Village Visit

Badminton

The Olympic Games touch and inspire millions, if not billions, around the world. I am among the inspired. Indonesia claimed 3 of its 5 Olympic medals in their beloved sport of bulutangkis, including the stunning 2-1 thriller over the mighty Chinese to claim the the men's doubles gold. With a touch of cockiness, Marcus Kido said "we just weren't quite warmed up in the first game." Indonesia doesn't have much else to be cocky about in the sports world, but when it comes to badminton, they expect to excel. And excellence inspires, even to an American who grew up with the idea that a net dividing the players meant that they weren't manly enough to play a contact sport. But a smashed birdie, able to fly nearly as fast as 200mph, is very, very manly.
After playing off and on for a couple years in college, I've taken up badminton more seriously here in Indonesia. There's still a lot of progress to be made, but I'm playing 1-2 times per week, slowing increasing the power of my smash and honing my backhand. Playing badminton with friends is one of the highlights of my week. When I get home I want to see if my dad will clear out his shed/garage and let me set up an indoor court. We'll see how that flies...

Living Room = Garage

In Indonesia, garages are a luxury. Space often doesn't allow for special places to park your motorcycle. You can't leave it outside either. A year and half ago my roommate Javen's motorcycle was left outside for the night and gone by morning. So every night we bring our motorcycles inside, and park them in the living room. Fortunately we are poor and have no furniture, making the living room big enough for 4 motorcycles and 2 bicycles. That's my motor (as we call them in Indonesia) on the far left.

Housemates

From R to L: Bang Javen - finished his Masters in Aeronautical Engineering at ITB, now working as a research assistant there, wanting to pursue his Ph.D. in another country, one of the smartest people I know (by the way, "Bang" is a term meaning "older brother" that should be used in the front of the name of someone who is close to your age but older);

Gideon - junior at UPI where he is studying visual arts, likes to ride his bike to college (considered totally not cool), one of the best artists I've met in my life;

Rudy (in back) - graduate in Mining from ITB early this year, just moved out to work a job in the mining industry, an amazing guitar player and singer;

Murdiono - spent a year in Bandung doing a college prep course, had almost given up all hope that he could pass the test to get into college, his dad had already bought extra land so Murdi could become a rice farmer when he came home, but he passed the test, moved out, and is now studying law at a university in Central Java;

Jos - graduated high school but failed the test to get into college, so is taking a year of college prep courses to see if he can make it in next year, my running partner in the mornings;

Eko - a sophomore studying Law at UNPAR, likes to debate with me about anything and everything, love punk rock music and singing in the shower as loud as he can.

Reading the daily newspaper together, just like Indonesians do most things.

Excuses

I've been a bad blogger. I have to admit it. The past few months I've posted very little. Time and time again you've opened my blog with the expectation of new pics and new stories, but instead are sadly disappointed. You feel let down, even betrayed, but decide you'll check back in another week. The next week is the same: no new posts, and this disappointment grows. You vow to never open my blog again, deeming it another waste of time, right along with reading last month's newspaper or watching re-runs of ABC News. But within a few weeks curiosity causes you to break your vow, and you open my website again, only to have your hopes crushed again.... Sorry. But there is good reason. I have my excuses. I've been very busy. So I thought that in addition to a fresh commitment to more frequent posting, I would give a few of the excuses of why I haven't been blogging. These are listed in no particular order.

I haven't been blogging because I've been... ... riding little, cute, pink motorcycles.

...riding wild, drooling elephants.

... working on my Tarzan skills.


...feeding small children candy.

...hanging out with strangers on the side of the road.

...showering in waterfalls.

...working on my chopstick and noodle-slurping skills.

...watching out for wily strangers.

...staying in luxury accommodations.

...going overboard.

...pondering life on the edge.

...standing guard.

...trying to walk on water.

...crying out for help.

...hanging on for dear life.