Jenny’s Journies

Friday, 28 April 2006 @ 4:24pm. After Easter, I got to thinking about holidays. Indonesia has plenty of holidays, though they tend to be different from the States. For me, it’s nice to be someplace where most folks have actually heard about Vesak or Waisak.

Indonesia celebrates government holidays as well as the major holidays of the “official” religions: Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. These dates are usually marked in red on calendars and are considered non-work days. Depending on the day of the week that the holiday falls on, there may be one or two extra days-off added. It is interesting how the country celebrates diversity in this way, but also limits diversity to the five religions.

2006 holidays include —

01 January 2006: Tahun Baru Masehi (New Year’s Day)
10 January 2006: Idul Adha 1426 Hijriyah (Idul Adha - 10 Dzulhijjah 1426 H)
29 January 2006: Tahun Baru Imlek 2557 (Lunar/Chinese New Year)
31 January 2006: Tahun Baru 1427 Hijriyah (Muslim New Year 1427 H)
30 March 2006: Hari Raya Nyepi (Nyepi Saka 1926 - usually for Bali Hindus)
10 April 2006: Maulid Nabi Muhammad SAW (Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday - 12 Rabiul Awal 1427)
14 April 2006: Wafat Yesus Kristus (Good Friday)
13 May 2006: Hari Raya Waisak (Buddha’s Birth/Enlightenment/Passing)
25 May 2006: Kenaikan Yesus Kristus (Ascension of Jesus Christ)
17 August 2006: Hari Kemerdekaan RI (Indonesia’s Independence Day)
21 August 2006: Isra’Mi’raj Nabi Muhammad SAW (Ascension Day of Prophet Muhammad)
24-25 October 2006: Idul Fitri 1 Syawal 1427 Hijriyah (Idul Fitri - 1 & 2 Syawal 1426H)
25 December 2006: Hari Raya Natal (Christmas Day)
31 December 2006: Idul Adha 1427 Hijriyah (Idul Adha - 10 Dzulhijjah 1427 H)

Wednesday, 26 April 2006 @ 7:00pm. The images below come from various sites on the Internet…

INDONESIAN MONEY, A.K.A. RUPIAH:

Money here also comes in 1000, 5000, and 100000 bills. There are also 25, 50, 100, and 500 coins. Today’s exchange rate is about 1 U.S. dollar to 8,800 Indonesian rupiah. This is generally good for the Indonesian economy and not so good for foreigners like me who have U.S. dollars. I actually have to check the exchange rate quite frequently since a few hundred or thousand rupiah adds up quickly.

In addition, even though I deal with such large denominations (i.e., lots of zero’s) everyday, I don’t think my mental math has improved all that much. Don’t ask me how I managed to get through all those statistics classes either - it’s all about the computer doing the number-crunching!

TRANSPORTATION: I usually ride on the back of someone’s motorbike, but for longer distances I take the Busway or a Blue Bird Taxi.

I have used a bajaj for transportation before, but sometimes it’s faster to walk if the traffic is really bad!

Tuesday, 25 April 2006 @ 3:16pm.

Me: “Um, when does the dry season start?”
Him: “I don’t know. It will be the rainy season for a loooong time.” (chuckles)

I like the sound of rain, especially at night time. I think the rain cleanses the earth. Rain helps the trees and flowers grow. That being said, rain also contributes to crazy humidity, dirty floods, and breeding grounds for mosquitos!

Like the rain, bureaucracies can have their good and bad sides. Wish me luck as I go through the [insert your own adjective here] process of extending my stay permit in Jakarta (must be done every two months!) and attempt to get permission to travel to other cities outside of Jakarta.

Generation Asian-American: Time Magazine (Asia Edition, 01 May 2006) had a good article today: “Between Two Worlds: Born in the U.S.A. to Asian Parents, a Generation of Immigrants’ Kids Forges a New Identity” by Nadia Mustafa and Jeff Chu.

Did you know that exclusion laws in the U.S. limited the number of immigrants to 100 per year per country for most Asian countries until 1965? And that after President Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act, annual per-country quotes were increased to 20,000? See page 42 of the article for more details.

Quotes that spoke to me include:

Asian Americans say part of the reason it is so hard to reach an equilibrium is that they are seen as what sociologists call “forever foreigners.” Their looks lead to a lifetime of questions like, “No, where are you really from?” (p. 43)

Vanessa DeGuia, now 26… Another [classmate] came over for dinner, took a bite of a Filipino egg roll made by Vanessa’s mom, spat it out and asked if it was made of dog. (p. 43) –> I didn’t experience this personally, but I vividly recall my sister having a get-together once and her little friends freaking out over the crab my mother served for dinner, which by the way, had they been informed was a HUGE deal for us culturally and financially. I also recall bringing fried rice to a class potluck one time, which no one touched, and my mother being confused and in tears when I brought the dish home. I didn’t understand it either at the time, particularly since who wouldn’t LOVE Filipino fried rice?

Racial alientation and ethnic mockery are commonplace in the immigrant-kid experience… But previous generations of immigrants’ kids, including those Italians and Jews, lived in neighborhoods with built-in social support structures - people who looked like them, ate like them, prayed like them. They had what Marissa Dagdagan, 28, a daughter of Filipino-born doctors, who grew up in Burr Ridge, Illinois, says she did not - “people like me that I could corrobrate with.” (p. 43)

The article briefly touches on issues of “discovery” in college regarding Asian and Asian-American identities, as well as interracial relationships. For example, “Both Grace Chang Lucarelli and her sister married white men. Although their Taiwanese parents weren’t pleased at first, Lucarelli says they understood the odds. ‘They took us to Texas,’ she says, of her upbringing in the small town of Terrell. ‘What did they expect?’” (p. 45).

Though the article spoke to my “Asian half” if you will, I wonder what an article would look like for those of us who are bi- or multi-racial. Imagine the issues we face on top of having an Asian-American identity since we have to straddle many more than two worlds!

Saturday, 22 April 2006 @ 12:58pm.

In the fight against mosquitos, Minyak Gosok (rubbing oil) is #1. It hails from Makassar, South Sulawesi and sold all over Indonesia. It’s a powerful jamu (traditional herbal medicine). Some jamu is for drinking, but this jamu is just for dabbing on your skin. It sure beats other obat nyamuk (mosquito repellent) like smoking coils, chemical sprays, candles, and lotions. Though many people tend to have all of these in their arsenal.

Speaking of jamu, there’s one for every ailment or concern imaginable. If you’re feeling a bit sick or you want to have more energy or you want to simply maintain your health, there’s an appropriate concoction out there. Two popular jamu are Sari Rapet for women and Kuat Lelaki (strong man) for men, which are said to improve one’s sexual organs. There are special jamu for pregnant women and babies as well. The jamu I am most familiar with tends to be in liquid form sold by jamu ladies who go door to door. More “modern” jamu can come in powder, pill, and ointment form. Folks from all socioeconomic classes and walks of life may use jamu for their health. For example, I saw a lady at the gym yesterday - an admittedly upper-middle class to upper-class place at the mall - pull out a bottle of homemade jamu to give to her friend and instructed her when and how to take it.

On a personal note, I am feeling less tired than earlier in the week, so I take this as a good sign that my body has successfully fought whatever it was I had. Perhaps I will turn to jamu first next time instead of just waiting it out.

On my walk to work each day, I pass an older woman and her husband who have a small mobile food stand. We usually exchange hellos and smiles, but today elicited the biggest smile I’ve seen so far and even two thumbs up. The woman said that I was orang Jawa (Javanese) because I was wearing a handkerchief on my head. I usually wear one in the States if I have braids, work out, clean the house, or just want a hairstyle change. Apparently, I forgot that wearing a handkerchief can also be a sign of Javanese-ness.

Thursday, 20 April 2006 @ 5:35pm. I am so tired. Despite sleeping a record 10 hours last night (though it was interrupted several times by construction outside), I am really tired. This is the third day of being tired and I’m not sure what is wrong. I don’t have a fever nor do I feel sick to my stomach — thank goodness! My hunch is that I might have caught a bug from one or two folks at the Sunday brunch. They were feeling run down at the time and perhaps I was exposed to something? Or maybe it’s the hot sun, work, and/or just being overseas in general? In any case, this isn’t the way I thought I would be “celebrating” my third month of fieldwork…

Despite being tired, I managed to help out with a joint program sponsored by AMINEF, the Educational Advising Service, and American Corner (U.S. Embassy program) at the University of Indonesia last Monday afternoon. I gave a presentation on studying for a Masters or Ph.D. in the U.S. to interested undergraduate students. Though the audience could understand English, I was asked to speak in Indonesian at the last minute. I complied, but of course felt very malu (shy/embarrassed)! Tuesday and Wednesday I had interviews with some great women. They re-energized me intellectually. Now I just have to figure out how to answer some of the challenging questions and issues they brought up. I also had lunch yesterday with a fellow Fulbrighter who is visiting Jakarta briefly from Sumatra. I really enjoyed his Southern company and hospitality!

If you’re interested in reading other blogs that have Indonesian content or blogs by Indonesians, visit this central site. The blogs are in Indonesian, English & Indonesian, and English. Some of the photography blogs have amazing pictures (e.g., underwater sea life, cultural dances, and ordinary scenes of daily life).

Recent news:

* Around 20 Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders who have been living in exile overseas, mostly in Europe, have returned to Banda Aceh, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

* Mount Merapi, about 30 km north of Yogyakarta, Central Java, may erupt any day now! I saw lava flow in February 2001 if I remember correctly, and though it was beautiful from afar, it was scary to think about all of the villagers at risk who needed to be evacuated. No fatalities were reported then, but Merapi has taken victims in previous years.

* Lia Eden is on trial in Jakarta for blasphemy. Lia is the leader of the Eden Community, a controversial religious minority group.

Monday, 17 April 2006 @ 9:35am. Happy Easter! I attended a Catholic mass on Saturday evening with a couple of friends. I was surprised, though probably shouldn’t have been, that there was a high level of security surrounding the event. For example, I saw two dogs - one Golden Retriever and one German Shepard mix (which is rare to see in general anyway) - at the entrance and security also checked bags. As a bit of background, the church was attacked a few years ago during Christmas, hence the present concern and strict security procedures. The church is part of a junior high school. The school itself is composed of around 70% Chinese (minority group in Indonesia) and 30% various other ethnic groups.

The service was actually held in the school’s auditorium since the church was too small to accomodate everyone. My friends estimated that more than 500 people attended the mass. The auditorium was packed and therefore very hot (no AC!), but the service was beautiful. Three hours, too, but beautiful! I really liked the part where everyone lit each others’ small candles and the part where the junior high school band played “modern” music (e.g., “You Raise Me Up” and “I Will Follow Him”). I commented, “This is the most rockin’ mass I’ve ever been to.” I also found it interesting that even though I didn’t understand all of the Indonesian since there were many formal religious terms, I was able to follow quite well given that Catholic masses usually follow the same format.

Yesterday, I went to Easter brunch with my friends and some new acquaintences at Hotel Mid-Plaza Intercontinental’s Java Restaurant. The spread was great. I especially liked the roasted vegetables, french bread and butter, and desserts. We also had a really nice time sharing stories.

Thursday, 13 April 2006 @ 7:36pm. It’s now day three of the deluge of water from the sky. I am waiting at the office for the streets to drain a bit more. I was already out today and let’s just say I was not in the best of moods with a soaking wet jean skirt and backpack. Fortunately, the papers in my bag were okay. I would have been even more cranky had today’s interview notes been smudged. As I walked in the rain and through dirty street water, I asked aloud “What is the purpose of all of this rain?” There are droughts in other places of the world with people who are desperate for water, and yet, it’s falling in waves here and not there… One of the nice things about all the rain, however, is that many folks are patient and helpful. Traffic slows down to safer speeds and people laugh more, in part because that’s pretty much all you can do and the alternative, which is to be upset, doesn’t do anyone any good. Sadly, there are also negatives. For example, three people passed away when the strong winds and rain caused a large, heavy tree to crash on top of their mini-bus.

Tuesday, 11 April 2006 @ 3:00pm. It is raining so heavily outside that I don’t have the vocabulary to describe just how much water is coming down from the sky. The thunder is booming and cracking above, but you feel it inside. There are several large leaks at the office and the staff are hurrying to keep the buckets from overflowing. I am now very thankful I moved cubbies as my old space is now completely soaked. I offered to help with clean-up, but was told that things were fine and I should go back to work. I am currently glancing up at the ceiling directly above me every few minutes in case I have to move all of my books and computer stuff…

Yesterday was a holiday - Maulid Nabi Muhammad SAW (Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday) - so most things were closed, but not the theaters, so I went to see “Berbagi Suami” (”Sharing a Husband”). [If the link does not take you directly to the page in English, then click on “English” in the top left corner.] “Berbagi Suami” is one of the best films I have ever seen. The dialogue was great. There were several layers of subtle lessons and connections. I left the theater thinking how impressed I was that the director, producers, et al. tackled various difficult subjects in interesting, creative, and intelligent ways. And there were parts that were hilarious! What a combination!

On a completely unrelated note, I came across two funny things as of late… (1) seeing heart-shaped moth balls in neon colors (usually placed in drawers and bathrooms), and (2) receiving a link to Asian-American (specifically Filipino) t-shirts for sale that have funny and/or political messages.

Sunday, 09 April 2006 @ 5:36pm. I’m taking things slow today since yesterday was pretty busy, but in a good, interesting way!

I bought my first issue of Playboy yesterday. It’s my first issue ever actually and it’s a bit ironic that I bought it in a predominantly Muslim country and not in the U.S. The first Indonesian issue is very tame. There is no nudity at all, much to the disappointment of some Indonesians. Most of the magazine contains articles. There’s even an article by famous author Pramoedya Ananta Toer and one piece on East Timor. The magazine was expensive, almost USD$5.00, but it’s an historical event so I forked over the cash. My two friends and I didn’t have to say a word to the vendor; he knew immediately what we wanted and pulled out copies from a locked bottom drawer, smiling the entire time. It will be very interesting to see how all of this unfolds, especially given the recent tense climate and debates over the anti-pornography and pornographic action bill…

I then had lunch at Trattoria, a wonderful new Italian restaurant. I had a vegetarian thin-crust personal pizza. I was dancing in my seat! Freebies included bread and olive oil while you wait for your meal and then a shot of rich chocolate and vodka as a finisher.

We then met up with two other friends and went to an arts exhibition called “Heavenly Cloths from Sumba” at Bentara Budaya Jakarta:

This last picture is considered to be a modern motif:

More information about Sumba can be found here…

I thought the following was a good quote (taken from my calendar), especially after we capped the evening off with dessert at Koi Restaurant:

“What use are cartridges in battle? I always carry chocolate instead.” - George Bernard Shaw

I had a chocolate tart with basil icecream. It was heavenly, a nice complement to the heavenly Sumba cloths.

Yesterday was a much-appreciated and much-needed break from my usual routine of work, sleep, eat, exercise, and then repeat!

Friday, 07 April 2006 @ 1:36pm. I had a very nice interview last Tuesday afternoon with the Editor of Kompas, which is the largest paper in Indonesia. He was really helpful. On my way out, I also ran into a former language teacher from Yogyakarta. What a small world! She’s working at Kompas now. I appreciated these two good things since taxis to and from the Kompas office took longer than needed. The drivers were not familar with the streets unfortunately.

I forgot to mention a strange thing that happened last Saturday… As I was walking home, I heard this loud noise. I thought it sounded like it might be thunder or construction, but it turned out to be a huge branch that was about to fall. It cleared the sidewalk just a bit in front of me and landed in the street. I was completely startled and scared, but a guy across the street started laughing. I don’t know if it was nervous laughter or what. In any case, I quickly left the area, but kept thinking that not only do I have to worry about traffic or other persons, but now I have to worry about nature! I might also add that it didn’t help my spirits that a black cat crossed my path earlier in the week, too! I noticed that the cat had a white patch on his chest, so perhaps I won’t have bad luck.

Perhaps you have heard the news about the labor protests that took place last Wednesday. The workers marched (on foot, motorbike, and by bus) from the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle to the State Palace. There were similar rallies in other parts of Java and Sumatra. I witnessed part of the march in the morning and came across it again later in the day. Reports indicate that nearly 50,000 people took to the streets. The protests were against the proposed revisions to the 2003 Labor Law, which is supposedly pro-business and diminishes workers’ rights. Traffic was at a standstill for the whole day. I actually had to walk quite a distance to get back to the office from a meeting since it was faster. Even the ojek (motorcyclists for hire) didn’t want to take any passengers. The bajai (small three-wheeled covered buggy/bike) also couldn’t get through because of the logjam. Many businesses were closed since workers did not show up. They were either in support of the rally or couldn’t get to work because of the bad traffic.

The following picture is of labor marchers near the end of the day:

There are better images at Kompas. After clicking on the link, scroll down and then click on the image for a better view.

This next picture is of graffiti that caught my attention on the walk back to the office because (1) it’s in English and (2) it’s usually a phrase associated with the Philippines, not Indonesia. It was hard to tell how recent someone spraypainted these words, though:

Graffiti with political messages usually say “TOLAK [insert issue here].” “Tolak” or “menolak” means “to reject, refuse, prevent, or push aside.”