Changes in latitudes. Changes in attitudes

On Tuesday, June 1, we got the word that it was time to move to our much anticipated house. The list is long as to why this took just over 4 months to achieve. I will not go in to that in this post. Trust me, it will save us all a lot of grief if I don't.

On Monday, June 7, the big hand off will take place. We will begin relocating the goods we have acquired during our four months of bliss in the care of the various Shangri-La facilities to a house in an area of South Jakarta known as Kemang. On Tuesday the moving truck will arrive with the goods that we haven't seen in so long that I don't even remember most of what is in there. It will be a happy "Let's get reacquainted" party for sure. I do know that my camera gear has been greatly missed and the other half of our clothing will be embraced with great joy. It will also be nice to have more cooking paraphernalia.

The move is a step in the right direction. I am hoping that we will now be able to build a home and a life in this wacky place known as Jakarta. Hubby's commute will be long due to traffic and not so much distance. We will see how all of that works out. Will take a little while to figure out new schedules and such.

With the move to a house also comes a new staff member to hire. We are looking for a gardener/pool guy/houseboy. The reason for the long title is that the yard is very, very small at this particular house so there won't be much gardening to do so to employ him full time he will also maintain our pool and help wash windows and mop floors.

With this addition, we will be responsible for paychecks to three employees; a driver, a housekeeper/sometimes cook and the above mentioned Mr. Multi-function guy. Also added to the mix are four guards who control who comes and goes on our property and who enters the house. Honey bunch's employer requires these guys to be there guarding us and our worldly belongings 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This will take some getting used to. Between guards, razor wire, spikes and some broken glass thrown in for good measure, it will be like Fort Knox at our humble abode in Kemang.

In many ways this seems to have turned in to our very own private United Way project. We will be responsible for feeding the staff while on the premises. The housekeeper/cook will live with us as she has been a live-in for a long time and has nowhere else to go. Most of the expats living in Indonesia are having similar experiences with staff as sugar pie and I. Some, who have children, employ nannies and an additional person to just handle laundry. Pretty far out stuff for a little Tarheel girl to grasp.

Part of what makes this unfamiliar territory is the fact that sweetie and I have been empty-nesters for the last four years. Now suddenly, we will be surrounded by people every day. Is that going to be weird or what? Not to mention the weirdness of saying you have "staff." That sounds so pretentious to anyone you say it to except other expats living here. So please, those of you reading this, I am not getting all uppity. That is just what life is bringing my way and it will certainly add to the tales we tell when we get together with folks (do I hear groaning?). This entire experience is one huge tale. Many times I feel like it is all make-believe. Does it sound that way to you who are reading it?

As we looked upon the little kampung we have come to call our own this last weekend, we were graced with yet another unexpected site. The owner of the goat herd we have enjoyed watching the last 6 or 8 weeks was carrying the cutest little newly-born twin goats down the street. The mother goat was not especially happy about this arrangement. She kept nervously bumping the man and running around him as he walked carrying her precious little ones. I assume he was moving them from their birth place to a more secure area on his farmette. He carried the babies through his house, with the mom following along with him. Out the back of the house the entire four-some came. He gently placed the babies on the ground and then proceeded to fill a bucket with water for the the mom. I know, this isn't a particularly unusual thing to see. I've seen it in Texas and North Carolina on multiple occasions. But it is under such odd circumstances that I viewed this site that I think it makes it noteworthy. It is just so unexpected to see baby goats being born next to a 5 star hotel/residence, a large mosque, the motorcycle parking lot for the hotel and 20 and 30 story apartments and businesses. It is just not something that I expected to see from my luxury apartment balcony.

This is my last post from the haven known as the Shangri-La. The staff at the residence is just as wonderful as the staff at the hotel. I really have enjoyed getting to know them and have appreciated their care and attention. My life would have been immensely more difficult without them. They have helped to ease my stress with their smiles and greetings. I work very hard to always smile around them as they are trying so hard to make my life easier in a place that still doesn't always make a lot of sense.

Till we meet again Shangri-la. Thanks for the memories and helping us get our feet wet. You eased us in to things and provided us a friendly place to begin our journey when much of the time we felt overwhelmed and unprepared.

Terima kasih.