Pak Asep owns a little cart on the side of the street where he sells two kinds of breakfast food:
nasi kuning (yellow rice) and
longtong (rice cooked in a banana leaf along with a curry-like soup). These dishes cost less than 40 cents each, and were the best-tasting in the area. I miss
Pak Asep's friendliness, the conversations we had, and his delicious food.
Pak Yaya not only cut my hair monthly, but also gave me a neck and back massage - and all for about a dollar. He's a kind and meticulous man, and despite an unwanted military-style haircut my first visit, he quickly caught on and gave me some of the best haircuts of my life. After he realized that I didn't want my neck popped (common practice for Indonesian barbers), the massages were wonderful. I miss his soft-spoken friendliness and thoroughness, and the massages.
This was the man who I bought bananas from each week. I forgot his name, and then was too
embarrassed to ask him again after that. I could buy a
sisir (literally "comb" or bunch) of bananas for about 50 cents. Out of each bunch, I could usually eat 2-3 bananas before my roommates had snatched them all up. Fruit, considered too expensive by most Indonesians, was something I was more than willing to let my roommates enjoy. I miss this man's friendliness, the unique relationship we enjoyed, and cheap bananas.
In my final month in Indonesia, I was brought full circle in many different ways, including a visit to the host family where I spent my first 4 weeks in Indonesia in 2004. This family has been very gracious, generous, and hospitable toward me, and continue to consider and call me "our son Bayu." Bayu was the Indonesian name given to me, and the name of their child who died in infancy. 
Some of the first phrases I learned in 2004 were "Terima kasih untuk memasak untuk saya" and "Terima kasih untuk mencuci pakaian saya." Translation: "Thank you for cooking for me" and "Thank you for washing my clothes." These two phrases were used repeated, as this dear house-maid cooked for me and washed my clothes daily. It was a joy to return several years later and speak to her in Bahasa Indonesia.
The effects of Christmas candy and Mama's good home-cooking have caused me to remember one of my favorite places in Bandung - the local track. Under the influence of an American couple that ran 6 days a week and were healthy 60+ year-
