Back in Jakarta

We started a little late today so people could sleep in after the mad dash to return to Jakarta. I greatly appreciated it since I had a terrible time relaxing and getting to sleep last night! I sat for hours and watched the traffic outside. So I needed a hearty breakfast, and more coffee than I can properly handle. Soon we sat down to talk about our experiences and settle in on the guiding questions that have been burning in our minds since we started this adventure.

My guiding question revolved around how Indonesia prepares teachers for service. Never a morning person, I really struggled this morning to use my brain. I just couldn't seem to get it fired up. After a 4th cup of coffee, I finally got it together enough to talk about teacher training and pd in Indonesia.

One other cohort member's question researches this question so we were able to have a nice conversation comparing our experiences. Then I was off to another group to discuss project ideas that emerged from my guiding question.

I'm still struggling to figure out how to keep this project from mushrooming into a full time job all of its own. How do I help Lasma and her peers? What do I have to offer them? Especially in light of limited technology, supplies, and a prescribed curriculum! It boggles my mind! I think one of the things I will do is to add resources to my Global Resource Guide.

Then the program presented our in country hosts with a certificate to honor their hard work and time. All the hosts really worked hard and provided wonderful experiences for us all. I am so glad that I chose to limit my initial expectations and live in the moment. It made the experiences Lasma provided so enjoyable and stress-free.

Novianti and Dewi were great! They are so proud of their country and they were so happy to share it with us! Dewi, as our boots on the ground person, was GREAT at getting us from point A to point B and to tell us about the places we visited. Novianti was a wonderful host at her school and helped us communicate on some of our outings. Both of these ladies were great ambassadors and great friends!

This lady right here, Lasma, is the best! Without her, I would have been lost! She is a fabulous ambassador for her country, town, and school! She worked so tirelessly so that Christy and I could really get a good taste of what Lampung is really all about. Lampung culture is so rich and in some ways strange to the American way of thinking. In a very short time she taught me things about service, faith, and being my best self that I can't even begin to put into words yet. I can't even begin to thank her enough!

So after certificates and lunch, we got to do a little tourist shopping!

We headed off to Thamrine Mall. It had to be the Batik capital of the world! *LOL* There were so many, many different patterns and styles that it was really disorienting. Rather than rooms subdivided by walls, "shops" are set up on tables like in a flea market. Most with displays to the ceiling and walk space is only one person wide. There is central air, but it is very warm inside and lighting is low. It reminds me of scenes from Dystopian movies like Mad Max or something. Anything you could want can be found here. We were told we could use bartering to get deals, but I'm not good with that kind of thing. I'm just happy to pay whatever you're asking and be done with it because things are amazingly cheap here. $1 is 13,337 Indonesian Rupiah. You're heart stops the first time you hear "134,599 Rupiah please" and there isn't a real quick way to do the math conversion in your head, so you grab your cell phone and check out the XE Currency app that works offline to convert and find it's only $10.09. Most places took a credit card and mine had not international conversion fees but we did have to carry some Rupiah cash because unlike Costa Rica, you couldn't use US cash anywhere. Dewi helped me change out some cash in the Grand Mall. The exchange rate was pretty good there and it was less confusing than trying to exchange at the hotel! It was a great shopping experience and a bit fun to talk with the vendors.

The day was full of new learning and experiences. Once back, several of us walked over to the little mall close to our hotel to look for a couple of last minute gifts Jennifer wanted to get for family back home. We ended up at a Wing Stop, yup, the same ones we have here! Funny how I went half way around the world to eat at the place that's 2 miles from my house!

So now with a full tummy, exercise, and a full day I'm tired and ready to head to bed. I wish I had words to put to all the feelings I have about this place. I hope with time, I can.