Results trickling in...

Indonesia held its third democratic election to elect legislative members to the House of Representatives on April 9th. I saw a sample ballot yesterday. It was roughly 2 ft x 3 ft and had boxes for all the 38 political parties. And, I believe voters complete four different ballots of the same size. In total, 11,000 people ran for seats in parliament across the archipelago. Districts are still counting votes, but by and large Indonesians have a sense of which parties will be best represented. I see percentages float by on the TV, but have only learned a little bit about a fraction of the parties. Todd and I were on Gili Meno on election day, and Todd captured this image--the hand of the man who we hired to take us back to Lombok by boat. His thumb is marked with indelible ink to indicate that he had already voted.

Initial Impressions: Viewing Obama from Indonesia

On the occasions I encounter a talkative taxi driver, which is a few times each week, I am eager for what follows the “where do you come from” question. I answer “Amerika Serikat.” I then see the evidence of a smile in the eyes of the driver looking back in his rearview mirror. Accompanying the grin is a hearty exclamation “Obama!” The tone implies the wonder of coincidence—here’s an American in my taxi and the president of her country lived in this country. At least, I think that’s the tone. The driver will usually add that Obama went to school in Jakarta. I will usually ask if the driver likes Obama, and he will briefly answer "yes" (but this seems to be beside the point for some reason). While that’s the extent of the conversation, I enjoy these moments and am often left with renewed curiosity as to how Indonesians view our president.

In the wake of Obama’s election to the presidency, a fruit snack appeared stores shelves with Obama in the title and a drawing of him making a peace sign. I read an article in the Jakarta Globe about how these snacks did not pass through the equivalent of FDA tests and may contain harmful chemicals unfit for consumption. Sometimes there’s no time for such things when you’ve got a market eager for the goods. I think there’s evidence of a market for Obama-branded services as well. While Todd visited, we patronized a barber shop called “Obama.” It’s not geared to the Westerner. It’s located on a busy street in the north of the city (the tourist spots are in the south) and the prices do not reflect a Western clientele. Todd got his first hair cut in ages (he’s a do-it-himself kinda guy) and it was quite good.

As an American living abroad, I’m glad to know people like him. Apparently during her visit here Hillary fielded many questions from Indonesians who wondered when the president himself would be visiting Indonesia (that’s one way to unintentionally rub-in a loss). But, beyond my superficial observations, I don’t know much about what Indonesians think of Obama’s performance in office (more on that later?). I guess I don't know what Americans think of him lately either. I read bits about efforts to mend the relationship with Cuba, the release of torture memos, some proposed large-scale railway projects. But these messages are brief (dependent on internet connections). Just yesterday I listened to a podcast of a news program that I followed faithfully in the U.S. which provided a healthy dose of critique. It was a welcome change, in a way. I've been so accustomed to enthusiasm at the thought of him, that I was beginning to think he might, in fact, be flawless.

Together Again

Nearly two weeks ago Todd landed in Yoyga, and I was thrilled to welcome him. We've spent some time in Yogya and on Lombok and the Gili Islands. Here are a few highlights...

Attempts at jewlery design There’s a town outside of Yogya called Kota Gede and it’s known for its silver products. We had planned to attend a workshop where we would make silver rings for one another. I love how romantic that sounds. In reality, it was quite challenging. From the sketching to the measuring, the sodering to the refining, it was a full evening. Some of you may be familiar with the panic I experience in the creative process. This occasion was no exception. We appreciate the fruits of our labor.

Deserted Beach Malimbu Close in name to Malibu, Malimbu beach on Lombok is relatively secluded. We had the taxi drop us off and arranged for him to return to fetch us three hours later. We snorkeled in the bay and later took cover from the rain in a small bungalow.

Waterways After five weeks of city life, I yearned for some green spaces. We found them on Northern Lombok, where Mt. Ranjani towers over the coast. We walked to a few waterfalls, the second of which was especially mighty. We returned by way of a water aqueduct, which meant walking through a dark tunnel in thigh-high rushing water. When we approached one of the "windows" Todd saw a bat fly out. Fortunately, I saw no such creature.

A wild carriage ride We travelled to the Gili Islands off the coast of Lombok where we stayed in a bungalow in the north of Gili Trawangan, about a half hour walk away from the town. There is no motorized traffic on the Gili islands, thus we resorted to a horse-drawn cart on a few occasions. These carts are decked with trinkets and bells. Every time I heard one pass, images of horses tugging a sleigh through heaps of snow came to mind. But, really I was looking at turquoise water dotted with fishing boats. On the way back from dinner one night, we found ourselves in the tow of a horse that was either untrained, unhappy, or seriously lacking in equilbrium. We made our way down the bumpy road through the town zig-zagging from right to left, while fellow travelers dodged our path. Todd could not keep from laughing at their facial expressions as they realized our horse was unable to trot a straight path.

Robinson Crusoe fantasy Lonely Planet describes Gili Meno as the perfect place for one's Robinson Crusoe fantasy. The beaches are some of the best in the archipelago, boasting of teal waters and kind waves kissing long stretches of crushed coral sand beaches. We watched the sunset near a group of local surfers who started a small bonfire and dabbled in fire-related tricks. One of them played a guitar and began playing and singing "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz, a perfect tune for such an occasion if you ask me.