Life in Salatiga

We are at the end of the dry season with the rains expected to start in the next few weeks. In the last two weeks we have had one or two light sprinkles but otherwise it hasn’t rained since we arrived in Salatiga. The temperature has been pretty constant but the humidity has been increasing so it feels more uncomfortable. The mosquito nets stop airflow so we have to have fans directed right at us in order to sleep comfortably. We are looking forward to the rains since it is very dusty though we wonder whether the humidity will also increase.

This past week we had meetings at a hotel near Salatiga. The hotel was on the side of a mountain so the weather was cooler. The Indonesians complained that it was cold but we found it quite nice. My theory is that as a Canadian I am used to large differences in temperature so a few degrees here or there isn’t a big deal. However, Indonesians rarely experience such changes so a few degrees difference is significant. For example, an Indonesian friend drives to work on her motorcycle wearing a leather jacket and sweater because the combination of cool morning and wind makes her cold.

After the meetings, we made a trip to a nearby waterfalls. It was beautiful and I have posted pictures on our Web Album. However, it was also a bit sobering in that this was the place where two MCC’ers were killed in a flashflood several years ago. Apparently MCC, in its history, has had around ten people die. Half of these have been in traffic accidents in N. America. MCC is very insistent on the topic of safety so that people using motorcycles have to wear helmets and that all other vehicles have seatbelts. Here in Indonesia, it is now the law that people sitting in the front wear seatbelts, though this is rarely obeyed and even less rarely enforced. Vehicles here therefore have seatbelts in the front but not in the rear. MCC has installed seatbelts for all seats and strongly encouraged us to use them.

The MCC team is made up of expat service workers, SALTers and local workers. Most of MCC’s work is in education including university and seminaries, but also AIDS/HIV education. MCC has been involved in tsunami reconstruction in Aceh but this work will end soon. This work has been difficult in large part because of political instability in that area. MCC Indonesia works with a variety of partners including three synods of Mennonite churches.

Phil

Our life in Salatiga

We have been in Indonesia now for a little over three weeks. We have slowly settled into our home and a daily routine. Lori and I are in Language School Monday through Saturday with usually four hours of classes each day. My classes begin at 7:30am while Lori has days where her classes finish at 6:00pm. This is pretty intensive and I, especially, often feel overwhelmed. The language isn't difficult but I have little time to study.

We wake up around 6am. Our house help arrive at 8am. Ibu Wiwik helps us by cooking a main meal, doing laundry, and general cleaning. Ibu Im looks after the kids, particularly Raina. My classes finish at 2pm after which I pick up Katie from her school. Ibu Wiwik and Im leave at 3pm. The kids are usually in bed by 8pm and we are all asleep by 10pm.

We have been enjoying the food here. Lunch and supper always includes rice. Sometimes it is fried but usually just cooked. Usually there is some kind of sauce or topping for the rice. Ibu Wiwik has worked for Westerners before and will occasionally make chicken nuggets and fries for the kids (and me). We always have fruit with the meal, usually some combination of mango, melon or pineapple. For breakfast we have bread with peanut butter or jam, or cereal (usually the Indonesian version of Rice Krispies), or noodles.

Salatiga is a smaller town. It is surrounded by a few mountains and its elevation makes it a bit cooler. During the day it is always above 30C but not too humid. Usually there is a bit of a breeze. At night the temperature drops down to the mid-20's. We have a number of fans in our house but the temperature inside is always in the high-20's.

Our house is a bit small but comfortable. There are no screens on the windows and there are gaps above the doors to allow for air circulation, so we have mosquitoes. We all sleep under mosquito nets. The house has two kitchens. The one kitchen has counters, a fridge and stove while the other has a sink and pantry. Our bathroom has a toilet and a bak. A bak is a large reservoir for storing water but is not a bathtub. The children bath in a plastic tub while Lori and I take sponge baths. The bathroom is built for water to drain out.

More later.

Phil

My School

My school is called Mountain View Christian International School. I have chapel 2 times a week. I’ve got 1 gym class every 2 days. For gym you have to buy a uniform. I have to wake up before 6:30 and get ready for school. I go to school with my best friend who went to Indonesia with me. Her name is Zoe. At school I take Indonesian class. There are 11 people in my class. My teacher’s name is Mrs. Geary.

Katie Enns