06 February 2006 @ 1:16pm. Apparently, my new nickname among some of the staff at the Governor’s Office is “Jennifer Lopez.” 
Today’s immigration run wasn’t too bad, except that we kept getting lost in the massive building because different elevators went to different floors. We took a long time figuring out how exactly to get to the 10th floor. I have to return tomorrow or Wednesday, as well as go to additional offices this week. I can see the finish line in the near distance and hope to be finished soon.
Some or all of you may have heard about protestors who set the Danish Consulate on fire in Lebanon. What a sad, sad affair. Yes, there was a protest here in Jakarta (and another this morning), but it was very small and non-violent. Official meetings were later held to discuss various matters of concern. I have seen some of the debates on the BBC and CNN about “free speech vs. respect for religious differences.” This reminds me of the controversy at Vassar College during my senior year concerning free speech and community respect for people of color. I hope that the dialogues continue and that some consensus/balance may be found.
I had a nice weekend and hope you did, too. I spent time with a friend. We went shopping, watched movies, and visited a salon. She got refleksi, which is essentially a massage for the calves and feet. I had a creambath, which is a deep conditioning treatment for hair. The humidity does crazy things to my curls, so I have to find ways to keep my hair under control. Health and beauty are really emphasized here for women (and to some extent men as well), so the salon was really busy this weekend. What’s great is that taking care of yourself (e.g., regular massages, refleksi, haircare, jamu (vitamin drinks), etc.) is considered normal and necessary, so costs are relatively inexpensive for everyone, not just foreigners. The weekend was nice as well because I got a lot of practice speaking and listening to Indonesian, which I appreciated. I also tried some East Javanese food (soto ayam, or chicken soup), which is somewhat stronger in flavor than the food I tend to eat each day.
I have yet to get into working full-time as I’m still waiting for my computer to arrive. Unfortunately, there were some issues with it before I left. I’m fortunate to be able to use a computer at the office, but downloading and uploading take a long time. In the meantime, I’m doing what graduate students tend to do: read, read, read.
