I'm now 10,000 km away from Jakarta, and it's just strange. Going from a city of 15(ish) million (the number varies depending on who you ask) to a city of 39,000 is a bit of a change.
I slept with my window open last night, and I woke up to the sound of birds. Imagine that... and there's no palm trees anywhere. Not to mention the quiet (the church down the street does make noise, but it's nothing compared to the mosques of Jakarta).
But but but. There's some stuff I genuinely miss about Indonesia. Like... ah, can't think of anything. Starbucks, maybe, 'cause they don't have it here in Finland. Yeah, I'd go back just for the Starbucks. And my friends, but that obviously goes without saying.
It's funny, though, because coming back here I've had a couple moments of culture shock as well. Just the way people are dressed is kind of strange - or rather, the way they aren't dressed (the amount of shirtless men is unbelievable, and they're mostly not the kind you'd like to see shirtless...). I felt positively Victorian in my long jeans and loose t-shirt. Plus these people know nothing about traffic safety - they all drive on the wrong side of the road! - Just kidding. Anyways, the streets are really empty, it's weird, and there's hardly any motorcycles anywhere o.O
Okay, yeah, sorry, this blog was supposed to be about Indonesia. But right now, I need a short break from that place. I think I'll go wear a tight tanktop and shorts and get me some salmiakki-flavoured ice cream.
Love y'all!
- Anna xxx
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
I'm still alive...
...and writing a blog post!
An update on stuff that's happened since my last post, which was... uh... almost four months ago *hangs head in shame*.
1. We moved into an actual apartment of our own. Located right above a gay nightclub, as we then discovered.
2. I've started school, and that's kind of nice. Here, period means 85 minutes rather than 8-ish weeks, and the proper name for a skip is "honor pass" o.O
3. They know me at Starbucks. It's kind of scary, actually.
4. Oh, and we have a driver and a maid! Ahh, the life of a bule... maybe I shouldn't get too used to this, though.
5. And we just got internet access two days ago, which is always a good thing. In fact, the main reason I haven't done much (read: any) blogging recently is due to lack of internet.
Because I know how much y'all love my countdowns: 78 days. Until what? Why, FINLAND of course! <3
Other than that, I really don't have much to write about. Maybe I should go into huge detail about my school. Ok, that's what I'll do.
My school starts at 7.30 every morning, except Tuesdays, when it starts at 8.30. This means I get up at five. This means I'm a cranky bitch by the end of the week, but that's ok. Anyways, my school is really frikkin' huge, and it's full of palm trees and cats. The lunch is cheap - although I do find myself missing pinattiletut and makaronilaatikko and most importantly, kumiperunat. Too much choice here. :P
Also, the school library is pretty awesome, although they're a bit too enthusiastic with the AC, like in every other part of the school. Which is why I love breaks, it's always so nice and warm outside. Yes, that was shameless gloating about how I'm in Indonesia and it's just south of the equator and there's still tons of snow in Finland and HA HA!!!
Yup, probably should leave it at that, end on a positive note, rather than sitting here writing and going all sentimental and starting to talk about how I miss Finland and how I miss everyone and how I can't wait for those eleven weeks and one day to pass and gahh.
Right, over and out. Until next time. <3
An update on stuff that's happened since my last post, which was... uh... almost four months ago *hangs head in shame*.
1. We moved into an actual apartment of our own. Located right above a gay nightclub, as we then discovered.
2. I've started school, and that's kind of nice. Here, period means 85 minutes rather than 8-ish weeks, and the proper name for a skip is "honor pass" o.O
3. They know me at Starbucks. It's kind of scary, actually.
4. Oh, and we have a driver and a maid! Ahh, the life of a bule... maybe I shouldn't get too used to this, though.
5. And we just got internet access two days ago, which is always a good thing. In fact, the main reason I haven't done much (read: any) blogging recently is due to lack of internet.
Because I know how much y'all love my countdowns: 78 days. Until what? Why, FINLAND of course! <3
Other than that, I really don't have much to write about. Maybe I should go into huge detail about my school. Ok, that's what I'll do.
My school starts at 7.30 every morning, except Tuesdays, when it starts at 8.30. This means I get up at five. This means I'm a cranky bitch by the end of the week, but that's ok. Anyways, my school is really frikkin' huge, and it's full of palm trees and cats. The lunch is cheap - although I do find myself missing pinattiletut and makaronilaatikko and most importantly, kumiperunat. Too much choice here. :P
Also, the school library is pretty awesome, although they're a bit too enthusiastic with the AC, like in every other part of the school. Which is why I love breaks, it's always so nice and warm outside. Yes, that was shameless gloating about how I'm in Indonesia and it's just south of the equator and there's still tons of snow in Finland and HA HA!!!
Yup, probably should leave it at that, end on a positive note, rather than sitting here writing and going all sentimental and starting to talk about how I miss Finland and how I miss everyone and how I can't wait for those eleven weeks and one day to pass and gahh.
Right, over and out. Until next time. <3
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
'Tis the Season...
It's December 1st, folks! And that means it's not only Hug A Finn Day, it's also Chocolate Day - you all got your calendars? I don't, and that is what I will be bitching about today.
Indonesia is a muslim country. But I mean, that's no excuse! Ranch Market sells all sorts of Christmas chocolates, so why not calendars? What about the little western kids *cough cough* for whom it's a tradition?
Other Christmas stuff from the Tropics: I love going to Starbucks, because some of the employees wear those amazing Christmas hats. <3 Plus Pepperming Mocha is really good, and I never thought I'd say something like that about coffee.
Well, yeah, not much else Christmas over here... Grahh. Silly country.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Hullo.
Right, not been updating in a while. I've been here three weeks, and it's been a pretty strange time. Some of the stuff I've had to put up with:
1. The traffic. The sheer amount of it is unbelievable.
2. The heat. It's hot.
3. The storms. Which are fucking epic.
4. The exchange rate. 10 000 rupiah = 90 cents.
5. The random guys who try to flirt. With me.
But you get used to it, except for maybe the heat, which I haven't got used to, and in fact I pretty much have a permanent cold from the AC. But now to list the really good stuff about Jakarta:
1. They have Starbucks.
2. The epic storms.
3. Everything is amazingly cheap. 10 000 rupiah gets you pretty far, to be honest.
4. Nah, that's it really.
Right, that should satisfy you all for now. :P <3
1. The traffic. The sheer amount of it is unbelievable.
2. The heat. It's hot.
3. The storms. Which are fucking epic.
4. The exchange rate. 10 000 rupiah = 90 cents.
5. The random guys who try to flirt. With me.
But you get used to it, except for maybe the heat, which I haven't got used to, and in fact I pretty much have a permanent cold from the AC. But now to list the really good stuff about Jakarta:
1. They have Starbucks.
2. The epic storms.
3. Everything is amazingly cheap. 10 000 rupiah gets you pretty far, to be honest.
4. Nah, that's it really.
Right, that should satisfy you all for now. :P <3
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Culture Shock!
Ok, this is going to be a hugely long post, so prepare yourselves.
First of all the flight. Well, three flights, to be honest. We flew with KML, and all I can say is they have the most awesome food. They served ice cream at a completely random time in the middle of the night :O. And Schiphol airport in Amsterdam = fucking pretty.
But about Jakarta: We finally arrived at Soekarno-Hatta after ages of flying. And you could just feel the heat as soon as you stepped off the airplane, it was amazing. And to get inside the airport properly, we had to walk through this glass tunnel, and there were gardens on both sides, and it was amazingly beautiful. <3
Baggage claim took ages, and it was getting dark when we left the airport. When we finally got to Jakarta itself, it was dark, and the city looked amazing. The first thing that came to mind was Las Vegas, although I was assured that in daytime, it was a whole different world. Nothing like Vegas, that is.
Well, I was convinced pretty soon... there were so many people on the street, and they were climbing on buses. Honestly, there were people climbing out the windows onto the roof. :O People were also walking among the traffic, and motorcycles outnumbered the cars 5 to 1, approximately. There was an actual family of four on one fucking motorcycle. And traffic is as messed up as traffic can get... several motorcycles were doing some risky stuff, plus the number of cars (including ours...) driving on the "hati-hati buslane". :D
I've probably forgotten most of the stuff I was supposed to write... it's just so unbelievable, it's like a different reality. And Karo's comment about the looks of Indonesian guys - I'm starting to agree with that. :D Sorry, Indonesians, but...
Yeah, I'll be writing more later, once I actually get over the fact that I'm really here.
First of all the flight. Well, three flights, to be honest. We flew with KML, and all I can say is they have the most awesome food. They served ice cream at a completely random time in the middle of the night :O. And Schiphol airport in Amsterdam = fucking pretty.
But about Jakarta: We finally arrived at Soekarno-Hatta after ages of flying. And you could just feel the heat as soon as you stepped off the airplane, it was amazing. And to get inside the airport properly, we had to walk through this glass tunnel, and there were gardens on both sides, and it was amazingly beautiful. <3
Baggage claim took ages, and it was getting dark when we left the airport. When we finally got to Jakarta itself, it was dark, and the city looked amazing. The first thing that came to mind was Las Vegas, although I was assured that in daytime, it was a whole different world. Nothing like Vegas, that is.
Well, I was convinced pretty soon... there were so many people on the street, and they were climbing on buses. Honestly, there were people climbing out the windows onto the roof. :O People were also walking among the traffic, and motorcycles outnumbered the cars 5 to 1, approximately. There was an actual family of four on one fucking motorcycle. And traffic is as messed up as traffic can get... several motorcycles were doing some risky stuff, plus the number of cars (including ours...) driving on the "hati-hati buslane". :D
I've probably forgotten most of the stuff I was supposed to write... it's just so unbelievable, it's like a different reality. And Karo's comment about the looks of Indonesian guys - I'm starting to agree with that. :D Sorry, Indonesians, but...
Yeah, I'll be writing more later, once I actually get over the fact that I'm really here.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Countdown: 2½ hours
Yeah, needed a countdown like this as well. By now I've sort of gone numb... Not sure how I'm supposed to feel. So, my flight's leaving in 2½ hours, and I've just finished packing, about to leave home. Just one last internet session :D
I have cried way too much today. And you can bet that once I sit on that plane and dig out the amazing red book of memories, I will cry even more. That's why I've got lots of tissues with me.
It's goodbye time now... So, Selamat tinggal! <3
I have cried way too much today. And you can bet that once I sit on that plane and dig out the amazing red book of memories, I will cry even more. That's why I've got lots of tissues with me.
It's goodbye time now... So, Selamat tinggal! <3
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Countdown: 22(ish) hours
In 22 hours, my flight will already have left. I'm not one bit happy about this. And so this blog post is dedicated to all of you people who have made my life wonderful and who I will miss and be sad to leave.
THANK YOU.
I'll miss the fun times, but I'll also miss the fights. I'll miss sitting in class doing nothing, I'll miss cutting the timetables, I'll miss the lunch, the school events and the random messing about the corridors. Not because the lunch was good or the classes amazing, but because I shared all of that with you guys.
I can't really write more without starting to cry, and as you know, I've done enough of that today. You wonderful wonderful people. Thank you for being the best. I love you all. <3
Selamat tinggal!
THANK YOU.
I'll miss the fun times, but I'll also miss the fights. I'll miss sitting in class doing nothing, I'll miss cutting the timetables, I'll miss the lunch, the school events and the random messing about the corridors. Not because the lunch was good or the classes amazing, but because I shared all of that with you guys.
I can't really write more without starting to cry, and as you know, I've done enough of that today. You wonderful wonderful people. Thank you for being the best. I love you all. <3
Selamat tinggal!
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