Bahasa Indonesia

Greetings from Yogyakarta!

I am here with the other Field Program Facilitators (FPFs: Jen, Stacie, Ali, and myself), as well as Eric, our boss, and Stacie's husband, enrolled in an intensive language training course for Bahasa Indonesia - literally "the language of Indonesia" - taught at Wisma Bahasa. We arrived Sunday night from Jakarta on my first domestic flight in Indonesia, on Garuda Air. While flying Garuda, unlike other domestic airlines, we get to fly out of the more posh international terminal at Jakarta's airport. Together with Stacie's husband, we are all renting a house near the language school.

Last night we took becaks - 3-wheeled bicycle taxis that hold 2 people - to dinner and shopping for household provisions. Much slower than ojeks and maybe a little safer, but barely getting through a busy intersection before the light changes, while facing impatient cars and motorcycles, doesn't make me feel much safer. But it puts life in a different perspective to travel at the slower pace.

Yogya is a former royal capital of Indonesia, and we hope to go to the historic, walled part of the city (Kraton) during our mid-day break tomorrow. So far it has seemed cooler and more comfortable here than in Jakarta. Today we went shopping for batik fabrics and bed sheets. We will have a tailor make shirts, skirts, and pillowcases of the fabric. I finally ate at a roadside cart vendor, and it was delicious! We had steaming noodle soup with chicken and vegetables. I declined the iced tea and so far am feeling no ill effects... Knock on wood! Friday is Indonesia's Independence Day, and we hope to go to Borobodour, a famous Buddhist temple nearby. Maybe a play on Thursday night, also, since Yogya is known for its arts community.

In terms of the project, I still don't have paperwork to travel, so I am stuck editing reports for the office. Good chance to work on boards questions, lecture material, and editing my Nepal paper. The first human death from HPAI on Bali was confirmed today. That will likely bring a lot of attention to the situation here, since Bali is so well-known and touristy. Because Bali is a small island, especially in relationship to Java, it is theoretically possible to eradicate HPAI from Bali. However, boat and ferry traffic bringing birds and bird products to Bali would have to be stopped and searched. It will be interesting to see how the Indonesian government and the international aid community respond to this first human case there.

Take care, and have a great week!
Selamat malam!

E