This post was originally written on February 25, 2017. It’s a rainy Saturday afternoon. I’m at home, listening to the thunder rolling above and giving thanks that in Surabaya, heavy rain doesn’t necessarily mean that the power will go out. Bob Dylan is sitting on my love seat, crooning his timeless tunes from my JBL … More Reflections in Surabaya (February 2017)
“So she gets to campus and she is hurrying because she is late for class and then she runs into him…” I begin. “And then he, what? Grabs her by her waist and pulls her toward him?” Krupa suggests. My fingers hesitate over the keyboard. “Hmm, I don’t know if they’ll get what that means,” … More Trying to do the right thing
Days like today make me mourn the shortness of my time remaining in Indonesia. Days like today make me wish I was in it for the long haul, wish that I had time to nurture the relationships that are just now starting to bud. Days like today make me already feel the regret of leaving … More Days like today
It is the evening of Valentine’s Day and I am spending it… in bed. I am happily jomblo [single], which is for the best because the rain outside combined with an oncoming flu have me feeling very malas [lazy]. From the comfort of my comforter, I want to wish all of my friends and family … More Valentine’s Day 2017
Halloween 2016 has come and gone. Even though the orange tinsel and paper ghosts are gone from our classroom, memories of the holiday are still fresh in my students’ minds. I was forbidden from holding a Halloween party by the religious officials at my private Islamic school, but no one batted an eye when English … More A Halloween party by any other name
Several weeks ago I went to Universitas Airlangga’s American Corner (AmCor) for the first time. I arrived “fashionably late” (traffic took two hours instead of the expected one) but I still made it! Before I had the chance to introduce myself to everyone, Mas Agung, AmCor’s coordinator, informed me that they were planning on having … More Pasta, Pesto, and Peanut Sauce: An Intercultural Potluck
181 : Hours so far in Sidoarjo. 95 : Minutes to Jakarta by plane. 866,500 : Excess baggage fee to get my stuff from Jakarta to Surabaya (in IDR). 1,996,001 : Population of Sidoarjo, now including me and based on a 2014 estimate. 24 : Javanese words learned. When used properly, these words give the … More First Impressions of Sidoarjo: By the Numbers
“Assalamualaikum!” Peace be upon you! I call out the traditional Muslim greeting from outside the front gate of a neighbor’s house. “Walaikumsalam!” And peace be upon you! A man’s voice responds from inside. His head pokes into the ruang tamu–the front receiving room for guests–and he smiles in surprise. “Oi! Ada Miss Kelly!” Even … More “How did you freaking get here?”: A surprise homecoming in Pangkal Pinang
Where in the world is Kelly? 