color run & a comedian: january/february highlights

These last few weeks in Indonesia have been some of the busiest of my entire 6 (?!?!) months here. In short, they include a running a 5k, volunteering, playing tour guide for a week, celebrating Chinese New Year, and running into an Indonesian celebrity at dinner. I've made a lot of new friends and been reunited with old ones in the last six weeks, which were some of the most exciting since I've been here.

It all started in January when I went to a middle school in Depok ("suburb" on the southern end of Jakarta) for an afs event and ended up being invited back to help out and teach english. I met up with my friend and english teacher a week later and we went to her mom's house to meet with about five students who I had met the week before. We spent the afternoon making Indonesian desserts and practicing both our English and Indonesian and I had a great time getting to know everyone and show them pictures of my life here and in America. This was my first time volunteering in Indonesia and I am really hoping to be able to continue this. 

The next day I did the Color Run with Ellen, a YES Abroader also from Wisconsin and Atika, an Indonesian YES returnee who goes to my school in Bekasi. For those who might not know, the Color Run is basically a 5 kilometer run where the runners are sprayed with colorful powder throughout the race and come out looking something like a sweaty rainbow (the Indonesia race at least where it was around 85 degrees when we ran this). The Color Run came to Madison in June when I was in DC for the PDO so I was excited to finally see what this was all about. 

midway through

the final product

A few weeks later Izzy, another YES Abroader from Surabaya in East Java, came to visit for a few weeks so Ellen, Emily, and I could play tour guide around Jakarta. Izzy and I went thrift shopping in a hidden gem that is Jalan Surabaya, basically an Indonesian style flea market of antiques that you bargain for. Bargaining still not being a strongsuit of mine, partly due to the fact that I will never look Indonesian, was not as successful as it could have been but still pretty fun.

The next day Emily, Izzy, and I headed to Kota Tua (lit. old town) which is an older, more touristy Dutch area of Jakarta. The buildings in Kota Tua date back to the dutch era of Indonesia which lasted over 300 years and ended in 1945. There are even old cannons and jail cells you can visit there. The three of us ended up touring around for the afternoon and having lunch at a very 1940s feeling dutch cafe. Kota Tua is one of my favorite places to visit in Jakarta because of its quaint and historic nature intertwined with street vendors and performers to remind you that you are in fact still in Indonesia. 

bule food tastes so so good after almost six months of rice

We wrapped up Izzy's last few days in Jakarta by searching for other western food outlets (stumbling upon an amazing French and Turkish restuarant), shopping, and general touring. Sunday night, Ellen, Izzy, and I met up for dinner at a Turkish restaurant only to discover (thanks to Ellen and her Indonesian TV knowledge) that right behind us sat a famous Indonesian comedian/TV personality/author. We got to take a picture with him, and I think he was surprised that the three of us both knew who he was and spoke Indonesian. That night I looked him up to find out he has more than 6 million followers on twitter. So needless to say I'm going to find out who this guy is and watch his show.

Izzy and I with Raditya Dika

And since I did actually go to school as well in the past few weeks here are a few pictures from SMA 5 Bekasi as well :)

Indonesians like to use this tool you put on top of  your Iphone to give the picture this warped effect, in case you're curious


Thank you to everyone who reads this for your continuing support, it truly means so much to me. I am very happy to say Indonesia has been treating me wonderfully lately. Today marks five months until I am home so I am trying to just capture every moment and make the most of the second half of this experience.