To Travel or Not To Travel. Terrorist Bombings Edition.

Jakarta was bombed a few days ago. The Ritz Carlton Hotel and JW Marriott Hotel were hit. When I heard this, something popped into my head and then I promptly got confirmation from Sari in the form of a Facebook message- her wedding venue for October 2nd was the JW Marriott Hotel. She's furious for many reasons, including now the task of finding a new venue.

Now I'm torn. Weighing the pros and cons of traveling to Jakarta now.

Pros: once-in-a-lifetime experience, quality time with Sari, her family/friends, kickass kebaya made for me and me alone

Cons: fear of terrorist bombing, kidnapping, all those bad things that aren't going away anytime soon, cost of plane ticket (still not purchased), possibly vacay time taken away from possible future job

I still haven't made up my mind and this needs to happen soon, as I need to inform Sari and send my measurements for my kebaya should I be going. Sari and Johnny will be coming to NYC for their honeymoon, so I will be seeing them only a few days after their wedding, but it's not the same :( After I returned from my extended trip in 2008, I automatically knew I wanted to return to spend more time with Sari out and about since we didn't get that chance really during that visit. And also to visit her family and friends, who I really became close to. Sari recently posted photos from the cousin's wedding I attended with her parents and it brought back some many wonderful memories from that trip to Bandung.

Even as a 27 year old woman, I still called my parents, as I am an only child and very close with them. Had a discussion with my Dad, who if he were in my shoes, said he wouldn't take the chance and cancel the trip. There's no guarantee that relations in Jakarta will become any better in the coming months or years, but I do know I want to return. The question is when is the time to go?s Is the time to go now, when the city may be a bit more unstable than usual or is it in a year or so, when we don't know what will be going on, but perhaps I'd be lucky enough to have someone travel with me (which would automatically make me feel better about any given situation)? I'd love to take someone back with me to show them everything that I got to experience when I was there the first time. The Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, KFC, Pizza Hut- all those fabulously Indonesian places! Haha :)

I'm going to sleep on it for another night and make my decision tomorrow. I'll let ya know what happens.

Indonesian Bridesmaid

After I returned from Mountain Jam that last weekend in May, Sari, my former-roommate whom I visited in Jakarta last year (see previous posts) facebooked me to tell me some very exciting news... she's getting married! On Sunday, June 21st she is being proposed to. Let me explain: Johnny her boyfriend has already asked her in private, but there is a tradition where the two families get together and an official proposal takes place. If all goes well (and it better!), Sari and Johnny will be married on Friday, October 2nd, 2009.

Sari has previously been married and isn't looking for the huge, glitz and glamour that she had for her first. The wedding will be more intimate and the wedding reception will be held at a local hotel. Even though she doesn't want it to be large, I have this funny feeling that it's still going to be a big deal. Sari asked both myself and our friend Kenzo to be her bridesmaids. Kenzo actually already bought her ticket online for less than $700 roundtrip, but I didn't get online to the deal quick enough, so I'm still looking. I would love to go over for two weeks, but hopefully I'll have a job by then, so I am planning on returning to Jakarta for a week, departing NYC on Saturday, September 26th and returning on Sunday, October 4th.

The part I am looking forward to the most has got to be my kebaya. During my previous trip to Jakarta, I wore a lime-green kebaya to a family wedding and I bought a beautiful, red/gold lace kebaya from a department store for myself. While cleaning my closets out this past week, I put my red lace kebaya on and low and behold (I knew it), those 10 lbs I put on since my trip have definately done their share to not allow me to wear it in public at this point in time. So, gotta lose the weight so I can wear it to some family event. For the wedding, Sari is going to be getting kebayas made for Kenzo and I and so I have to send her my measurements now and get fitted/tailored within the first day or so after I arrive in Jakarta. Start the diet and exercise!

In another exciting turn of events, I am going to learn how to speak Bahasa Indonesia. I'd love to be able to say a few basic things to Sari's family and friends while over there. I already know how to say a few things such as dog, cat, car, plane, girl, boy, woman, man. Don't forget "the cat is in front of the car". I got that one down pat! I am using the Rosetta Stone program and it's awesome! Gonna be jibberjabbering in another language in no time at all!

So that's my update! I am gonna write another within the next few days about my job search, so be on the lookout!

accomplishment #1

hi! I am happy to announce that I am using the computer in Sari's bedroom as we speak. Once I got on the plane at JFK, it was made known to me that we would actually be making a stop in Stockholm, Sweden then going onto Kuala Lumpur and then Jakarta. So that was interesting. Didn't see too many devastatingly beautioful blondes however. The KLIA airport is apparently the first enviromentally friendly airport in the world and I have to say that it was beautifully constructed.

The best part of the trip so far still happened at the airport in Jakarta prior to getting my Visa On Arrival- I had to go to the bathroom standing up. When I say this, picture a recessed toilet into the ground basically and footholds on the side.

got to the house and settled into my room. Sari took me to KFC where I had Kombo 1- two pieces of chicken, some rice and a soda. We then hit the grocery store and I came back for a 2 hour nap, as we are going to a wedding reception tonight. So I am gonna run and start to get ready. By the way- it's so hot here and I was totally thinking it would be ok to wear jeans and a top everyday, but it's hotter than hell and there is no way I will put jeans on these legs unless it's nighttime or it's windy or rainy. I feel that if I do nothing exercise/resistance wise, the pounds are still gonna sweat off! Sari says it's like a sauna here and I'll want to take several showers per day.

anyway- gotta run and get ready for tonight. lots planned this week, as Sari is taking Monday and Tuesday off to spend with me. lots of love to you :)