My Jakarta is skinny and happy on the outside, but unhealthy and unhappy on the inside. Indonesians generally have a gene that gives them a very high metabolism, so no matter how much they eat or what they eat, they look super skinny- so they can eat as much as they want without working out and look the same. While in America, if you don't work out and eat too much, it's noticeable- so we have to. Here, they don't. But that also means that they couldn't run away if someone was going to kidnap them. The other half of that line is where they are very reserved and keep feelings about relationships, family, and religion on the inside. They can be hurting and so messed up on the inside, but they generally cover it up and ignore the conflict, making everything seem fine, when inside it could really be horrible.
My Jakarta loves to eat and please themselves, as in getting massages, watching movies- and relaxing. There's so much interesting and good food, that it's hard not to gain weight for me, since it is not common for kids my age to work out. That's not what the girls do, the girls shop- generally. This is definitely not everybody, but where I am, it's how life goes. I love the food, my city's food is everywhere, so cheap, and there are such good foods- i'm sorry i have no idea what they're called, i just know what they look like.
My Jakarta is so skilled. Every driver is able to get through the tinest streets, with the smallest cars, and back into the smallest parking spaces each time they park- making it so much easier to get out. This driving is not fast, since my Jakarta has the most macet *traffic* i've ever seen, but it is more skilled than anyone i know in America, they know how to manuver their cars better than any America I know does, it's incredible.
My Jakarta is a balance between mind, body, and spirit- where I, personally, survive here with at least some sort of physical activity almost everyday, with studying for REAL classes of Pre-Calculus online and ACT Preparation, and hanging out with God and understanding Him more and more each day. This is my formula for internal survival- keeping in balance. Where in Bali they would very much agree with the balance I'm talking of.
My Jakarta is a mess of more than one language. There's the traditional Javanese, and all the other languages if you get more than two people from the same tribe- wherever it might be- together. Bahasa Indonesia, though, is my language: and I need to start studying this a bit each night. I do pick up many words, but I would pick up more if I tested myself with the vocabulary. My language has no tenses and is easier than you would think, but is hard when you are able to talk English and have deeper conversations than you would be able to in Bahasa Indonesia.
My Jakarta includes cockroaches walking up onto my bed while I'm studying ACT, lizards running along the walls of my house, doors open at almost all hours, and foods that look like the heads of chicken- all freaking me out inside at first, before I got used to this normalcy in my city.
My Jakarta includes talking less when you don't know the language, that makes you so peaceful with God inside, that sometimes it's hard to just talk the language- when things come so easily to just observe, and love what your seeing.
My Jakarta has Idul Adha where you will watch the sacrafice of cows and goats without feeling emotion, when they sound so human that you absolutely have to leave after a time. The experience of a lifetime that you won't want to see again.
My Jakarta, my Indonesia, brings me to places I've never been. From Jojga to these coming trips of: Bandung, Puncak, Bali, Lombok, Komodo Island, Medan, and hopefully Malang, Kalimantan, and Papua- the places that are beautifully exotic, and emotionally thrilling to see and experience.
My Jakarta includes churches that reach out their hands to Jogja and Matawi, where there was the volcano eruption and earthquake/tsunami, where our prayers go out to them- hopefully just as much as you all are praying for me.
My Jakarta represents openness to having Obama here, emotionally bringing him back, and politically partnering together- where I observed an amazing coming together of my home country and my new country.
My Jakarta brings me a bigger family than I've ever had, and are experiencing what happens when family is all in one place. Each weekend we get together for a birthday, another birthday, a wedding, or whatever. It's amazing, and I love it so much.
Finally, my Jakarta represents challenges and inspiration to help Chika- who I surprised by taking her out to wherever she wanted to go to eat when I challenged her to stand up for a girl that she hates at school. And to help Naomi- who I've challenged to develop one of her dreams, whether it be drawing, designing, or cooking. My city represents a challenge to inspire people to go further, and deeper with God, and beyond the lines that they've drawn in their life because of their culture.
This is my Jakarta, and God is at the center of it. My Jakarta has God. And it does not exist without Him, even when others don't say that this is where He is- or that the truths they point out are His, they are still His, whether we speak it out loud or not. This world is real, and 1,0900 miles away from home, my city, my Jakarta- is 100% different than home. But 100% the same where God is working, and where I am being His hands and feet.
This one is long, but this is my personal record as well- thanks for that line Britney.
I'd like to thank all you people who've emailed me, it's such encouragement, Chris M., Payton K., Shelby N., and the many others that keep me going and on my feet. I am reading, even though I may not be responding. I love you all, and am doing my best here- I can't wait to see the bigger picture of how all of this goes together.
You're all amazing. Sleep well tonight, love you :)