Gyms are great places to people watch. Unfortunately, there are only very few people (and mostly men) frequenting the Novotel gym here in Palembang and I don't want to be caught watching them. They obviously keep to themselves.
The few women that I have met have been friendly but they are not regulars. Today, a new woman walked into the gym. Middle age, big hair (not done up), full face of make-up including black eyeliner, tight three quarter pants and a fitting gym top. She walked in full of confidence and obviously felt attractive. She was attractive, even though she didn't look ready to sweat it out. I'm always on the lookout for people that I could potentially make friends with so I beamed a smile over. What did I get?
A look up and down. From my shoes to my falling out ponytail, and then back to my shoes again. She did meet my eye and the corners of her mouth tilted upwards slightly. Then she just looked away. Did she look....unimpressed? I don't know. It wasn't a friendly look. Is it just me over reacting? I would have given her a second chance but then I saw this...
She ordered the trainer on duty to wipe down the bench she wanted to do sit ups on. There was no real request. Just a point of one manicured finger and 'Please wipe'. After that, towels had to be laid out all over the bench and the leg curling area. Something like 5 towels?!?! After that, no thank you or look of appreciation. Just more of that unimpressed look.
Why go through all the effort of making yourself look good when you make yourself instantly ugly with an attitude like that? I can never understand why some people feel that they need to act above everybody else. Plenty of people at the gym are rich (not me) but most don't do that.
Now, the worst part of the whole experience came when I walked past this snob in the lobby on my way out. She was ordering somebody to do something. And then I realized that she was Malaysian. I'm not saying that it would have been justified if she was Indonesian but I felt a certain embarrassment on her behalf because they all know I'm Malaysian too.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
English words in Indonesian
My Indonesian has been getting better each day and I can now have a decent conversation if the other party speaks slowly. Amongst all the Indonesian words that I've been learning, I've also had to pick up some Indonesian versions of English words. Here are just a few of them. If you can control your eyes, try to guess what they mean before reading my explanation.
1) Oli - Somehow, they have re-arranged the letters for 'Oil' and now call 'Oil', 'Oli'. There are signs everywhere for Ganti Oli (Oil Change).
2) Helm - Pronounced 'Helem'. I guess there is some resemblance to 'Helmet'. Here's a common scene of parents with their helms and the kid (no helm) sandwiched in the middle.
3) Shock - Pronounced and spelled the same as English. It is what they call the shock absorbers of a car.
4) Reflexi - This word is probably derived from reflexology but is used for any sort of massage.
5) Batteri - Pronounced 'Bartree' with a blunt 'T' if you know what I mean. This one is easy - battery.
6) Parkir - Meaning 'Car Park'.
There are many more English words in use even though hardly anybody speaks English. Another interesting thing is that the headlines on magazine covers are often in English even though the contents are entirely in Indonesian.
On a side note, even though it was the Dutch who colonized Indonesia, the only word I've come across so far is 'Tante', meaning Aunt. The word 'Gratis' is also used a lot but I think the origin there is Latin. I'll keep listening out for interesting words to share. So far, my favorite is HELM.
1) Oli - Somehow, they have re-arranged the letters for 'Oil' and now call 'Oil', 'Oli'. There are signs everywhere for Ganti Oli (Oil Change).
2) Helm - Pronounced 'Helem'. I guess there is some resemblance to 'Helmet'. Here's a common scene of parents with their helms and the kid (no helm) sandwiched in the middle.
3) Shock - Pronounced and spelled the same as English. It is what they call the shock absorbers of a car.
4) Reflexi - This word is probably derived from reflexology but is used for any sort of massage.
5) Batteri - Pronounced 'Bartree' with a blunt 'T' if you know what I mean. This one is easy - battery.
6) Parkir - Meaning 'Car Park'.
There are many more English words in use even though hardly anybody speaks English. Another interesting thing is that the headlines on magazine covers are often in English even though the contents are entirely in Indonesian.
On a side note, even though it was the Dutch who colonized Indonesia, the only word I've come across so far is 'Tante', meaning Aunt. The word 'Gratis' is also used a lot but I think the origin there is Latin. I'll keep listening out for interesting words to share. So far, my favorite is HELM.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
9 Months in Palembang
We arrived in Palembang on 3 February 2007. This means that this weekend is our 9 month 'anniversary' of living here. Even though the days here are 'longer' than any day I spend anywhere else, the 9 months have brought so many changes and seems to have been over so quickly on hindsight. When we came, Aaron was 5 months and he was balding. This photo was taken the night before we left Ipoh, Malaysia.
Look at him today:
Maybe its a good thing that our days are long. Seeing these contrasting photos remind me that Aaron will only be a baby for a short while longer.
If you're wondering about that big white slipper, he likes to hand me my shoes whenever we're getting ready to go out. He usually brings ALL the shoes he can.
Look at him today:
Maybe its a good thing that our days are long. Seeing these contrasting photos remind me that Aaron will only be a baby for a short while longer.
If you're wondering about that big white slipper, he likes to hand me my shoes whenever we're getting ready to go out. He usually brings ALL the shoes he can.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Nurture the nurturer
In Brisbane, I heard the phrase 'Nurture the nurturer'. Meaning, if the mother is not nurtured/pampered/taken care of/given time to herself, she WILL NOT be able to do her mothering job.
It is so true. I think my mother would have benefited from hearing this phrase back when we were kids. Somehow, I get the impression that many mothers from her time operated in the giving mode all the time without taking any time for themselves.....and then later on, lament the fact. Or perhaps the lamenting would manifest itself in periodic blowouts.
It happens with today's mothers too but I believe that many more women are taking countermeasures. A day at the spa, lunch with friends, online businesses, blogging (ha! ha!). Basically having non-baby related activities. I'm not saying that this solves all household problems but it does help to unwind a person and so keep things balanced.
Anyway, that whole lead up was to tell you all that I had a wonderful time getting foot reflexology and a manicure AT THE SAME TIME. One person at my feet and one person at my hands. I have been nurtured and now I'm happy to be back at work.
p/s The good thing about living in Palembang is that this sort of nurturing only cost me USD6.64.
It is so true. I think my mother would have benefited from hearing this phrase back when we were kids. Somehow, I get the impression that many mothers from her time operated in the giving mode all the time without taking any time for themselves.....and then later on, lament the fact. Or perhaps the lamenting would manifest itself in periodic blowouts.
It happens with today's mothers too but I believe that many more women are taking countermeasures. A day at the spa, lunch with friends, online businesses, blogging (ha! ha!). Basically having non-baby related activities. I'm not saying that this solves all household problems but it does help to unwind a person and so keep things balanced.
Anyway, that whole lead up was to tell you all that I had a wonderful time getting foot reflexology and a manicure AT THE SAME TIME. One person at my feet and one person at my hands. I have been nurtured and now I'm happy to be back at work.
p/s The good thing about living in Palembang is that this sort of nurturing only cost me USD6.64.
Friday, November 2, 2007
B'ah!
All the Indonesians I have met so far love children. Men and women, old or young, even other children like children younger then them. Policemen, fish monger, bell boy. They all seem to find children, especially babies, irresistible.
So here comes the problem. What do they do when they meet these adorable little ones? Well, they come almost eyeball to eyeball with the baby and suddenly say "B'ah!", sometimes exhaling all the air from their lungs as they do it. Think of it as the Indonesian version of peek-a-boo except there is no peeking or hiding and instead of boo its B'ah. Its just IN YOUR FACE exhalation. They all do it. Its like a 100% fool proof way to get a squeal of delight out of the child. OK, it seems to work 99% of the time so I guess that why they do it but it has the opposite effect on me.
I keep thinking of all the germs they're blowing into Aaron's face. Airborne germs. Saliva particles. Bad breath. Cigarette breath (every male you meet here smokes). Tooth decay breath. Eew!
There's nothing much I can do about it except hope that the vitamins I'm now feeding him daily and the immunities he's supposedly getting from breast milk protect him. I don't avoid anybody because they are all so friendly and 'real'. Just have to get over the initial greeting. B'ah! B'ah! B'ah!
So here comes the problem. What do they do when they meet these adorable little ones? Well, they come almost eyeball to eyeball with the baby and suddenly say "B'ah!", sometimes exhaling all the air from their lungs as they do it. Think of it as the Indonesian version of peek-a-boo except there is no peeking or hiding and instead of boo its B'ah. Its just IN YOUR FACE exhalation. They all do it. Its like a 100% fool proof way to get a squeal of delight out of the child. OK, it seems to work 99% of the time so I guess that why they do it but it has the opposite effect on me.
I keep thinking of all the germs they're blowing into Aaron's face. Airborne germs. Saliva particles. Bad breath. Cigarette breath (every male you meet here smokes). Tooth decay breath. Eew!
There's nothing much I can do about it except hope that the vitamins I'm now feeding him daily and the immunities he's supposedly getting from breast milk protect him. I don't avoid anybody because they are all so friendly and 'real'. Just have to get over the initial greeting. B'ah! B'ah! B'ah!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Liar Liar
My baby lied to me. He cried wolf. One year, two months and twenty four days old! I can't believe it. I'm trying not to believe it. But I think he did lie.....obviously a white lie but still, a lie.
Aaron had a particularly hard time falling asleep at naptime and eventually gave up and walked around the room instead. I pretended to be sleeping already but he came around to pry my eyelids open. He started asking to me to open the door. I just ignored him. He tried clawing at it. Then it escalated to him wailing and banging his head against it. Meanwhile, I'm still 'asleep'.
He then comes up to me, presses on my face to wake me and then bangs his two fists together. Thats the sign I taught him to let me know if he's done something in his nappy and needs a wash. I'm always excited when he uses his signs and rushed him off to the bathroom. Nothing there. Could it be that he wants me to put him on the toilet? I tried and he sat for awhile. Nothing.
So we go back to the room, get the nappy back on and I went back to 'sleep'. He then went through the same routine again. Asking to open the door, clawing, wailing, head banging. AND....banging his fists. So I thought "Maybe he wasn't ready just now. We'll try again". Still nothing. And the time on the toilet? Filled with him singing and looking around everywhere!
Back in the room, its the same routine AGAIN. I ignored it this time. Pretended to sleep while thinking the whole time "He cried wolf. He made a conscious decision to communicate that he needed to go to the bathroom. He lied to me".
He didn't 'GO' the rest of the afternoon. Is it a lie? Or is it just him being creative in finding ways out of the room? Isn't that still a lie?
Aaron had a particularly hard time falling asleep at naptime and eventually gave up and walked around the room instead. I pretended to be sleeping already but he came around to pry my eyelids open. He started asking to me to open the door. I just ignored him. He tried clawing at it. Then it escalated to him wailing and banging his head against it. Meanwhile, I'm still 'asleep'.
He then comes up to me, presses on my face to wake me and then bangs his two fists together. Thats the sign I taught him to let me know if he's done something in his nappy and needs a wash. I'm always excited when he uses his signs and rushed him off to the bathroom. Nothing there. Could it be that he wants me to put him on the toilet? I tried and he sat for awhile. Nothing.
So we go back to the room, get the nappy back on and I went back to 'sleep'. He then went through the same routine again. Asking to open the door, clawing, wailing, head banging. AND....banging his fists. So I thought "Maybe he wasn't ready just now. We'll try again". Still nothing. And the time on the toilet? Filled with him singing and looking around everywhere!
Back in the room, its the same routine AGAIN. I ignored it this time. Pretended to sleep while thinking the whole time "He cried wolf. He made a conscious decision to communicate that he needed to go to the bathroom. He lied to me".
He didn't 'GO' the rest of the afternoon. Is it a lie? Or is it just him being creative in finding ways out of the room? Isn't that still a lie?
Christmas in 55 days
Its November 1st and I'm officially in Christmas mode now. Carols are some of my favorite songs to listen to and I always feel that I never get enough of it if I only hear them the week or two before Christmas itself. So, I've already got 'Silent Night' playing in the background as I blog now. That and all the other carols will probably stick around till end January.
After I left high school, I haven't been big on sending out Christmas cards. I only send out two each year. The first to a religious brother in Switzerland and the second to my old music teacher who has now joined a Carmelite monastery. Hmmm....I just noticed that they're both religious people. No, I'm not doing it for extra prayers, it just happened to be this way.
I am making more of an effort this year and hopefully, I'll be able to get some Christmas Cards out with prints of our new family on it. There are lots of options to choose from on the internet, like these from vistaprint. Too bad I didn't start my investigation while still in Brisbane. Anyhow, I don't have a printer here in Palembang so I'll have to look for a place that will print these cards for me without ripping me off.
After I left high school, I haven't been big on sending out Christmas cards. I only send out two each year. The first to a religious brother in Switzerland and the second to my old music teacher who has now joined a Carmelite monastery. Hmmm....I just noticed that they're both religious people. No, I'm not doing it for extra prayers, it just happened to be this way.
I am making more of an effort this year and hopefully, I'll be able to get some Christmas Cards out with prints of our new family on it. There are lots of options to choose from on the internet, like these from vistaprint. Too bad I didn't start my investigation while still in Brisbane. Anyhow, I don't have a printer here in Palembang so I'll have to look for a place that will print these cards for me without ripping me off.
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