Top 5!

I've been dealing with some post-Karen blues this week. And it hasn't helped that I've also been crazy busy. Busy with good things (like activities for my kids, and church responsibilities) but still busy enough that I've felt a bit on the verge of an anxiety attack on a daily basis.

But the prevailing thought I've had lately came from something Karen said as we were driving to the airport on her last day here. I asked, "So what are some of your overall impressions of Jakarta?" Her answer: "It's not as bad as I thought it would be. From you descriptions, I was expecting much worse."

Hmmmm.

Granted, we took really good care of Karen. She didn't have to find, clean, or prepare food, communicate in Indonesian, navigate the streets of Jakarta, or figure out how the heck this city works, or how the heck to find fulfillment for children, husband, and self in a place that is pretty gritty - all things that made our initial transition here very difficult and still pose great challenges.  But Karen had a point.

Jakarta is not so bad. In fact, we truly love our experience here.
 

So here are my top favorite things about Jakarta...

5.  FOOD (as long as it is cooked and cleaned REALLY well!). I didn't know how much I love watermelon until I had the option of eating it every day. And oh mangoes - the tang mixed with the sweet - in salads, in smoothies, in desserts. Then there's the new fruits I've tried: mangostenes (shown below) with the inside white fruit that looks like garlic but tastes like a plum, and jeruk bali that are like giant grapefruits.
 

The traditional Indonesian dishes are also delicious: chicken sate, the gado gado salad, and the soto ayam.
 


4. SPAS. Okay, so I've only been to a nice spa twice. And even with the cheap spa, I've gone only a handful of times. But that's still more than I would be able to do in the US. The cream bath head/neck/shoulder massages are heavenly.

3. Tropical weather. This one surprises me because I'm such a fan of the seasons. But there's something to be said for predictability. And it is nice to walk out into the warm air...soothing like a warm bath or an embrace. Every single day.

2. Proximity to beauty. (I'm cheating here because I know it's not really something specifically about Jakarta). But just an hour drive away (give or take a couple hours due to traffic) is some of the most primitive, tangled, green-beauty I've ever seen. The foothills of Gede with the tea plantations. The mountain peaks with the towering clouds that roll in and out like the tide. And of course Bali (an hour and half plane ride away) with Hindu culture, rice terraces, dramatic cliffs, turquoise water, and blue skies.

1. People. It is always people that make the difference, don't you think? The Indonesian people are BEAUTIFUL. They are kind, meek, generous, friendly, and sweet. Their smiles reach my soul. Our dear Yuli is an example to me everyday of what it means to be cheerful.

And then there's the non-Indonesians. My fellow-English teachers who I admire and who "get" me and accept me. And my amazing friends who are doers - those who dive into this crazy city on a daily basis and figure things out. I am inspired by the people here.

That's only my top five. There are lots of other reason I love it here. Many other reasons that will make it hard for me to leave in a year. Plenty of reasons that make Jakarta not so bad at all.