Tinggi

I think it is safe to say that I look very big compared to Indonesians. Most of the time I don't notice how much taller I am than everyone else, but in some situations I am painfully aware. For example, I went shopping with Vania several days ago at the mall. I was in a department store and I picked out a shirt to buy, and the sales lady looks at the shirt and goes, "This is a size 8, like a small. But we have bigger sizes in back". I politely declined and didn't think much of it, until I went to look at another, smaller store. Vania told the worker that I was looking for T-shirts, and she started pulling up Larges from a table nearby. Ugh. I took the shirt and held it up to me to show her that it was way too big, and then grabbed another small to buy. Only when I got home did I realize that she sold me a men's shirt.

So I wore my new shirt to the beach on Tuesday; it was a little roomy but very comfortable. The trip was Vania, three of her friends, and I crammed into a little car and hurtling down winding mountain roads for over an hour. Thankfully I didn't get car sick, but I sure was relieved when we finally arrived. (I learned on the way there that a good portion of teenage drivers in Indonesia don't have their license yet). The beach was very steep, and the water was cold! I have been told many times that no one actually swims near Yogya because there are dangerous undercurrents, and I understood that perfectly when I got there because the water got deep very fast. Despite my best efforts to stay clean and dry, I ended up soaking wet with sand all over. As far as I have seen, the female swimsuit doesn't really exist here- the women just play in the ocean with all their clothes on, while men have the same type of swim trunks that we have in the states.

After wading and relaxing for awhile, we got in the car and drove a short way to another beach to eat. This beach was more like a cove, and was much more crowded. There were a bunch of boats parked on the sand and kites for sale. Some small restaurants were situated just past the sand (the beaches here are pretty short) where we sat down and ordered our lunch. Instead of waiting for our food, we decided to climb up the hill on the side of the beach to do some sight seeing.

Oh, I wish you had been there. The hike was tiring, but the view was breathtaking. We walked out to the very edge of the cliff, far past where the beach-goers were below. There was another outcropping next to us that went further out to see, and there was just a small red-roofed house right at the top of the cliff. Admittedly, I immediately thought "I want to get married there". We'll see. There was a rickety metal tower (some sort of signal tower?) that you could climb, but we only made it to the first landing. The tower was swaying in the wind, and the ladder was pretty rusty, but the view was great. I took some pictures, but I'm not a good enough photographer to capture what it was like to actually be up there. It was beautiful! In addition to the amazing view, there was a strong ocean breeze to cool you off, and the sound of waves crashing into the cliff below. It seemed perfect, but I couldn't stay up there forever because I was also very hungry. Back at the restaurant I drank out of my first coconut and ate fish and squid with rice.

In order to get home that night, Vania and I rode on motorcycles with two of her friends. As part of the orientation projects, I had put "Ride on a motorcycle through busy traffic" on my to-do list for my exchange year. I'm not sure if that would have made the list after I saw how people drive in Yogya.. My stomach was in a knot the whole time, and I definitely closed my eyes for some of the ride- particularly when we were passing a bus or a truck- but I arrived safe and well. What a day.

Later that night, most of the Yogya Rotex and Pauline and I went to the airport to greet the two inbounds from Brazil, Paulinho and Julia. They were two of the four inbounds from Brazil who all got to be on the same flight to Jakarta, where two were dropped off, and then they (Paulo and Julia) flew to Yogya together. I am glad Julia is close to my height :) After they arrived, we met Paulinho's greeting party at a Chinese restaurant in a hotel nearby. For Paulinho's first meal in Indonesia everyone was using chopsticks, and he was a little lost. Thankfully someone got him a fork somewhere along the way. Now we are just waiting for Megan from Florida (she comes in a few days I believe) and then all of the Yogya inbounds will be here.

Pauline, Me, Paulinho, and Julia

On Wednesday, I went bowling with Pauline, Dika, Gabe, and Anton (Rotex). It was the hottest day since I have arrived, but I bowled a pretty average game (73) for me, anyways. After our game, we were going to get some ice cream in Malioboro, a traditional market here in town, but it was super packed because it was the end of Idul Fitri and Yogya is very crowded and busy during this time. Instead we went to pick up Qia and Wibi (Rotex) and went to the mall for some sushi. Wibi went on an exchange to Japan a few years ago and he put so much wasabi on his sushi, I was tearing up just looking at it. My favorite part of the day was when we went out for coffee afterward at a pretty basic coffee house. I had teh tarik, "pulled tea", which is tea and milk (I think?) mixed together by pouring it back and forth between two cups (but it looks more impressive than I can describe it). It was very good. We all played a card game similar to poker (I was not good at all) and chatted until about 10 pm. Gabe told Pauline and I about how Yogya is known for it's close group of Rotex., and that's why Indonesia's Rebound Orientation has been held in Yogya for the past 5 years. It has been really nice being able to see the city with the Rotex here- they all make time for us inbounds even with school and their jobs. I really enjoy the time I spend with them- they teach us bahasa Indonesia but also can explain things in English. I am glad I got placed in Yogya.

Finally, yesterday I went to Gabe's house with Vania, Pauline, and Anton, where we played a card game called Citadel for a long time. Gabe's house was very traditional, and wonderful! I fell in love. Right in the center of the lot is a living room, I suppose, but it is more like a enormous gazebo made of wood with a thatched roof and a raised, tiled floor. There are no walls, of course. It was perfect for enjoying the good weather and hanging out with friends. Other than that, there are several smaller buildings surrounding the living area which are each single bedrooms (for the family members), and a kitchen. There is no air conditioning, but I would live there in a heartbeat. For dinner, we decided to drive to a Pantai Depok, a different beach from where I went before. When we got there we went straight to a fresh seafood market that was right on the sand, and we ordered dinner. Five cakalang fish (about the size of a perch), two cumi (squid), two ikan putih (white fish, rather small) and a bag of shrimp was 130.000 rp (twelve dollars). A man then took our fish to a restaurant to be cooked. To eat, we took off our shoes (like everywhere in Indonesia) and sat on the floor at low tables in an open restaurant. Two bats kept flying in and out while we were eating. The cakalang was absolutely delicious- it had been honey grilled and might just be my favorite meal so far in Indonesia. Everything is cooked or fried whole, which is still a bit weird to see, but I successfully peeled a shrimp using a fork and spoon which made me pretty proud.

The bucket is full of pieces of sting ray

The cakalang is in the middle, ikan puti on the right

After dinner, we went to check out the beach. The sun had set before we even arrived, so I could barely see where I was going between the black sand, black sky, and since most of the restaurant stands around us were already closed. The stars were amazing. It was odd that the market and the beach could be so busy and crowded during the day, but then at night all the lights turn off and it is so quiet and peaceful. This was my first "I could stay here forever" feeling in Indonesia. We stood for awhile looking at the sky while Gabe talked about how we all will have to come back sometime to eat hammerhead shark head (!) and sting ray, and maybe stay overnight at a restaurant (they will set up a bed and breakfast sort of thing if you ask). Again, I am so thankful to be in Yogya. Gabe was talking during dinner about how everyone who comes to Indonesia wants to stay in Bali, which is beautiful, but Yogya has beaches and mountains too, and is much cheaper. Not to mention we have the great Rotex program.

So finally, I am feeling like Yogya could be my home for the next 11 months or so. I still have a lot to learn and adapt to, but I am so lucky to be where I am. School starts in six days! I am getting progressively more nervous, but excited as well for the change of pace and the learning experience. I am fully prepared to be the tallest kid in the class. The back row is suitable for my beginner's status, anyways.

With love, from Indonesia!