Hey All,
Hope everyone had a really amazing Christmas and New Year. Heard it’s snowing in England at the moment, which I am a little jealous of, as the weather here is too hot! I am literally sweating half my body fat everyday. So I have just moved into my new house which has Dua Kamar, Satu Toilet and Satu Garasi… Yes I am showing off with my Indonesian that I am learning at the moment!
Moving into my house has not been without problems, at present I still have builders here as they are still renovating the toilet and kitchen (as if you would have seen it you would have run off screaming), totally traditional Indonesian, outside kitchen complete with various insects to keep my food company and a toilet that is basically a hole in the floor( yak, yak, yak) so all of this getting done up now! So this is my new home for one year…. So please come to visit- I know my sister may come, more please!! In reality I will not be coming back to England for a year, as my wages just will not allow such travels to happen at the moment, and with me just paying for one year for this house, and kitting it out with furniture I am all spent out…. But it’s worth it, my pad is cool and I am closer to my boyfriend… but far away from my sisters who I am missing more and more everyday… Grrrrr….
Today I visited the leader of my village who welcomed me into the community (well my boyfriend as I don’t speak Indonesian). Complete opposite of London where you don’t even know what your neighbours look like.
Christmas has passed in a blur, with my crazy trip to Singapore and moving house; I actually don’t feel like I have had a Christmas. So to cheer myself up I bought myself a new bike to get around, no, no, no I know I said a scooter but in reality if I drive one of those I am instantly doomed to be dead within a day or so… so I went for the safer and cheaper option of a bicycle, the only problem is that I am SCARED of cycling here, as driving doesn’t seem to be Indonesia’s strong point.
Hmmmm, my trip to Singapore was problematic, but talking about it makes me want to cry so better not! My trip to Jakarta proved that after six months of travelling, I am still a target for tourist rip off prices…. Oh how I hate it when that happens… Jakarta is so different to Central Java, as the level of poverty is very high, the worst I have seen in my travels around Asia, just looking how people lived made my eyes water, I had to look away at times, as the guilt that I felt was unbearable, but what it better was that all the people seemed content and happy with what they had, it’s a great thing to see, puts things into perspective for you.
Last year was a rollercoaster, I had moments when I thought life couldn’t get any worse, I was diagnosed with Gastritis of the intestine, which then took over everything for five months…. I thought I would never get over that, and worse I thought it would never get better. But it has everyday I am thankful that I have no more problems with my stomach…. I have my sisters to thank for supporting me (and listening to my endless list of worries) Aylin who cared for me in Cyprus( but also made me gain at least a stone in weight, due to bread eating) Tony who did a little bit of mental magic and mostly Arda My boy…. Who made me see the light again.
There of course were many highs, travelling, riding elephants, facing my fears, having a family moment in Hong Kong, meeting the love of my life and becoming a teacher.
New years resolution?! I don’t make them, but I know what I want to achieve/do.
- Speak Indonesian
- Ride a bike without killing myself on the roads of Jogja
- Speak to my sisters more
- Experience new things
- Make lots of friends in Indonesia
- Keep in touch with England Friends… Aylin, Rory, Tony, Liz the Itsu Crew….
Well that’s it,
Miss you all
Niketa xxxx
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