Scoring a "10" on the Native Point Scale

The last couple of weeks have been filled with an assortment of things that really indicate how much I am getting assimilated into life here. I would never have thought these things were normal until now.

Let's begin with last week. Our driver was sick last week and when that happens, you have to make alternate plans for transportation. Sweetums and I decided to go by cab, at 6:00am, to our appointed places. Our night jaga, who was just getting off duty, decided he should go by scooter to commandeer a taxi for us. As honey bunch and I stood outside the gate, we see a taxi following along behind our guard. Is that service or what?

We hop in the cab and tell the driver both destinations. He seemed a little hesitant about where he was going, but we kept giving terus, kiri, kanan (straight, left, right) instructions and he got me to the gym where I work out. They dropped me off and then departed for my main squeeze's office. Native Points 1.

Upon finishing my workout, I came out fully expecting to hail a cab. That was an incorrect assumption. I could not get a cab to stop and pick me up. I decided to walk toward home and flag down a cab somewhere along the way. That shouldn't be so hard. Right?

So, I walked and walked. Used the magic hand, referenced in a much earlier post to this blog, and got across lanes and lanes of traffic and waded throught motorcycles. It is truely amazing how well that magic hand thing works. Native Points 4.

After a bit, I realized that I was just out of luck with the taxi and decided to flag down a bajaj. That was a much more successful proposition than the taxi plan. A nice older driver, in a smoking bajaj, stopped when I made eye contact with him. I told him where I lived and asked him how much would he charge to take me there. I did this all in Bahasa Indonesia. Before you get all impressed, keep in mind that many times Bahasa Indonesia is a pretty abbreviated language. The literal translation would be something like, "Going to blah, blah, blah street name and house number, close to Hero grocery store in Kemang. How much?" All of that was only about twelve words. We agreed on a price and off we chugged. Native Points 5.

The bajaj was clean, if you don't count the massive amounts of billowing smoke coming out the tail pipe located behind me. The passenger seat was all in one piece and actually had a fair amount of cushion. That is a real plus since the streets of Jakarta are not very smooth and the suspension on a bajaj is pretty non-existent. The little passenger door on the side of the bajaj had a good solid latch which opened and closed completely. Life was good at 7:45am as we puttered along.

The world looks different viewed from a bajaj window. You are sitting partly shielded by the vinyl side window so you can really watch what is going on around you. Nobody can see that it is some bule woman gawking at them. The only give-away might be if they looked at my big ole' feet and longer legs. Not native proportions at all. Bajajs are quite manuverable and they go around cars,motorcycles, slower bajajs and ride right next to the curb many times. The kaki limas (the food vendor carts) are out on the sidewalks and the people belonging to them are preparing food. Folks have stopped to get a bowl of noodles, soup or nasi(rice)or perhaps some fruit from them. You are sitting right next to these adorable little carts and it smells really good. It really makes you hungry.

Bajajs are slow and at times I could have walked much faster than ride, but it was such fun. It is kind of like riding on top of a self-propelled lawn mower at times, but still great fun. With all of the fumes and smoke from other passing bajaj drivers I told cutie pie that I got bajajed. See, everyone thinks the word bajaj is only a noun. Not.

By the time I got home, I smelled like I had been mowing the lawn for hours. My hair, clothes, and skin reeked of exhaust fumes. Once again, there were more terus, kiri and kanan instructions to get me home. When the bajaj pulled up in front of the house, the jaga opened the gate and he started to laugh when I climbed out. I think they didn't expect me to arrive home via bajaj. Native Points 5.

However, today I think I scored a 10 on the Native Point Scale. Some of my friends were going to a little cafe for lunch that is located not too far from my house. Since it has been raining a good deal, my poor little Scoopy hasn't been driven much. I decided to scoopy to lunch. I strapped on my nifty new helmet and away I went. Lunch was great and then my friends came out to see my Scoopy first hand. Oh, my little Scoopy and I were greatly admired! I bid them goodbye and off I went. I didn't get far before I saw my housekeeper walking home from an errand she had run. I asked her if she wanted a ride. She nodded and hopped on. But what really made it native was the fact that she rode home side-saddle! She is my first passenger to do that. I see ladies all the time riding this way. In my book that is getting pretty native.

Once again the jaga got a surprise when he opened the gate. His eyes flew wide open upon seeing my little housekeeper riding side-saddle on the back of my Scoopy.

One of my very long time friends recently sent me a birthday card and said something to the effect of "That is some kind of life you are leading." Yes, it is. My sister said she thinks it is like a program on NOVA. Yes, it is. There are days when I just still cannot believe I am here and the things I am experiencing. None of those feelings are lost on me. I still feel amazingly blessed to have this chapter in my life. I still feel amazed that I am doing something that I never, ever would have remotely thought about doing in my life.

Happy trails to you all. Scoopy or bajaj. Enjoy the ride.