How’s this for the last post of the year? Roll back to the year 2000. I got my first cellphone (oops, I mean handphone). It was rare among my friends to have one, and so therefore, I felt just a little bit cooler than them. Yeah I know, now they’re a dime a dozen, but back then it was more of a time for pagers and answering machines. Keep in mind this was in the States, and we’re at leastRead more
Posts filed in: Culture Clash
Indonesian Maids, "I See Dead People"
Well that new maid that I mentioned last week… yeah, she’s already gone. Four whole days she worked for me. Apparently she quit cause she was afraid of something. This culture is very superstitious, and often they speak of magic, ghosts, and psychic abilities. Well, I’ve had about 4 maids and a roommate say they feel ‘something’ upstairs. The other maids did not leave because of this, but they were constantly afraid of being alone in the house. This lastRead more
Nakal
Why is it that anytime we learn a foreign language, the “dirty†words are the first to be learned and never forgotten? Is it because we are all perverts? Cause we are fascinated by the sound of swearing in a foreign language? I think that guy had it right in the movie “Matrix Reloaded†in the scene where he swore all in French – sometimes it just sounds better. I know that I simply enjoy being able to shock theRead more
Fake Plastic Christmas Tree
Apparently that’s what I’ll have this year. Believe it or not, it’s a bit tough finding natural 8 foot pine trees in Jakarta. Well, and the fact that the country is 90% Muslim. This will be the first time in my life when I’ll have to relinquish the smell of pine needles, the impossible task of balancing the tree, and the never-ending fight to give more water to the tree than blood from my arm getting scratched on branches. Somehow,Read more
Just One of Those Days
Let me tell you about my gym. I love to work out. I love the way that an hour or two of grueling weight training or a 3-hour bike ride makes me feel. I would much prefer to do any type of exercise outside, but by living in a city of 12 million people, my options are a bit limited. So I belong to a fitness club – the type they use in movies with 5 star restaurants, day spas,Read more
Fear Factor, Brain Food, and the Roommate's Girlfriend
Let’s talk about food. Everyone has to eat. But our cuisine choices seem to differ around the planet. I’ve traveled a bit, I’ve seen some strange food, but let me tell you… Indonesia has some of the strangest choices I’ve ever seen, smelled, and had the audacity to sample. When I am feeling ambitious, I let my maid chill and I go shopping for groceries… it’s quite the experience. First of all, when you walk into the grocery store, youRead more