one year in

A year ago today, I stepped foot into this beautiful, hot, wonderful country. It’s unbelievable that that much time has already passed. It’s been full of laughter, awe, worship, tears, challenges, and pretty much anything else you can imagine.

10 things I love about this country (aside from the people):

• The cicaks – these little geckos not only eat the mosquitoes that carry malaria and dengue, but I also think they’re super cute.
• The food – when I first arrived in this country, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a big fan of the food. It was a lot of rice, and it was spicy. But now, it is some of the best food in the world.
• Fresh fruit juice - Divine.
• Speaking in another language – Okay, so I’m far from fluent, but it’s still really cool to be able to understand and even slightly communicate in another language.
• Driving a motorcycle – Yeah, there are some times when I fear for my life and others when I battle road rage, but all in all, it’s a rather fun experience.
• The landscape – Turn one direction, mountains. Another, the beach. Does it get any better?
• Batik fabric – this beautiful fabric is wonderful, and each province has their own unique style.
• Greeting friends with a cheek-to-cheek embrace – I loved this when I was in France, and I was thrilled to discover it’s here as well.
• Being community-oriented – Honestly, this took me a while to adjust to: neighbors coming in and peeking in my room, asking about every little thing, etc. My housemates have stories of, while battling dengue, waking up to find neighbors standing over the beds, watching them. Now, though, it’s a source of comfort. Our neighbors have our backs. The first two weeks after we moved in, the little ibu next door sat outside our gate every night, making sure we got home safely. Relationships matter.
• Dependence on the Lord – There is absolutely no denying our dependence on the Lord in this country. Day in and day out, it is very clear: WE NEED HIM. Need Him for sanity, need Him for comfort, need Him for strength, need Him to do it all really… In the States, that fact can be clouded, but here, it is very, very evident.

10 things that have changed:

• Ideas of cold - 70 degrees is coooold. Guess that’s what happens when you live in 90-degree weather with high humidity year round. When we went up to the mountains, I wore a sweater and shivered.
• How comfortable I am with physical contact with the same gender - It’s a totally normal thing now to walk hand-in-hand with a good girl friend. Nothing is thought of it. Extremely awkward at first, now it’s a common thing even among my American girl friends.
• My eating habits - Remember when you were a kid and your parents always scolded you for eating with your hands? Yeah. Forget that.
• The definition of an address - Want to know what we say when we give our address? It’s the blue and grey house next to the red house in the neighborhood behind the orange building on this one street. To receive a package, I get a text message from the post office telling me to come pick one up. To pay bills, I take last month’s bill down the street to a guy’s house who has a computer set up in his living room. Mailboxes are a thing of the past.
• My idea of showering - Warm water spraying down automatically from a shower head above me is a faint memory. Now, my arms get a daily workout as I dump cold water over my head. It’s rather refreshing in the middle of blazing hot day in the tropics though.
• My cooking abilities - Not that I’m this awesome cook or anything, but through being under some pretty awesome ladies, I can now successfully make some things taste like America (some things).
• My driving abilities – Piggybacking off of loving to drive above, my driving abilities have also changed drastically… and not necessarily in a good way. I’m a lot more aggressive now… I’m pretty sure I’m going to be in trouble when I get back to the States.
• Handshakes - After lightly shaking someone’s hand, you bring your own up to your chest. Please don’t think I’m weird if I come back and do this. It’s a really hard habit to break.
• Standards for movies - Going to the theater here is a magical experience – It’s dark, they’re speaking in English, we’re eating candy and movie popcorn… It’s almost like being in America, and it’s worth watching movies that I would never consider seeing if I was actually back in the States. 
• Ideas of cleanliness - When it comes to the bathroom, wet is clean. If the food has no roaches, it’s good. Ants? Extra protein.

It's been a crazy year, but I am so thankful for the opportunity to be here and witness what the Father's doing. Thank you, Asia, for making me more like Him. I'm looking forward to the year to come.


"And we know that for those who love G-d all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If G-d is for us, who can be against us?"
- Rom 8:28-31

motorcycle girl

I am now a motorcycle girl. Before you start picturing leather jackets and skull caps, though, maybe you should take a look at the little dinker of a thing they call a motorcycle. It's more or less a bicycle with a motor attached.

Driving here is not a leisure activity. It's fun, sure, but I do not do it to relax like I did in the States.

People are pretty much crazy. And not because they speed and do crazy tricks, cause a lot don't. It's little stuff. It's not wearing a helmet. It's driving on the wrong side of the median. It's not looking before you pull out in front of someone. It's making two lanes into three... four... five lanes. You quickly learn the dimensions of your vehicle and just how much space you need to get through or around or by someone. And it's cramming four people on a two person bike. I've seen entire families on a motorcycle - the Dad drives, a child in his lap in front, Momma in the back, and a baby in between. And none wearing helmets. Seriously.

For me, the rule is: no sudden movements. Don't do anything that would surprise anyone. If you're going to pull out in front of someone, do it confidently but not suddenly. If a car comes ridiculously close to you, don't jerk over to the side, because you'll take out the motorcyclist who's next to you. As long as you pay attention to what's going on around you and stay calm, you'll be fine.

I've got a confession to make: more ugliness has come out in me while driving here than it ever did in the States. If I ever need to be reminded of what I've been saved from, all I gotta do is go for a drive. That being said, my pr-yer life has also increased greatly since I've been on the bike, haha. I am extremely grateful, though, for being able to drive, as well as for the four months I had riding in this craziness without having to manage it myself. Dad knew what he was doing. :)

Usually I wear long-sleeves while I drive for two reasons: more protection and people can't tell as easily that I'm an American, haha.

And now for some photos of one of the cutest girls in the world - meet Loren. She's the daughter of one of the Ibu's in my life, and she is the most adorable thing. Once so shy she wouldn't speak a word or even come close to me, she now chatters endlessly about things beyond my language capabilities. Love this girl.

 

Also, if any of you are interested, I try to send out a monthly email (really it's become every 6 weeks - my bad) with more specifics on life and work here. If you'd like to be added to the list, just shoot me an email at: rachel_stone26@eku.edu.

small town life

The past couple of days has been full of lots of new things. Sorry for the delay. New place = no internet in my room = new routine.

First: Singapore. Wow. What a city. The two days I spent there really spoiled me - clean, full of English-speakers, and Subway. Man, oh man. But that wasn't the point, of course. Which leads me to…

Second: new visa! I am allowed to stay for another 60 days! Hooray! I'll be able to extend it for a little bit longer, but I will have to go back to Singapore again for my real visa. Oh, darn. :)

Third: Btown! I'm here!! Nearly a year later, I am walking the streets and seeing the faces of the people I've been waiting to join! It is quite different than the other city in so many aspects.

- There's green! Trees everywhere, and the beach! You can smell the ocean water when going to the store… and then you turn around and see the mountains on the other side. Do I really live here?

- Btown definitely has the small-town vibe. For those back home, if I had to guess, it's about the size of Lexington with the feel of Winchester. There are two universities, but right now it's holiday for them, so it's pretty quiet.

- And consequently, since it is a small town, I don't have quite as many luxuries as I did during language school. No massive, glamorous malls (though there are two small ones); no becaks (my primary mode of transportation the past four months); no McDonalds. I think I'll adjust. :)

- Language is a little different here. They use an "o" sound a lot more in place of the "a" sound, in particular at the end of a word. It makes listening a little more difficult… Additionally, since it is a small town, people sometimes use their tribal languages, which is not the language I learned. His power works in my weakness… His power works in my weakness.

Fourth: first driving lesson. I'm really excited about it all, but there's a healthy dose of fear as well. I've (almost) mastered driving in a parking lot today, but driving on the streets is a whole other ballgame. Hopefully I'll be able to have another lesson soon.

Fifth: home stay. Right now, I am living in what they call a kos. It's a house owned by a family, and they rent out the rooms to people, in most cases, to students. Sometimes the family themselves don't actually live there, and the kos next door during language school had something like 30 guys and girls living there. This kos is different. The family does live here, so I have an ibu kos (house mother), who has been very great. Also, rather than dozens of people here, there are only three other girls. We share a bathroom and a kitchen that is truly southeast Asian. I don't have internet right now, so I'll have to be a lot more intentional with my time on it (definitely not a bad thing). I promise there will be pictures after I've settled in more.

At first, I was a bit overwhelmed by it all. But my heart is learning to rejoice in it all - even the lack of everything I once knew to be a bathroom and a kitchen. I've been able to start relationships with my kos mates and met the students at the English club today for the first time.

He is so faithful. He doesn't abandon his children. Paul says he learned the secret to doing all things - hunger, sickness, the good and the bad - "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." In every circumstance, we can press on because he is our strength. He doesn't just leave us to fend for ourselves; rather, he fights our battles for us. He is clearing the obstacles and making straight our paths. All we have to do is be obedient and look to him.

Sorry for the book. I promise I'll upload photos soon. Those are more fun. :) 

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the L0rd your G0d is with you wherever you go." Josh 1:9

haircut

I finally did it. I got my hair cut.

It had been three months since my last one, so I was in pretty desperate need of one. I've kind of resolved to grow it out, at least for a little bit, so while I didn't want to take off any length, I did need it to be restyled for long hair. Annnd I needed them to fix my bangs that I may have tried to cut myself. So I finally gathered the courage and went to a salon.

We go to a salon recommended by a friend, armed with a photo of the desired cut and a national friend. When we ask the prices, they give us a range between the equivalent of $15-20. It all depends on if you want the more or less experienced stylist. So the question becomes: How brave are you?

I know you're probably looking at the price and saying, "For real? It's only $20." But here, that $5 goes a long way, and $15 is already an expensive haircut. After looking at my picture and concluding that it's not that complicated - a little layering here and there, plus the bangs - I decided to be super brave and go with the less-experienced guy. I'll let you judge for yourself and see what you think.

For that $15, I got a haircut, a shampoo, head and arm massage, part of a back massage, and got to sit in a massaging chair as they rinsed my hair. Pretty nice.

Before - from the back. For pictures of the front, see my last post :)

Love R's face here. She's a nut. :)

Snip, snip

Ta da! So, what do you think? Not too bad, huh?

karaoke time

The stereotype is true: Asians love some karaoke.

This week, in honor of our last week of break, we had a girls' night with some pretty great ladies. The night started with dinner at Black Canyon Coffee, which is actually famous for their coffee and cappucino art, but they have some good food as well. And then it was karaoke time.

Karaoke here is a lot different than (what I imagine it to be) in the States. You reserve a room for just you and your friends, and there's a system in each room with a little computer set in the table for you to pick your favorite song to belt out in front of your friends. The words come up on the TV in the front (sometimes with correct lyrics, sometimes not). We went to a place called Happy Puppy (yep, that's right), and each room had a theme. We were in the underwater/submarine room. With the lights dimmed, black lights on, and the music loud, it was the perfect set up to let the inner rockstar come out.

 

 

 

  

  

 

 

Also, I'd just like to share - Dr. Pepper has been spotted in southeast Asia. We've heard it only happens once in a blue moon, so today, when we got a text from one of the awesome women here saying the local grocery store had it (THANK YOU), we made a stop on our way home and stocked up. Thank you, Father! What a great gift!

adventure at the postal service

After nine weeks of living here, life seems pretty normal. I have to remind myself sometimes that it's not normal to have to bargain for a "bicycle carriage" to go anywhere or to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at a market that looks like it's from Aladdin. But sometimes, we have moments where the cultural differences hit us square in the face, and you can't help but laugh and say, "Oh yeah, we're in southeast Asia." Our mail experience was one such time.

Morgan's parents express mailed her a box a week after we arrived... two months ago. The customs number said it arrived in country about two weeks after she sent it, but a month after its supposed arrival, it had yet to make an appearance. So, Monday, we decided to take matters into our own hands.

After language school, we take a taxi to the big post office in town with a national friend and tutor, R, and another friend, D. Morgan and R go in to ask about the package, while D and myself wait patiently in the taxi, thinking it won't take longer than a couple of minutes to inquire and locate the package. I was wrong. While we're waiting, I take the opportunity to practice my language with our driver.

Forty-five minutes later, I've exhausted my language skills, and we've doubled our meter. Where are those girls? I text Morgan to make sure everything's okay, and a couple of minutes later, she comes out... alone and with no package.

Morgan: "Okay, so we still haven't found my package, but we've found two for you, Rachel, and one for D. You have to come and sign for them, and then you can help us look for mine."

Say what? 

We excitedly jump out of the taxi and make our way into this massive, old building, past the line of people waiting, through some hallways and corridors to this back room. Even though they didn't really want us to take pictures, we sneak a couple anyways.

Packages EVERYWHERE. No order whatsoever. Just piled up all over the place. When I walk in, R is still searching, and the only worker in the room is sitting in the corner, just pointing where to look. Thanks, Pak.

Thankfully, with four people searching and them having already searched for nearly an hour, we soon find the long-awaited box, and there's much rejoicing. We're all smiles as we walk out, wishing everyone a merry Christmas, as ours arrived two weeks early.

 

And now we know what to do if our package doesn't arrive on time: just take matters into our own hands and find it ourselves.

wedding karaoke

For your enjoyment. Example of karaoke being for fun, not show of talent.

Traditional dance at the wedding

 

Weddings

Sunday we had the honor of attending a Muslim wedding. Marriane explained that most of the time, Muslims will have their wedding at the mosque with close friends and family, and then they'll have a big reception usually in a home. This time, however, was a little out of the ordinary and they had their reception at a hotel. It was quite the experience. Very glamorous.

Rather than sending flowers, congratulations are written in fake flowers are written on billboards that line the streets. Billboards are also sent for birthdays and funerals.

Decorations vary depending on what tribes they are from. The couple sits in the middle more or less the entire time, and guests line up to say their congrats and take pictures as they leave. Their parents sit on either side.

They also LOVE karaoke. For them, karaoke is a more private, social event more about having fun than talent. They usually have private rooms for you and your friends, rather than have you sing in front of a bunch of people you don't know. We have yet to actually go out and karaoke, but we have sung in the house of one of the workers here. While usually here you and your friends have a private room where you karaoke rather than in front of a large crowd, at the wedding anyone who wanted to was welcome to come up to the stage and sing... regardless of talent. I didn't get up there, but some of our friends did. It was a lot of fun. Soon I hope to have a video up of one guy singing an English song and also a video of a traditional dance that a group did. :)

"No spicy, no taste"

It's hard to believe that I've already been in this country for four days. Accomplishments this week:

• Got a cell phone.
• Went to the fabric market (see pictures below)
• Rode in both an angkot and a becak (once again, see pictures below)
• Experienced our first power outage here. Makes you really appreciate the fans and AC in our bedroom.
• Got to meet our neighbors when we showered at their house because our water wasn't working while we didn't have power.
• Was told by several natives that I look Asian. Even Asians think I look Asian...
• Bought groceries, including rice, chocolate cereal strongly resembling coco puffs (good to know I'm eating healthy, right? :p), guava juice, and double-stuffed oreos

Things I'm having to get used to:

• The spicy foods.. apparently I'm not as used to even a little bit of spice as I thought.
• Being woken up every morning at 5 am by the call to pr-er... and hearing it four other times throughout the day.
• Using only my right hand for eating, giving, and receiving
• Everyone driving on the left side of the road... actually just the driving in general.
• Hearing everything that goes on around outside our house - currently, there's a man who keeps laughing like "hee heeehehehehe." It's actually quite funny. But when it's loud college students at 2 am, not so much.

And lastly, the pictures I promised:

My house for the next three months

A becak (bay-chuck) - their version of a taxi

They play nerts!

My first meal - Mmmmm...

Fabric market

"Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'" - Jer. 9:23-24