Hello, Hello!
This week, for one reason or another, I found myself in much higher spirits. I'm not sure what came first- special little things that made this week a better one, or a refreshed mentality that helped me to more clearly see the little things that are actually always there. I like to believe that it's the second one, and that I will see the beauty that surrounds me every day, if I choose to look for it.
Perhaps the biggest "Little Blessing" this week happened yesterday at the TK. I was teaching colours to the A-2 class (4 year olds), and, since I am not above bribery in any way, I was handing out candies to all of the kids who got their colours right (which meant giving each kid a candy regardless of whether they got it correct, or whether they eagerly yelled "blue!" when in fact the colour was yellow- this is much easier than attempting to deal with the tears of anguish that follow the catastrophe of not receiving a candy). I was slowly making my way around the class, and finally got to one boy (who, I have to admit, has always been my favourite kid in the TK- forget that rule about teachers not having favourites!) who, as I handed him his Sweedish Berry, quickly and quietly slipped a baggie containing one candy, into my hand. It was the smallest gesture, but it seems that it often is those little unexpected moments that can fill us with more joy than the bigger, predictable ones.
Another highlight of this week included learning how to make a batik, the traditional Indonesian fabric. Those of you who have been reading my blog regularly may remember my explanation of the process of waxing and dyeing material in order to produce a pattern. Some of the more intricate patterns (particularly the hand drawn ones) that use a lot of colours, can cost a few hundred dollars for just one shirt. I realize now why that is. First, I was given a photocopy of a pattern, and a piece of thin white material. I traced the photocopy onto the fabric with a pencil. Then I used a little tool that I dipped into hot wax, and traced the entire pattern in wax. Of course, those tools are by no means idiot-proof, and the result is a picture that is covered in huge drops of wax that will now stay white when my fabric is dyed a different colour. After tracing the entire pattern in wax, you have to flip it over and trace it AGAIN on the other side. It was so tedious! And that's just for the first colour! The process of waxing and dyeing could happen over and over if you wanted a multi-coloured batik! I think I'm going to stick with just one...
I had a really awesome conversation this week with my host parents, about the cultural differences between Canada and Indonesia. Pak Har initiated it by mentioning a conference held at a hotel here in Semarang that is attended by people from the more rural villages. Many of these people have never seen an elevator, a swipe card (in place of a key), or a bathroom that does not contain a special tub that is always filled with water, for both toilet and shower purposes. He said that people were SHOCKED to see a group of men go in an elevator, and then see the same doors open a few seconds later, to find a group of women standing there! I cannot fathom it, but I suppose it really would be like a Magic Box (as Pak Har said they described it) if you had never seen an elevator before. He also mentioned the mistake that people would make, of filling the bathtub in the hotel to compensate for the lack of "Indonesian tub", and then having huge problems with water being everywhere. They also had never showered under a showerhead, and found the lack of a bucket to be quite a struggle!
At the moment, the church is planning a tour to Israel, and Pak Har said that at the meeting the other night, they broke the news that the bathrooms wouldn't have water. For me coming to Indonesia, the difference in bathroom practices is an easy one to deal with. I simply use tissue instead of water! But for them, if there's no water available, then you're pretty much out of luck! If I had to completely switch my bathroom rituals so that I could only use water, and no tissue, it would be an extremely difficult adjustment, so I can just imagine how they're feeling about the reverse situation! These little differences are the ones that I find most interesting, since there is such a tangible "flip side" example that I can relate it to.
Yesterday, I went to PPA to join in on the craft time, and learned how to make a bracelet in a different pattern other than a braid. Those homemade things were super popular when I was younger, but I never had the patience or mental capacity to make sense of the pictures that tried to teach you how to make them in those "Make Your Own Keychain/Bracelet/Choker/Toe Ring/etc. etc. etc." books. So I felt like a lifelong goal had been accomplished in learning how to make a much more intricate pattern- something to cross off the bucket list!
I love those craft times because it's an opportunity to just sit and chat with people. Yesterday's topic of conversation was my white skin. A question I often get here is, "Do you like white skin or dark skin better?" This is sort of a catch-22 type question, and I usually find myself launching into a long speech about how people always want what they don't have, and how the skin products here have whitening in them, while the products in Canada aim to make you look darker (this always blows them away). People here always call me beautiful (despite the dewy appearance and frizzy hair), and I've had several interactions with people that have made it clear to me just how much many people here think it is more desirable to be white. They aren't referring just to my skin colour, but also to the shape and colour of my eyes, and particularly my nose- my nose is another common topic of conversation. Hearing people talk about this makes me realize just how CRAZY it is that we are never satisfied with our own appearances, and how we're always striving for something unattainable. It looks utterly ridiculous when people here wear whitening makeup, and it must look equally as ridiculous when we falsely darken our skin. Among the MANY things I am learning, being satisfied with my appearances is another lesson that seems to keep repeating itself.
We found out this week that we'll for sure have to leave the country for a few days in February, in order to renew our visas. This in and of itself is exciting news, but it was further enhanced by the news that Mike (one of the two YALTers who are not serving on Java) will be coming for four days prior to our trip, to visit and see what my position here is about. I'm really looking forward to that!
Yesterday, my host mom made me two different types of mashed potatoes for supper (onion, and cheddar). I'm not sure if it was in response to our conversation about cultural differences (during which I mentioned the food differences that I wrote about on my blog a few days back), but whatever the motivation, I felt very loved, that she would go out of her way to make them for me.
I used balloons to teach colours to the TK-B class, and 5 lucky kiddies got to take a balloon home. As I was walking home from school, I noticed a green balloon on a motorbike that was approaching from the opposite direction. As it came closer, I noticed that it was one of my students, clinging tightly to her green balloon with a huge smile on her face! I also noticed one of the other kids (the one who received the yellow balloon), running around with his balloon, taking small breaks between his imaginary karate fight to scream "YELLOWWWWW" into his balloon. I feel that today's lesson was successful in many ways.
This weekend looks to be a quiet one, concluding with my weekly trip to Salatiga on Monday. We're already into mid-January!
I've heard that the weather at home is finally hitting those really cold temperatures that include snow flurries and icy roads, and I hope that everyone is keeping safe, warm, and cozy! I'll be thinking of you as I sweat my way to and from my different activities in 30+ degree heat. ;)
Have an awesome day!
Lots of love,
Ellery
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