Chilling in Cirebon on the weekend

Without a school room to go to for the weekend, I anticipated a very long and quiet weekend. I’m still not comfortable with the language to venture out, on my own. I am adding new Indonesian words to my vocabulary, and the Indonesian people have been very generous with their praise and help. However, Friday night, Regina texted me (my new form of communication) and asked if I wanted to go to the “sports center” early Saturday morning. We are able to walk it from my house, and during that 10 minute walk we encountered vendors selling vegetables, soup, and a lady in a becak (three-wheeled bicycle –rickshaw) selling fried chicken. Down some of the side streets the stench was overpowering, with open sewage, broken down corrugated doors, and children playing in the rubble. However, upon entering the community that housed the “sports center” we entered another world entirely. Behind this gated community the houses were huge, well-manicured and reminded me of places in Florida. The outdoor pool looked very inviting, but I noticed that the women wore shirts over their bathing suits. Regina didn’t want to swim, so I went to the “weight room”. The anemic set up consisted of four pieces of weight equipment and a jump rope. However, with the heat and humidity and no a/c, one half hour of weights and I was drenched. I am grateful that there is a place for me to work out, now I just have to get a routine going. The facility opens early - 5:00 a.m. but I have to be at school before 7:00 - so I may actually have to work out after school.

I met an American, Abdul, who teaches at English First – an organization that is housed where the school is located. He married an Indonesian woman, Yanti, and they have a four month old son, Adam. Sunday they took me shopping at a supermarket, which was more like a department store. Yanti was very kind and explained the fruits and vegetables to me, as well as the different types of rice. My new fruit to try in manggis, which I have never seen in the States. It looks like a giant brazil nut, but I have to crack it open and eat the sweet fruit inside.

Afterwards, Regina’s family invited me to lunch which we had a mall. Regina asked if I wanted Wendy’s and I politely turned it down–since I don’t even venture into a Wendy’s back home. After eating, we wandered around the mall – which was overwhelming. It was very crowded, loud, and hot. The noise and blinking lights from the arcades and small children’s rides reminded me of an aged boardwalk on the beach, while the motorcycles being hawked in the center courtyard seemed incongruous to the clothing and jewelry sold in the stores. Tucked into corners of the mall were stalls – which had the feel of a farmers market. Deny, said that this was a rather small mall, but for me, a non-mall aficionado, this was more than enough.

Besides the geckos, cockroaches, mosquitoes I now have a new furry friend. I met up with my resident rat last night, and I don’t know which of us was more frightened. He was checking out the kitchen, and hopefully won’t be back for some time.

I hope all are well.
Carol