"Menarilah dan Terus Tertawa"

      Things I Will Miss About Indonesia:

1. Javanese dance and the traditional arts. I used to be so excited by the thought of being able to come back and show everyone what I've learned, but now I've realized that no one back home will understand it like I do. Things are never as fun when you're the only one. I remember back to the time that I first arrived at school and saw a few routines- they looked so foreign and odd, certainly interesting, but a little overwhelming, too. Now that I know the correct forms, names, and a few meanings I can't help but really enjoy watching Javanese dance- something that I won't be able to share with most people back home. I went to see the Ramayana play at Prambanan Temple last week (this is a long, confusing mythological Indonesian story that is told completely through traditional dance) and I absolutely loved it because I could pick out different ragams ("That's ulap-ulap, that's kengser..") and I got to see a lot of stuff that I learned myself at SMKI. (There were several ragams at the end of my kelas I gagah routine that looked sort of funny and I didn't particularly enjoy because the body positions and head moevements were way different from typical gagah style- but it turns out that's how the monkeys in Ramayana are performed :) ) There also isn't strong traditional culture in the States like in Indonesia. That I'll miss, too: the special holidays and celebrations, languages, finding out the reasons behind certain customs or habits; I am always learning new things here.  

2. Hearing the call to prayer. I will miss waking up in the middle of the night and hearing Arabic lyrics floating through my window, and knowing it's around 4:30 am and I still have 45 minutes before I should shower. Each masjid here has loudspeakers mounted next to the building or on the roof, and five times a day they blast, quite literally, a call to prayer. It's all in Arabic, but the lyrics are close to 'There is no God other than Allah', 'Allah is the most powerful/the most great', 'Come everyone and praise Allah', and other short phrases. During prayer times most radio channels play the call, and local TV channels stop their programs to broadcast the call along with translations in Indonesian. Some masjids have live 'callers', but recordings are used also. I can't tell if all the calls say the same thing, or if each masjid uses the same call five times a day because I don't know Arabic and it's difficult to sort out the different sounds and words. I do think that the calls are different on Fridays- at least it sounds that way to me.

3. Spicy food. Yeah, there's spicy food back home but not spicy by Indonesian standards, and not as easy to find. Here, at nearly every restaurant there's a cup of sambal (real chilli sauce- not the bottled kind) at each table. And I feel like I've finally come into my prime of spice tolerance- I can add two big spoonfulls of sambal to my meal and not bat an eyelash. Nowadays I regularly use more sambal than members of my host family. Sigh. I'll miss that burn on my lips. 

4. Eating with my hands. The best feeling is being able to pick up rice without making a mess, and also without everyone staring. At first everyone at school would stop and watch me eat- because I was obviously having difficulties and feeling awkward (also because I would sometimes use my left hand- dumb), tapi sekarang sudah terbiasa. It feels normal, and makes meal times more entertaining, enjoyable. Also, there are less dishes to do afterward. 

5. Cheap prices. Generally I am very good at keeping my wallet glued shut, but lately I've been on a small shopping spree since I soon won't be able to find clothes for ten dollars at regular price. It'll probably be hardest to go out to eat back in the States- here a normal meal is 6.000 to 12.000 rupiah, including a drink, and that's about $0.66 to $1.33 US. I can't imagine paying $20 US for a plate of food. I've also gotten much better, and more comfortable, with haggling. On my last trip to Malioboro I wanted to buy sate telur puyuh (quail egg sate) from a street vendor. She told me a price double of what it typically is, and when I told her this ("Biasanya cuma seribu, mbak...") she looked a bit put off, but gave me my price anyways. Trying to gain an extra 11 cents off the foreign girl? Not today! I also helped another inbound haggle for a bag that I paid about 2/3 more for several months ago. That's a bit disappointing, because I didn't know the right price back then. But you live and you learn. Why are there not traditional markets in Minnesota? I'll miss that kind of shopping. 

6. Drinking out of plastic bags. Almost every day for the last three weeks after school I would buy jus buah segar (fresh fruit juice) from a small stand across the street. Usually either manggo, sirsak, or tape (fermented cassava) and I'd drink it out of a plastic bag with a straw. It's cheaper, makes less garbage, and gives you something to have in your hands while you're bored waiting to be picked up. I think I especially like this because it seemed So Weird when I first got here. I had heard about people in Asia eating with their hands, but not drinking out of plastic bags.

7. Tropical fruits. Sirsak, manggo, sawo, kesemek, pisang, buah naga, belimbing, manggis, markisa, kelapa, duku, duren, pepino, melon, nanas, papaya, jambu, salak, pir singa, jeruk, tape, apulkat, asam, sirikaya... *Sniff* *Tear* 

     Things I am Looking Forward to in Minnesota:

1. Knowing all the rules. This has been the biggest challenge for me this year- learning the different customs within the Indonesian family, and the differences with Chinese and Javanese family customs. It seems like there are an endless amount of rules: who it is appropriate to ask for things or talk to about problems, and when; where you should sit in the car or at the dinner table (this changes with different situations, too); what is expected when guests arrive, what is the appropriate way to sit at home (this applies to girls only) and in public, and so on. So many. I'm looking forward to not having to feel nervous if I'm doing something incorrectly. 

2. Toilet paper. 

3. Family and Friends that I Haven't Seen in Awhile (A Long While).

     I'm sure there are many more things that I'll be adding to both of these lists after I switch back to my home culture and start relearning the 'normal' things- it's difficult to think of everything at one time. Small miss/don't miss-es  will reveal themselves throughout the next few months of reverse culture shock. It's odd to think about how far away I've been for the last year- geographically and culturally. After remembering how difficult it's been to adjust here, it makes me a little nervous to come home. If this already feels normal, then will Minnesota feel more foreign than like home? I don't think so, I hope not, but this is a lingering thought..

I. Am. So. Sorry. But I promise this will be quick- I just need to type up one last food update. I've managed to meet a few good meals and snacks in my last few days here in Indonesia.

Cobra burger! And only 8.000 rp- around 86 cents.

A chicken head. It doesn't look like there are eyes, but don't worry, they're just sunken back into the head. I ate those, too, along with the brain, tongue, and a little meat on the neck. I prefer the eyes, overall. They taste (and crunch) somewhat like sandy oysters. And this being the third try now- I have concluded that brain is not my thing. Even a little bitty chicken brain makes my stomach churn. 

Jangkrik (Cricket). Surpirsingly soft and sweetish? Compared to belalang, anyways.

Belalang (Grasshopper). They don't taste like much; a little crunchy and salty. Just intimidating to look at.

... And one last update on what I've been doing and seeing lately.

Ramayana

The monkey army

And I suppose this is my one last chance to mention SMKI, too. It's been seven days since I've last gone to school, and it already feels like forever. I am incredibly thankful that I was enrolled at a traditional arts school- especially one with such a friendly, helpful student body. It was a dream, truly. Learning traditional Yogya style dance, gamelan, ngembang, rias busana- this is something I'd never thought I'd be able to do, and something I will never forget. Incredible. Traditional Javanese culture is overwhelming in it's complexity, and yet all the different parts seem to fit together in art (mythology, religion, dance, music, costume)- I could spend several more exchange years here and still have much  yet to learn.

In the middle is Sinta, the main princess in Ramayana. The story is basically about a prince who wants to marry Sinta, but she is kidnapped by another prince and so the first courter goes on a search for her. There are several other side stories; it gets a bit complex. I loved watching the dancer who played Sinta. 

    So this is it. The end. I can't say I'm not excited to be in Minnesota again- meet my family at the airport, eat oatmeal for breakfast again, not to mention wear summer dresses when it's hot- but there is certainly a little bit of Indonesia that will stay with me. The depth of culture and customs, focus on preservation of tradition, passion in religion, and respect for elders that I've found here have captured a piece of my heart. Ada bagian diriku yang tetap orang jawa. A part of me will always be Javanese. 

     I've packed my bags and said my goodbyes: I guess that means I'm ready to go home. I won't leave anything behind except host family gifts and some old clothes; the skills, experiences, and good memories I think I'll take with me. The hardships and challenges from the past ten months I'll stuff in my back pocket, use them on bad days to help me keep things in perspective. I don't think I'll encounter anything in my near future that's as hard as leaving family and friends and flying across the world, or the frustrations of trying to adjust and assimilate to an unfamiliar culture. I also don't think I'll find anything as rewarding as knowing I survived through it all, and even made some other accomplishments of my own. 

     In true Indonesian fashion, I'd like to thank everyone that has supported and followed me through these past ten months.  I apologize for shortcomings in my blog, long gaps between posts, and the limited amount of information I've offered. There's so much in Indonesia- I couldn't hope to give a satisfying snapshot of the Spice Islands with just ten months. And so, no longer a Javanese dancer but just a college kid from Minnesota, I'll sign off for the last time and take my flight home. Come on over to Northfield sometime and I'll cook rendang and fix you a glass of jahe wangi. 

Terima Kasih dan Berkah Dalem. Thank you and Bless you all. 

-Andrea

Makanan Khas Yogya dan Lain-Lain

     As if you haven't read enough about food in this blog- there's more talk of Indonesian cuisine coming your way.

Apologies in advance.

     But I realize that I haven't yet told you about Gudeg: makananya khas Yogya, my city's specialty dish. Here in Indonesia every city has at least one dish (usually a few) that are unique to that city. In Yogya, it's gudeg and bakpia. In Bali there's batter fried peanuts, dodol, and brem Bali. The lapis legit cake that I posted about a long time ago is khas Jawa Timur, only made in East Java, and if you remember nasi pecel, the best is from Madiun, near the the northern coast of the island.

     So if you ever come to Yogyakarta, you have to try gudeg, because anywhere else it won't taste as good. Then again, I think I'm the only Yogya inbound that likes gudeg so I perhaps I should say it won't taste as bad in Yogya? Gudeg has several components that are always served together, but the main event is young jackfruit (called gori) that is boiled in gula Jawa for several hours until it becomes dark red-brown and soft. It's served with krecek, which is like a chip made of animal fat then fried in a spicy sauce. Generally this is accompanied by a duck egg boiled in kecap manis, and you can add chicken as well. The egg and the gudeg are sweet, which can be a nice break from all the spicy food in Indonesia. Do I need to say it's served with rice?

The krecek is the big orange piece on top, in front is tempe slices and chillies fried with the krecek. The gudeg is underneath the krecek- you can only see a small bit next to the egg (looks like a piece of beef). I'll admit it took me a few tries to like gudeg- and I'm glad I got used to the flavors because I get invited to eat it a lot, and a common question upon meeting someone here is "Pernah makan gudeg? Suka?" Have you tried gudeg? Do you like it? (And the answer they're looking for is yes.)

     My host mother swears that the best in Yogya is gudeg Yu Djum. I went to the main kitchen off of Jalan Kaliurang (there are three Yu Djum restaurants in the city) and got to meet the Yu Djum: an old, thin Javanese woman wearing the traditional kebaya and jarik. She didn't say much; she was busy sitting on the floor ripping banana leaves for the order-out baskets. Yu Djum was the original gudeg cook, but now her grandaughters run the business, which has become famous throughout Yogya because they only use wood-burning kompors to cook.

Back in the kitchen at Gudeg Yu Djum

Just the other day my host family and I were out eating soto for breakfast, and Yu Djum shows up with two of her granddaughters. So I asked for a picture. One of the granddaughters said she is 80 years old. Yu, by the way, is a Javanese word used to address an older sister. 

  During my year here I've eaten sate ayam, kambing, babi, and keong (chicken, goat, pork (a hard one to find- we had to go to a dark alley off of Malioboro), and snail) and now I can add one more- sate kelinci. Rabbit. It tastes like you would imagine bunny to taste: tender and mild. The sauce is like a mixture of sate kambing and sate ayam sauce; it has both peanuts, chillies, and sweet kecap manis. Rather delicious. The best part was that it was all fairly good cuts of meat. Usually if you buy sate ayam off a cart vendor the first and last pieces on the kebab are meat, the middle ones are skin or fat.

   And I am officially in a fruit frazzle. I only have a little over a week left and I will be leaving all the tropical fruits I have grown to adore. I'm quite certain I will never enjoy a banana in the States ever again. There are about twenty different types of bananas here and even the ones meant for bird food are sweeter than American bananas. The best kind is pisang raja, which can only be found in a produce market (not in grocery stores or fruit stands, generally); it's somewhat short and a bright yellow-orange color on the inside. And So Sweet. My second host family had two pisang raja trees on the side of their house and when the bunches ripened I think I averaged about three a day. What I would love more than anything is to bring back some pisang raja for my Dad's banana bread, but I don't think my bag would make it through customs. I've heard from an Indonesian living near L.A. that she has found pisang raja in an international market there, so maybe there's still hope.

     Though I do enjoy Indonesian bananas, my new favorite fruit is sawo, or sapodilla in English. Have you ever heard of a sapodilla before? I hadn't, before I looked it up on Google a while ago. They have a very odd flavor- my first thought was apricot jam. Very sweet, and a hint almost like caramel. Yum. I bought jus sawo the other day and shared a sip with Pauline, the inbound from Belgium. She paused, gave me a perplexed look and said "How can you drink that? It's not bad, it's just.... weird". I guess it's a weird delicious.

    A fruit that just came into season here is kesemek. It is like a cross between an apple and a mango: crunchy but orange and tropical flavored. What I like is there are no seeds on the inside, so you have no worries while eating :)

    What takes the cake as the oddest fruit I've eaten so far is nutmeg fruit. Baru dicoba tadi malam, I just tried it last night, in dried form, actually. In Indonesian dried fruit is called manisan, and when I saw manisan pala I was confused- is that really nutmeg fruit? (This I learned from looking at recipes: pala halus is ground nutmeg). It looked like clementine-sized slices of dried mango. The flavor was surprisingly similar to the actual nut, and spicy like ginger.

   Last piece of talk about food, I promise- but this one has special significance for my Norwegian heritage. I've been collecting some traditional Indonesian recipes, and there are several common spices/herbs in Indonesian cooking that I had never heard of, and no idea what they looked like. (How am I supposed to cook these if I don't know what the ingredients are?) One of these ingredients was keluak. With a little more research I found it's referred to as the Indonesian Black Nut (a fitting name since in the grocery store it turned out to be a big black nut). Now the bark, leaves, fruit, and seeds of a keluak tree are all poisonous; if crushed or bruised they excrete a chemical like cyanide. It is said that some Indonesian tribes crush the bark and then throw it into rivers/ponds to stun fish and make them easy to catch. The keluak nut has also been known to be placed inside fresh caught fish to preserve them. It's like an Indonesian lutefisk :)

     For me, I plan to use the keluak to make rawon and brongkos, saucy dishes that look like mud but taste much better. Luckily, all keluak products sold in stores have already gone through processes of boiling, drying, etc, to make them edible, so I won't have to worry about that part. I guess I really should try Norwegian lutefisk once I get back to Minnesota, too- since I've made it a habit to eat out of the ordinary dishes (according to me) in Indonesia, I should probably start on the local oddities once I get back home.

    I can't believe I've already come to this point, but I only have around a week left here in Yogya so I'm not sure if I'll be able to fire off another post before I get on my plane home. Hopefully I'll find some time to round out my blog with a post about something other than food... Tapi belum tentu, it's not for sure, though, because I'm already in the process of cramming everything I haven't seen/done into my last days here, not to mention packing and saying goodbye. And rumors are there's a restaurant that serves cobra in Yogya, so you can bet I'll be roaming the city looking for that one last mealtime thrill.

Kita segera ketemu kembali! We will soon meet again!