Love Lists

Things I Can't Believe I Lived Without Before Indonesia:
-> My 'Bus: especially Ibu Rina and Ibu Mila
-> My students: they are funny, sweet, and laugh at everything I do
-> Constant simple kindnesses from perfect strangers
-> Fresh mangoes, mangosteen, pineapple, papaya, rambutan, and more for only pennies!
-> Pet cicak: small geckos that infiltrate all corners of my house
-> October to February and I'm not freezing to death!
-> Friday morning workouts: more to come on this later...nothing makes me laugh more
-> A rice cooker: so easy, so fluffy, so perfect
-> Angkots: public transportation that while incredibly unreliable costs only $.20 and will inevitably eventually get you where you need to go
-> Milas: a delicious organic vegetarian experience
-> Yupi Strawberry Kiss: a gummy, heart-shaped, strawberry flavored, sugar-coated candy that has added Vitamin C [which is my excuse for eating it]
-> Excellent tofu and tempe
-> "Cantik dan pintar sekali": being considered beautiful and intelligent by nearly everyone I meet no matter what I do, say, or look like at the time
-> The other 31 Fulbrights: who keep me sane, safe, happy, and entertained

Things I Desperately Miss from the Motherland:
-> My family: the whole wild, extended bunch
-> Friends: the elders, the peers, and the little ones
-> Ovens: I want to bake!
-> Bagels: bread in general, but bagels the most
-> Cheese: cheddar, feta, bleu, provolone, mozzerella, swiss, brie...every kind
-> Mustard, hot sauce that isn't sweet, pesto: you know, all my favorite condiments
-> Salad: raw vegetables are dangerous and there seems to be a general lack of lettuce
-> Slices and Back Home Again
-> Privacy
-> Moving without dripping sweat from every part of my body
-> Hockey: the excitement of the game, the companionship of the team and staff, and the coolness of the rink
-> Reliable doctors [Dr. George] and medicine: after a few days of throwing up everything that passes your lips, the last thing you want to worry about is whether the medical treatment you get will kill you
-> The library
-> Ease of movement: easily getting where I want to go when I want to go there
-> General lack of unwanted roommates: bugs, rodents, lizards, etc.
-> Reliable power
-> Well water

Both lists subject to revision when and as needed!