Recent Occurences

Last week I had a reasonably normal, average week except:

I finally broke down and went to the doctor.  It was Doctor Melissa.  No last name, as is par for many Indonesians.  I was surprised that she spells it the way I do.  She was very nice but asked for a stool sample.  I provided one the next morning but hope I won't have to again.  Its a strange thing to do.  The outcome was that I have not one but two different infections.  As a result I am on five medications, of which no two are taken at the same time.  One is two capsules in the morning before food, a liquid that is taken a half hour before meals, the antibiotic is twice a day after food, another pill taken after each meal and one more pill that's twice a day though I can't currently remember if it's before or after food.

Courtesy of kirarasmonde.wordpress.com. none of my pills look like these but I take at least this many for the moment.

I gave in and hired a maid.  Never in my life have I had a maid until Indonesia.  It was included with the shared teacher house I was in first.  My second place, a boarding house, had someone who did the wash but nothing else.  After a couple months in my single studio, I've hired a maid on for once a week. Almost everyone here has maids (and nannies and cooks and drivers and and and ). She does the washing, sweeps, mops, cleans the bathroom and kitchen and cooks.  The funny thing about when she cooks is that she seems to think she's cooking for five.  Maybe it's reminiscent of her time working for families, not just an individual.  The tuna pasta she made on her first visit was good but I didn't need four meals worth.  The chicken with steamed veggies this week is even better, but again it will be three to four meals for me.  I'm not complaining, she's fantastic.  I just think it's funny.

Courtesy of tripadvisor.com.  This is probably what will happen when I ask for fried rice.

Though this is coming in blog-chronology after the zoo, it occurred in real life before the zoo. There are beggars everywhere in Jakarta.  Some are vendors and I don't count those who are walking car to car selling things, or have a cart set up. These are the ones who want money for doing little or nothing.  There are women who sit near the bus stops with small children and a plastic pot looking pathetic. There are men, women and children playing everything from guitars to ukulele to a stick with some washers that jingle held on with a nail. They approach cars or jump on the buses. Lastly there are the monkey men.  I hate these guys.  I don't use the word hate lightly but I repeat, I HATE THESE GUYS. They are almost always lethargic-looking teens or young men, they are lazy as the day is long.  They have these small monkeys on chains (always chains).  The monkeys are dressed, the clothes ranging from a diaper-esque get up to full rodeo ready attire. There is nearly always a hollowed, cut up doll head that they are made to wear. I really want to get off the motor bike and go punch these guys right in the face. I used to have a flash of guilt in thinking that I gave them money then they'd take better care of the monkey because they would have more resources that might be used for the monkey's welfare.  Sadly though, I know that's not the case. Seeing the monkeys makes me depressed and upset in about equal shares. After seeing no less than eight monkeys last week, I was definitely down.

Courtesy of flickr.com.  This is exactly what you'd see.

I saw a guy peeing in the street.  Nothing special here in Jakarta (or even in Madrid) but He was pulled over near Mega Kuningan which is one of the higher rent districts of town. He was right at the edge of the road, not several paces off.  And the kicker?  He was peeing on his BMW.  He was at the front passenger side door (opposite from the US passenger door), with the front and back doors open to shield him.  He was standing between peeing on the back door.  I didn't look closely enough to see the backsplash, ewww!

Courtesy of blog.navendusharma.com

Lastly is the recent change in my ojek driver.  He is very reliable, not just for Indonesia but especially for Indonesia.  He's on time about 95% of the time and has never not showed.  Two days ago he half told half motioned for me to put my arms around him because his jacket was billowing up.  I never wrap my arms around him because he's not my boyfriend or my friend, he's a random Indonesian guy who takes to to and from work.  I thought it odd, but most things here are.  So I obliged and figured that was it.  It happened again this morning.  Other than being emotionally uncomfortable, I'm taller than he is and on the back of the bike I ride higher so it hurts my back to put my arms around him.  Yesterday, he also asked if he could come up to my apartment just before we got to the apartment building.  I asked why.  He didn't respond and then we acted like it never happened when I got off the bike.   I hope I don't have to go find a new driver.

Courtesy of yell.com.  I usually hang on like this guy.

Courtesy of travel.nationalgeographic.com.  Nothing nearly as close or cozy as this.