September 4, 2007

Weird things in Makassar:

• No one ever calls this city Ujung Pandang – we were told it was used as much as Makassar.

• I have a kid named Frisky in one of my classes

• In the same class I have two twins named Verrol and Verrel and a third kid name Farrell, and I can barely tell any of them apart.

• I heard the song “Honestly” by that band Stryper just the other day on the radio – and it sounded positively terrible

• That same day I heard a Spanish flamenco-esque version of “My Way” on the radio

• One class had never even heard of Johnny Cash

• I had one girl tell me I was very handsome in front of the whole class

• Going to “the health spa” is a euphemism for sex with a prostitute

• Going to “the karaoke bar” is a euphemism for sex with a prostitute

• Going to “get a massage” can be a euphemism for sex with a prostitute

• Many of the people using said euphemisms pray five times a day – what’s the problem?

• Our school has to pay bribes to keep electricity flowing – which still goes out an average of seven times in an afternoon of teaching

• Every business pays bribes

• The call to prayer is strangely comforting

• During an exercise where we were planning a fictitious talent show, I had one group of 12-year-old boys plan five acts involving female impersonators – comedy, dancing, a rock ‘n’ roll band, magic and drama

• Someone had a karaoke party the other day… outside… and it started at 10:00 a.m.