I've been back in Indonesia for a little over a week now and I will begin classes tomorrow morning. What have I been doing in the time between? Working of course. But I feel as if I should tell the whole story from perhaps the beginning.
I returned to the states in a weakened state. Mexican food deprived and locationally confused. For the first time in my life when I returned to my childhood home to be amongst family and friends I was not in fact returning home but instead visiting. I have never felt so out of place and culturally confused in my life. I spent a month relaxing pensively knowing that all too soon I was to leave which in turn never allowed me to feel in any way settled.
I packed up to leave only to have my puddle jumper to Chicago en route to Jakarta slam back onto the airport runway with some sort of hydraulic failure. So I left the next day and once again made the journey across the globe. I chose to purchase an economy plus seat which in effect meant 139 dollars more to have all the leg room one could ever ask for. It was the most brilliant choice I have ever made and I will forever do the same.
I arrived in Jakarta after having spent the last 52 hours in transit to a two hour traffic jam as per usual. The next morning I awoke at 6am and drove to Bogor to attend a teacher retreat from the early morning into the late evening. To say that I was only slightly conscious would be an very accurate description. Two days of teachers retreat followed almost immediately by 3 days of school camp again in nearby Bogor left me physically drained and mentally disqualified. I was finally able to rest and recover a full week after having arrived in Jakarta though I found myself not entirely able to do so. Now I find myself after 3 days of rest preparing for the first day of school which is to be tomorrow. I am unprepared and terrified. I am now teaching both high school and elementary classes among other responsibilities. Also, this being Indonesia... I only learned my teaching schedule today. That is to say, I only learned which days and what hours I will be teaching the day before classes begin. I have as of yet to even learn my salary for the year... Ahh Indonesia.
My personal life has been thrown into chaos as well so in effect I am the stereotypical confused man on the brink of his 30's. The last vestiges of youthful vigour in direct conflict with ageing wisdom.
Lord give me strength for I have none.
I returned to the states in a weakened state. Mexican food deprived and locationally confused. For the first time in my life when I returned to my childhood home to be amongst family and friends I was not in fact returning home but instead visiting. I have never felt so out of place and culturally confused in my life. I spent a month relaxing pensively knowing that all too soon I was to leave which in turn never allowed me to feel in any way settled.
I packed up to leave only to have my puddle jumper to Chicago en route to Jakarta slam back onto the airport runway with some sort of hydraulic failure. So I left the next day and once again made the journey across the globe. I chose to purchase an economy plus seat which in effect meant 139 dollars more to have all the leg room one could ever ask for. It was the most brilliant choice I have ever made and I will forever do the same.
I arrived in Jakarta after having spent the last 52 hours in transit to a two hour traffic jam as per usual. The next morning I awoke at 6am and drove to Bogor to attend a teacher retreat from the early morning into the late evening. To say that I was only slightly conscious would be an very accurate description. Two days of teachers retreat followed almost immediately by 3 days of school camp again in nearby Bogor left me physically drained and mentally disqualified. I was finally able to rest and recover a full week after having arrived in Jakarta though I found myself not entirely able to do so. Now I find myself after 3 days of rest preparing for the first day of school which is to be tomorrow. I am unprepared and terrified. I am now teaching both high school and elementary classes among other responsibilities. Also, this being Indonesia... I only learned my teaching schedule today. That is to say, I only learned which days and what hours I will be teaching the day before classes begin. I have as of yet to even learn my salary for the year... Ahh Indonesia.
My personal life has been thrown into chaos as well so in effect I am the stereotypical confused man on the brink of his 30's. The last vestiges of youthful vigour in direct conflict with ageing wisdom.
Lord give me strength for I have none.
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