Ayo!

Taking his lunch to work?

Ayo: Translates in English to “lets go”.

Learning how to ride my motorbike was challenging in the beginning. First of all, because I have never driven one before, and secondly, because I am learning how to drive it in a different country with different driving etiquette. I quickly realized that Indonesians do not look back in their rearview mirrors. Instead, they stay focused on the road ahead of them. Horns here are used quite often, and most importantly they are a means of survival.  (Quite different from back home where honking your horn is associated with being obnoxious).

The hardest part about riding a motorbike is taking off. I had a bit of trouble with this, but have finally gotten the hang of it.  I have found that once you get yourself started and out of the parking lot the drive home is a breeze. (Well, there are the everyday close calls…..but for the most part).

My last entry was pretty negative. But we all have those days, and consequently we all vent in different ways. Some women choose to watch depressing Lifetime movies while eating Ben and Jerry’s, but I’d rather  let it out with words. However, my mother always said to follow up anything negative with something positive, and she is absolutely right. So here goes:

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Surabaya and it was exactly what I needed. It was a fun scavenger hunt searching throughout all the specialty food shops that cater towards expats, but we ended up with two turkeys, all the traditional fixings, and for dessert we even managed to have homemade pumpkin and even pecan pie. Looking around that dayI realized just how righteous all the people I work with are, and I am thankful for such a lovely group of friends.

So yes, Surabaya does have its frustrating moments, but it is a little price to pay for how much I am growing every day. There is a never ending sense of surprise here, and each day brings something new.  In many ways, it is just like learning  how to ride a motorbike; getting yourself started is the hardest part, but most importantly, you should never look back.