning prayer, so...
Incapable of figuring out how to take a number for waiting in line, the bank lady helps me. Then I pick up the phone again to call and plead with Susi Air to extend my time frame. The man on the other end of the phone was like, lady, just text me your confirmation number and I pleaded, let me try once more! Almost 10 minutes later and me trying again and again to correctly pronounce my confirmation number (Y like "ya," W like "watermelon," Z like, well, Z...), I get my time extended. The Indonesian speaking man was rattling off "Alpha" "Beta" "Yankee" code names for the letters, but I was not that fluent in secret military speak.
Get off the phone, handsome but too-old-for-me security guard knows that I'm flustered and confused. Fills out my transfer money sheet for me. SUCCESS!
Off to get my bike handlebars adjusted. Done in 7 minutes flat. MIRACLE.
Little task made larger problem #2:
Now to copy my worksheet. I go to the toko to copy it. Can't do it ibu (ma'am) (darn it, do I look like a ma'am??). You have to go to the warnet (internet cafe) first to print a copy of the worksheet from your flashdrive. So I go to the warnet 100 meters away (at least it's close). Print. Return to the copy place and get my copies.
Visit the local little (shady) hospital to try to meet the dentist so I can get my teeth cleaned. But I want to meet the person first to judge how legit this place is. I remembered Joe G's experience with PC in Guatemala and how he was Med Evac'ed for some strange dental things...but alas, I have to teach in 45 minutes now and I can't wait for dokter gigi (dentist) any longer. Another day, bu!
Return to school and teach. Almost fall asleep standing in class because MY COUNTERPART IS THE MOST BORING TEACHER OF MY LIFE. But I had to wait my turn for teaching, and I did it without freaking out, so I was as patient as a god today, some applause, please!
Plan a lesson with my other awesome counterpart.
Home to workout, only to remember my 13-year old host brother left the room in front of mine a disaster when he came back for 4 days from his boarding house, so instead I have to clean up his mess.
Small task made bigger problem #3:
Procuring turkeys for PCVs Thanksgiving on Saturday.
Option #1: Order two 13-lb turkeys for $25 USD a piece at a warehouse (Bahasa Indonesia over the phone again...exhausting!). Downside: Warehouse is located far from most stuff in Surabaya; we'd have to pick it up on Thursday so it can defrost, I can't get there until Friday afternoon; my friend who works at the PC office could get it but Thursday is Thanksgiving so she's off.
Option #2: More expensive turkey (one 13-lb turkey $36 USD) at a grocery store close to the PC office, they will defrost it for us and we can get it Friday. Order 2 over the phone again in Bahasa Indonesia.
Consult teman turkey/team turkey Brian, who said let's do the cheap way, the PC staff member agreed to do it. AND WHAT A SAINT SHE IS!!!
So now I have 4 turkeys, 2 of which will be cancelled tomorrow lest I turn into a turkey!!!
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| Turning into a turkey? It's happened before. |
Moral of the story? Whether you want to go to the bank to pay a fee, photo copy so worksheets, or call for help over the phone (using Bahasa Indonesia, AHHHH!), little things here sometimes take a lot of effort. I long for the simplicity of running errands in the US!!! But today, I was totally calm, cool and collected..Not to mention I miraculously accomplished so much in one day. Usually the way things work here, I could have accomplished one of the above errands on a given day. Today's efficiency was a gift!!!!!
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