Happy New Year, Everyone!!
It's funny to think that all of you in North America are still in 2011. As Laura said, it's really time for you all to get with the times... "2011 is SO last year." ;)
This morning was a bittersweet one, as I said good-bye to my family, who are heading back to Canada (in Austin's case) and to China to spend some time with our family there. Dad was here for nearly three full weeks, and Mom and Austin for just one week, but it felt like more while we were in it. Now, however, the time seemed to have just flown by, and I wish they could stick out the next... 7 months with me! So that's the bitter part- that they had to leave. The sweet part is that the trip to the airport meant a stop at McDonald's! (My aim for 2012 is to look at the positive- there it is for ya.)
No, by FAR the sweetest part of my family having visited is that now they know. Everything I have been describing makes complete sense to them now. Before they came, all of what they knew of my experience came from my blog, from emails, and from phone and skype chats. Until now, I thought that I was doing a pretty good job at painting an accurate picture for those of you who take the time to keep up with my blog. I realize now just how TINY a glimpse I am able to give you. I can post pictures and provide explanations, but to truly understand it, you'd have to hop on a plane and come see for yourself. (I strongly encourage this- I'm here until July, friends!)
Descriptions and pictures can provide a foundation from which we can create an image for ourselves of what a certain situation or place must be like. The trouble is that we only know what we know, and so we try to fit the descriptions we read and the pictures that we see, into the only world that is familiar to us, whatever that may be. One day, while I was talking about my (beautiful, PERFECT) hometown of NOTL, I learned that the people I was talking to were picturing a village. It makes sense that they came to that conclusion- I told them that I was in a small town, and the closest thing to that here is a village. I knew exactly what they were picturing because I know what a village here is like, but I couldn't really do anything to change their image- no amount of pictures or description could create the accurate picture in their head because my world in Canada is non-existent here. Conversely, before arriving here, Dad asked me to describe Semarang. I explained it as best as I could, and then finally Dad said, "Oh, so kind of like Hamilton?" I replied, "kind of", knowing that I wouldn't be able to explain it any more accurately in a way that he could understand. (Now I know you're all DYING to come see me here, eh?). Semarang is like Hamilton in the sense that it is an industrial city (not a tourist city) and that it's also a port city. However, when Dad arrived, he said, "This is NOTHING like Hamilton!"
The incredible thing about travel is that just one day in a new place opens our eyes more than all of the books and pictures we could ever get our hands on. Books and pictures can teach facts and provide awesome information and stories, but they cannot convey the sensations, the feelings, and the overall vibe of a place. Being here puts faces to faceless stories, builds empathy and respect, and is a rare opportunity to gain an understanding that would otherwise be impossible to gain. I feel more and more privileged to have not just that one day, but an entire year to learn, simply by being here.
Despite the knowledge that our time together had to come to an end, we had an incredible little getaway just the four of us, to Jogjakarta (also spelled Yogyakarta, and often abbreviated to Jogja). Jogja is one of the two most popular tourist destinations on Java (the other being Solo, a city that I can safely say is NOT among my top 10 favourite places, for a number of circumstances that were beyond the city's control). We first spent a day in Salatiga, visiting Karen and Major and then heading to Pak Lilik and Ibu Christin's for an incredible homemade lunch. That night, we went on a hike, and then Ibu Christin made homemade pizza, which I enjoyed perhaps a little too thoroughly (I think I ate 5 pieces). Pak Lilik's sister had kindly allowed us to use her home for the night, which is right across the street from Pak Lilik's, and we woke up in the morning ready to head out on our day of touring with Pak Lilik, Ibu Christin, Peter, and Steven.
Now I must say, if there were an award for the most ambitious sight-seers in the world, Indonesians would claim gold. Karen and Major were telling us that during their day in Jogja with their Indonesian friends, they went to four beaches. Four. In one day. While that was not exactly our scenario, we managed to pack into the day:
-a horseback ride through the Gedong Songo Temples (the first and likely last time that I will see my Dad on a horse. He's not a fan of them to begin with due to a trail ride gone-awry way back in his youth, and go figure, Dad was the one to get stuck with the fat trail guide who was too tired to keep up with his horse, and left Dad alone to fend for himself.)
-a lunch buffet (Indonesian buffets are quite unique. This was by far the best one I had)
-Borobudur Temple (The number one tourist attraction in Indonesia, and was also featured on The Amazing Race back in October.) This place is INCREDIBLE! I was also able to use my Bahasa Indonesia in a wildly satisfying way on our way back to the car after seeing the temple. The walk back from the temple requires going by dozens of vendors, where people are trying to sell souvenirs. One boy, presumably used to using his little English to butter up the Western tourists, came up to me holding some item for sale, and said in the sweetest voice, "Oh Miss, where you from?" I responded (in Bahasa Indonesia) with a smile, "I'm from Canada, and I can speak Bahasa Indonesia, and I don't want anything, thank you." He was absolutely shocked and left me immediately.
-A trip to a silver store. Pak Lilik has connections here, and was able to get us incredible discounts.
-Dinner at a restaurant where you choose your own fish, and eat off of banana leaves instead of plates.
In that whole time, Peter never complained once (he's 6 years old), and Steven had only two minor breakdowns (he's 3). The stamina was astounding!
We got to our hotel, and were pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. We had low expectations based on the responses of others when we said where we were staying, but it FAR exceeded them. The hotel, called Rumah Palagan, is tucked away on a quiet little street with nothing but delicious restaurants surrounding it. Hotel rooms here are usually just for two people, so we got two rooms. We had been expecting a double bed in each room, but instead found that there were two twin beds in our room, and a king in mom and dad's. There was hot water (I cannot emphasize enough what a luxury this is) and A/C, and the gardens were extensive and beautiful. There was a gorgeous pool that we spent two of our three days sitting around (much to the shock and dismay of all of the Indonesian friends, who, as I previously alluded to, view vacation as a time to see and do as much as possible), and the staff went out of their way to make things as amazing as they possibly could for us (to the point where one of the staff offered to take me on his motorbike to an ATM when I found out that there wasn't one close by). We spent one day at a beach (just like those pictures of Indonesian beaches) and spent that same evening exploring Malioboro (the main souvenir strip). A friend of MCC's, Pak Ronny (who did all of the arranging for us, right down to providing us snacks and drinks for our bus ride home), took us to an incredible restaurant one night (where, in the attached store, I found Campbell's soup!!!), and our family went out for what may have been the best meal of my life, the third night. It was a perfectly blissful vacation, full of the rest and relaxation that I needed.
New Year's Eve was spent at church, where we were treated to a record-breaking church service (time-wise), and a potluck to follow. It was probably the most unique New Years Eves I've had. We watched the fireworks from out the back window, which were going off from at least a half dozen different places up the mountain. We counted down twice because we thought we missed it the first time, and headed to bed shortly thereafter.
And now here we are, at the beginning (or almost at the beginning) of a brand new year, full of potential and opportunities! Wishing all of you all the best with any New Years resolutions you may have (special prizes to those who make it to February), and I'm looking forward to keeping in touch with you throughout the coming weeks!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Lots of love,
Ellery
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