The Good-Byes Begin

Selamat Siang, Keluarga dan Teman-Teman! (Hello, Family and Friends!)

It seems I blinked and missed the month of May! I awoke yesterday morning to be greeted by the first day of my last full month here in the Indo. This is both a cause for both excitement, as I anticipate many reunions with family and friends (and food!) from home, and also for sadness, as I prepare to say good-bye to the family and friends (and food!) that have become so special to me here. This past week, we have been receiving emails about end-of-the-year stuff, and we have the date confirmed that we will be heading back to Salatiga for a group "disorientation" (July 12th), so I'm now really feeling in this weird limbo stage, as things wrap up here, but as going home still seems too far away to be believable.

The good-byes started this week on Wednesday, as we held our last Gloria Patri Learning Centre session. Rather than teaching, we held a going-away party, with Indonesian food (mie ayam, or a type of chicken noodle soup) as the main course, and Canadian food (homemade banana chocolate chip muffins and sugar cookies) for dessert. Debora and Ibu Linda came over on Tuesday night to help prepare for this, and we ended up baking together from 4PM until almost 10PM. It was a fun evening! We made a whole bunch of icing in different colours, and thought that the kids may like to decorate their own sugar cookies. This proved a HUGE hit, and was a first for many kids there. Their excitement was contagious, and I was so happy to see them with such big smiles on their faces. On top of that, the kids all signed a "Thank-You" card for me, which was really special. Then one of the people who coordinate the learning centre presented me with a thank-you card, along with a gift (a beautiful batik bag), and kue bandung, one of my favourite Indonesian desserts. It was a really special evening, and while it was sad to say good-bye, I was so happy to leave on such a high note.

I went to Salatiga as per usual on Monday, and met Laura for the day. We tried a new place for lunch, called "Biztro", having wanted to go there for a long time as it is the place that Ibu Rini (Pak Lilik and Ibu Christin's helper) used to work. It was a really cute place, and would have been perfect had it not been for a slightly over-eager waiter who took a liking to me, and made valiant efforts to woo me, but lacked a few key social skills, which wound up being deal-breakers. (ie: I'm not really into guys who wait outside the bathroom stall for me to emerge so that, while I'm washing my hands, they can remind me- for the third or fourth time- to give them a call). I never knew I was such a catch until I came to Indonesia, and without putting in even a tiny bit of effort! All that's required to maintain such status is to continue to wake up in the morning with white skin. This is something that still boggles my mind.

After lunch, Laura and I took a nice long walk from Biztro to a little store we like, and halfway through that walk, I started feeling a bit sub-par. This feeling continued as I headed home, and into that evening, and then persisted through the rest of the week. It started with a mild fever (which is long gone), and I am covered in little red dots today, which I have been told is something to do with the virus escaping through the skin, and I will be better as soon as the dots clear up (well, worsen first, and then clear up). Being ill in Indonesia presents a whole onslaught of cultural differences, and opens up opportunities for much learning, as well as practice in negotiation and compromising skills. I've tried all sorts of new herbal drinks and medications this week, and spent a rather immense amount of time in bed. They suggested that I go home early from TK on Tuesday, and then I missed Wednesday, and when the dots broke out, they sent me home again today. It's been nice having a lay-low week, but at the same time, I go a little crazy with too much down time, and I was not overly thrilled to be sent home today. (At home, my family employs a "take an advil if you must, and soldier forth with your day" approach to illness, and I think there's something to be said for the whole mind-over-matter philosophy.) Nicole, Nancy, and Laura are coming down today, and I am really looking forward to getting up and out, and hanging out with my beautiful YALT friends.

Well, it's a short post from me today!
I hope you all have a great day!

Love,
Ellery