Since I've been gone, I've hung out with new friends, eaten tons of new foods, gotten a first hand look at the Rotary that made this possible, realized the different dances of Indonesia compared to America, and how my honeymoon phase of life in Indonesia has ended.
An overview of this will bring you all up to date:
the week of October 3rd to October 9th was definitely interesting.
I went to church and had another Bahasa lesson, where I learned how to make positive sentences. On Monday, I had an Indonesian massage- which is almost as good as my older sisters :) I also figured out how I can take the ACT here in Indonesia and I will be doing that on December 11th, be praying please. On Wednesday, I had my Rotary presentation with the Rotary that brought me here, and it was great! I wore a costume my Grandma made in the 1970's if i remember correctly, and they loved it!
The rotary here that I'm with is a small rotary club, and in America the Rotary I was with was very big compared to it. It's really interesting to see the differences between rotaries and how they make it work. But it was great to see that there were definite movements to help Indonesian lifestyle here- which is rich living right next to poor, street cats all over the place, and traffic jams. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of greatness here too. But those are some of the problems here. Rotary is one group that is trying to do a great things here, it's small, but it is the start of something great here.
There was no school on monday- because of teacher meetings, and I realized that my school, is the school most known for holidays- who thinks that's awesome!!! :) School on Tuesday-Friday was good. Talking with friends, getting out of my comfort zone, and trying all the new foods! At first I was bringing a sandwich, but then I realized I wanted to try those foods. So even though school food isn't that delicious- says all my friends- I think I will try everything, and then start taking my sandwich again :) I'm making friends- and getting closer to them and having more in depth conversations, even though my Bahasa isn't as good as theirs yet. My school clothes are either too small or too big, but I manage and survive- and wear them fine :)
Friday night, I went out for the first time with friends- who were stuck in traffic for 2hours before they got to my house. We went out to PIM and ate at SushiGroove- which had the best music, because it was calm-like Jack Johnson, my favorite! And I had one of the best foods here in Indonesia- but it wasn't exactly Indonesian. It was called Flaming Geisha, and after picking it up with difficult plastic chopsticks, I dipped it in soy sauce and chowed down on cream cheese, rice, and something else all together- it was delicious (nikmat in Bahasa Indonesa). Afterwards, we then went to karaoke, which was amazing- so amazing that we went home at midnight :) We were in a room that was set up exactly like a living room, except hijacked with karaoke madness, there were microphones, and a sound system that was wonderful! The two people that I were with were wondeful, and so relaxed- by the end of the night, after singing, and experiencing new food, we were so close that there were points on the car ride home that there was silence, but it wasn't awkward at all!
The next day I went out to be the personal trainer for Jessica-one of my friends at school, THAT was really fun :) pushing her, and laughing with her. I ran 3.something miles at 6.8mph for 20minutes. it was awesome. Afterwards I ate lunch with Naomi and her friend, watching them watch people- which many Indonesians like to do in the mall, because they get bored. Haha. I think we like to do that in America too, but here in Indonesia- they like to do it more often.
We went to Balinese dance then- this is STILL on saturday- and we took about an hour trying to find the small little restaurant that the classes are held in every saturday 4-6pm at $10/month. We found it, and since no one in the class was there- we were her only students for that day, which was good. Since we had never danced Balinese before! It was interesting- the Balinese use their hands, eyes, and hips very much- we learned the welcome dance. Look it up on youtube! Mama took pictures for me, but no videos :)
Right after that! They took me to Jakarta International School to watch Romeo and Juliet with Tassia, Jessica, and two of our other friends- I can't remember their names, I've been learning so many! The play was great, in English, and afterwards we took pictures with the guys they thought looked great- which I had to walk up to them first, because they were shy :) haha. Then we took a taxi to Pizza Hut, but not before I met a girl who said she wasn't going to try out for the swim team, in which I responded "DO IT!" and convinced her to do it for me, and i would be at all the swim meets. To that she responded that she expected me to come to every single one with a swim suit and her name written somewhere on my body. :) We swapped numbers and i told her I'd totally be there. Her name's Sophie- and it was the fastest and most sarcastic conversation that got me friends with someone so quickly. We're expecting to have girl nights, and sleepovers soon enough too. haha.
Pizza Hut was delicious, and cheap- and then they took me home. My first time finding my home- which was hard, and we asked people where the street was, thank goodness i knew my address.
Sunday morning was early- but great! The sermon at Morning Star was about being cornered, and God making a way even through that- which was definitely needed for the next week I was going to have. This is when I knew that my honeymoon was over.
The week from October 10th-today has been hard.
Just so everyone is aware- Alan and I anniversary was on the 10th, and the meaning of long distance relationship really was said on that day. It was fun, with Bahasa lesson, and church made it good- but no Alan!
On Monday, I didn't have anything but I started to go through stages of missing home fiercely. Each day this week at school was a challenge, and it was very hard. I didn't want to wake up when I woke up, I didn't want to go to school, and I didn't want to see God. Well I did, each morning I prayed to. But that just felt like it wouldn't happen during my day.
I explained it one night very well, where I felt like I was hibernating. My soul inside feels separate from my outside. It seems that I was sleeping on the inside, not growing closer or farther from God, and I wasn't making the jump from knowing on the inside to showing on the outside. On the outside, I was only surviving at school, taking it one step at a time, and smiling when everyone was speaking Bahasa when all I wanted to do was cry. This separation between my inside and outside was actually more of what made me wanted to cry- than missing home. Home is just what I thought of afterwards, because I would never have this problem at home, unless I was sick. So I would then miss home.
This problem was all my week- it was a blur, and super sad, even though on the outside, I tried tons of new foods, had great conversations with my friends at school- learned more about my friends, and about the difference of science and social classes at school.
Which by the way- Indonesian schools split into social or science classes, i'm in the social classes-where you learn more history, but actually i don't understand what the history teacher is saying, so i study ACT :) and the science classes are either national plus or not, so they either have english or they don't. They are usually small- if national plus, and they are very quiet compared to the usually distracted social classes.
Besides that, school has been tough. Waking up at 4:50am ever morning, and going to bed at like 10pm. Without having actual time for God, has worn me down and made the separation worse.
On wednesday, I did have dance team at school, after classes, and when they all started dancing, i realized the difference between American and Indonesian hiphop. Indonesians don't know the hiphop that Americans do. They know what they see on MTV, Beyonce-ja? and Americans know the hiphop that African-Americans do in the streets, that's what we call hiphop- or at least that's how you can characterize it in one sentence :) I don't really think I'll join the team, but I do think that my American hiphop will definitely be up for grabs for anyone of them that wants to see what real hiphop is- not TV hiphop. Because there's a difference!
Wednesday night, I had the best time with Fini, Fina, and Leah- from the Morning Star worship band. They are the daughters of the pastor and have great hearts and stories. We met at Sushi Tei- where I had the most succulent salmon ever, and I would call that my favorite food here, and it's not even Indonesian :) They talked about how they believe that the way to help our country is to start with the foundation. So Morning Star also has a school- where they educate, becuase when someone is educated, they see the problems and can tell what is right and wrong. And if you bring that up to the parents, then to the community, then it will go into the government.
Morning Star knows that it is a long process, but it is the way to go- and will be the most effective. They have a school on every main island but Papua, and each of Fina, Fini, and Leah's individual stories dealt with following God's way for their life, which ended them up all working at their parents' school and church :) God is working so well in their lives, and it was such a blessing to talk about how God has brought me here to Indonesia, to inspire and strengthen and even be in Morning Star and join what they are doing- because they could relate. Also Their school is in English, and it was such a blessing to have such a deep conversation in English with them. That was the best part of my week :) I was at 59.9999% The rest of the week, at school, on the inside all the time- i was around 40% because I was so tired, and had not had time with God, and felt so separated from my inside emotional soul that had not shown through at school in conversations.
SO yesterday morning in the car, I actually told Naomi- I couldn't wait until i was sick and then i wouldn't have to go to school. And BOOM- God got me sick, and I know it's so that I can rest. Which I have done all day. Only been awake probably 4hrs. total out of this day :) I would be spending this whole day with God, but I think if i rest first- rest rest rest, then i'll be able to focus more.
My plan for today at school, was to get out of this funk, and push my inside emotions with God- to the outside. To make that jump, which is so hard to make for some reason right now.
I was planning on REALLY hugging people-even if they didn't totally hug back, LOVE people and ask them if they need help in the subjects I understand, and POINT OUT WHERE GOD IS when he shows up! He's showed up so much in these past few days to encourage me and comfort me, but I've only given it one glance and gone on with my day. I did recognize it, but I told no one about how amazing it was to have there, or how that really affected me. SO! I was going to POINT OUT WHERE GOD SHOWS UP like CRAZY! and cry if necessary, and then explain to whoever asks that it just meant so much, because things have been hard.
BUt- I'm sick :) which is funny. because there was no way I could pull off a 4:50am morning, school, and long night sleepover right afterwards, and early morning the next day. I had to stop, and God stopped me.
Praise Him :)
So that's where I'm at now :) at school, I will be getting into a physics and math class in English to help prep me for the ACT in December, and I'll be starting a Pre-Calculus class online for one more credit so I'm eligible for IU Bloomington- the university I want to go to.
My mom is sending me care packages- and I openly thank her for those. Thanks mom, they mean so much and came at such a right time this past week- I got the sermon DVD about simplifying package with milano's in it. and the Sermon was AWESOMe, right where I needed it and at the right time- as was the Milano's.
Like the sermon on sunday at Morning Star was about feeling trapped and God making a way. That was what I felt all week, and God definitely made a way :)
I'm sorry I haven't sent as many packages home- I don't want to run out of money, and I don't totally know what to send...I'm getting one ready now though. So it'll be coming when I figure it all out and all what to put in-- which will either take 2days or 2weeks. I'm not sure..
That's where I am now. That's what's going down. My best friend, Sami, has a boyfriend now.
And I'm going back to sleep. Home all in well in America- or wherever you are reading this from.
Let me know if i can pray for anything, because that is almost all I can do now :)
I love you all!