9/3/2012

9/3/2012 Question

Q. The family loves to read your stories.  Sounds like you are having a great time. I love how immersed in the culture you seem to be. What a unique experience! I posted once before but I am not sure if it worked. I don't see it anywhere.  Oh well. Take care and have fun. Love you, Uncle David. So here is a question: any cute boys?

A. I am glad your kids like my stories maybe when you visit in the summer I will be able to tell them even more. I am having a great time and I am loving it here. I don't think your previous post worked, this is the first message I have gotten from you. There are not too many cute boys, mainly because a lot of them are shorter than me and they stare and wave at me like I'm an exotic animal in a zoo... So, if it makes you feel better, I will most likely not come home with a boyfriend. And, they don't have dread locks so I won't come back with those either. Love you :)

9/3/2012

Today, my sister woke me up at 5am so that I could get ready for my school which starts at 6:30 in the morning. I put on my uniform that I will wear six days a week for the next year of my life. My host Mom was out of town and my host sister, Diandra had school so, my host Grandma agreed to take me to school to help translate and talk to the administration for me. My host grandma does not speak much English, but she was great. I could not have talked to the administration without her, and I would have been more lost and confused than ever. It was the first day back from Idul Fitri Vacation so, everyone was getting back to school. I sat in the office talking while the entire school assembled in the courtyard. My host grandma then told me, in broken English that I would need to introduce myself when the Principle called my name. The student all lined up in rows and waited while the flag was raised. Then, the principal talked for at least 30min. I have no idea what he talked about I was just ready to get my introduction over with and I wanted him to finish faster. After what felt like forever, the principal called my name and I emerged from the school office to face the entire student body. The principle had me stand up on a step so that everyone could see me, then he handed me a microphone and I introduced myself. As soon as I said hi, everyone laughed and cheered which only intensified when I waved at everyone. I got threw my introduction and I think that everyone understood me. I guess doing my introduction on the first day is better than introducing myself individually to everyone in the school, and I am glad that I do not get nervous speaking in front of people (I was nervous until I stood on the stage, then I was fine).  The principal had me step down, he said a couple of words and then I was hurried back into the office. To celebrate the holiday all the teacher lined up and one by one the students walked by and greeted each teacher (In Indonesia the people hold hands and then the younger person hold the older person's hand up to their face). It took a long time to get threw everyone but, when they were done they went home. Apparently there are no lessons on the day after break (something that I think should be adopted in America haha). I was introduced to more teachers, one of which took me up stairs to the multimedia teacher's lounge. The teacher then got his computer and we sat down to pick out my schedule after deciding on all my classes he went to go print me a schedule and I stayed with the other teachers. The teachers were all on their computers and told me that if I ever got lost or had any questions I should ask them. They also said that if I got bored I could just come in and go on Facebook. I guess that they understood that grades would not matter  to me and just wanted me to have fun. I asked if I would need any computer programs for my classes and they told me not to work about it because all programs in Indonesia are illegal and that I would get it later. Some of the teachers started smoking (lots of people smoke here and it is completely acceptable to smoke everywhere, school, restaurants, my house, everywhere). My guide got back with my schedule and then took me around to see some of my classrooms. When I finished finding my classes I said goodbye to everyone and when home with Grandma. It was only 9:30 so all in all it was the best "first day of school" ever. No one was home so I worked on my blog and seminary (church class that all high school age Mormons  take, I can't go to a class because there are not very many Mormons here so I will be teaching myself about the New Testament this year).  I had a Rotary dinner at night so my Mom gave me one of her traditional Sudanese (the local people here) dress to wear. It took a couple tries to get the skirt on right because it is a long strip of fabric with two ties on it and I had to wrap it around myself and tie it. I went with Diandra to the dinner. When we got there I was one of the only people wearing a traditional costume so I stormed over to my councilor, Aunt Melly because she told my Mom to have me wear the outfit. There are two other Inbounds in Bandung, one from Belgium and one from Brazil. At the dinner there was also another girl from a city four hours away from Bandung called Cirebon.  She is from Wisconsin and I think both of us enjoyed talking to another American. All of the Inbounds seem really nice. The dinner was very nice even though I had no idea what was going on for the majority of it. When I got home I watched "Made of Honor" with Diandra. I probably should have gone to bed but the movie was so cute so I ended up going to bed at midnight.

9/3/2012 Highlight

The best thing that happened to me today is that I had no lessons at school and that my introduction when really well. It really was a great day!

 

PS Soory it took me so long to write this but sometimes the internet at my house is not very good and I can not log on to my blog. Thanks for reading!!!!