Lunch!

First experience with the Jackfruit in my lunch!

Friendly, or threatening?

So far in my 9 days in Jakarta, I have been asked by strangers about my religion, my marital status, why I don't have children yet, for my picture, and for the first time tonight, for my e-mail address. While I am flattered, and maybe it is a cultural thing, I also can't help but wonder WHY these people want to know this information. Better over-friendliness than feeling threatened as I walk down the street, but is it just the overwhelmed American in me who wants to put my iPod headphones in and ignore it, or is it just easier to live in your own world and ignore those around you when you have other things to do (i.e., the writing competition)?

On a different note, my frozen guava juice is pretty awesome. And I think that I a getting use to the spices! Bring it on!

Thought of the Day

Longer post later, about exploring Kota and the absolute throngs of Indonesian schoolchildren interviewing and taking pictures with us, but weird moment of the day: two different men asking me my name then if I was married, to which I felt pressured to reply yes because of the way the question was asked...thinking about wearing my class ring on my other hand to deter these questions.

Jakarta Underground

We'd heard a lot about it, but last night was my and Erin's first glimpse into "Jakarta Underground," the side of Jakarta where people drink alcohol, girls wear clothes that would be normal in an American bar, and the conservative culture seem to disappear (although, this was just a glimpse, not the real deal--the real Jakarta Underground includes huge clubs that start the party Thursday night, end it Sunday morning, and feature topless partiers). After the office's internet went out, we left with Hugh and headed for Eastern Promises, a British-Indian bar and restaurant.

The place certainly lived up to its name, though we didn't realize it at first. We were transported back to the states as we entered a smoky wood-and-brass pub for Pressure night, where between 5 and 6 PM all the drinks are free unless someone leaves or goes to the restroom. At 5:30, pressure hour was still going strong, and we had just taken the second sips of our beers when someone cracked. The bar was jam-packed with American, Australian, and British men.

We hung out for a while before other ex-pats started approaching us, the new faces, and only white women, in the bar. After a few minutes of conversation and a round of darts (and a couple more beers), did Erin and I really start to pick up on the vibe of the place (maybe with some help from our new friend Robert, too): each man seemed to have his own "Eastern Promise," usually a good decade or two younger than himself. These women wore the skimpy clothes Ive seen in store windows in the Jakarta malls but had yet to see ON anyone; they smoked, flirted, and as Robert said, gave out the "I'm looking for a green card" vibe.

We moved into the back room for some Indian food, but not before I was introduced by Robert to Ari, a friend of his...and the NYU alum who happened to have found me this job. While this was extremely fortuitous, Ari was late for a party and we didn't have much time to talk, but hope to meet up next week. "All roads lead to Toad's" flashed through my head, and I realized at that moment--I have found the Jakarta Toad's.

Past the Indian restaurant full of families with children, we entered an outdoor bar area where a stage was being set up and we ordered Indian food to go with our beer. While the ex-pat men and their wives/mistresses/catches of the night looked on, a cover band of six or so Indonesian girls took the stage and completely blew us away with some Alanis Morisette and Tina Turner. All in all, a great, though somewhat bizarre, night.

(video to come-blogger not wanting to upload it)

(picture courtesy my lovely co-intern Erin Stock)

Mmmmmmm

Indonesian donuts beat American donuts any day (yes, that is fresh out of the oven, with a dark chocolate glaze and cappuccino cream inside).

A glimpse

Because I know you are all sitting on the edge of your seats waiting for an update, I give you this: my view as I work on the writing competition. Exciting, isn't it.

East Kosting

Today, some co-workers and I went around to a few different kosts and took photos for the other interns to look at before they get here (the first one might come next week?)

The good news: of the ones we looked at, ours is by far the nicest, and the best deal.
The bad news: none of the other ones are next door to mosques. Oh, well.

Erin and I attempted to grab some dinner from the tents that go up by the Pasar Santa at night, and we did get some sate, although we were afraid we had been ripped off (two dollars! so expensive!) We got lost on the way there, though, and our co-worker Iwan (who is actually going to DC for the next week!) had to save us. It is still bizarre to me how it turns pitch black here by 7 PM, but there are tons of people (and vehicles) on the streets, so it is hard not to feel safe.

It is really nice to be working at a place where you don't have to bill by the hour, and where learning about the culture and history of the country is just as important to the job as turning out deliverables. I spent almost an hour talking to my co worker about controversial issues in Indonesia, like abortion (commonly offered on the black market, but not safe), birth control (condoms abound, but good luck getting anything else unless you are married), and marital rape (no such thing). I also learned about ROHIS, the radical Muslim student society that exists at most campuses here. In contrast to the US< when you go to university, you are just as likely to become more conservative after spending time with these groups as you are to become more liberal!

My last note is that I got covered in bug bits while waiting for the sate. New plan: DEET 2x a day. NOW I understand why they like to cover up here.

(Photo: the nicest kost, but no internet, and 500,000 rupiyah more expensive than ours!)