sketch book indonesia

There And Back Again

14 May 2011 § 2

Perhaps I should start with a disclaimer: don’t be fooled by the artistic genius apparent in the painting above; this is not a self-portrait. One of my classes commissioned a particularly talented aspiring artist (to be more specific, a photography loving student named Harry) to produce this masterpiece in my image. I will covet this parting gift by shoving it in a dank storage locker in Singapore while I travel the archipelago (in search of dragons in Flores and improved Indonesian skills in Yogyakarta) before flying home to the Best Coast.

For much of the last nine months, the expiry date on my visa seemed an indiscernible point on the horizon of my consciousness but, like all journeys, this one is coming to a close. Instead of trying to wax poetic whilst spilling tears onto the dusty keys of my MacBook, I’ll let my memory live eternal through the words of my students.

“I very like english class with ms. Sarah because very violent.”

“My suggestion for ms. Sarah I want ms. Sarah will always teaching in SMAN 1 Sumbawa Besar. because I very like with ms. Sarah. Ms. Sarah is teacher that very funny. I LOVE YOU Ms. Sarah. My Teacher. Ms. Sarah very beautiful!”

“English class is my favorite class. I always waiting for Ms. Sarah class. When Ms. Sarah come and teach me about English, that was the time that I like English very much and trying to be a good student in English class. She make the class fun but never forget still learning.”

“I never dislike about class with ms. Sarah because to me you are perfect teacher.”

“Ms. Sarah, every moment with you is the sweetest One.”

"In my opinion, she must make her hair to be longer and be more crazy again but don't be as crazy as Mr. Ben. Hahahaha."

“I dislike because miss sarah not reply my love. Reply my love. mmmuuuuaaaccchh!!!”

I’m not sure if that last bit is a kiss or a projectile vomit. Either way, I am super excited to come spend another nine months with these fantastic kids. In the meantime, you can find me curled up with an IPA and an expensive Cuban sandwich in Ballard, USA.

Arkan Fahrian Putra....Penyaring, Sumbawa

13 May 2011 § 0

Sunbathing....Pantai Batukuping, Sumbawa Besar

19 April 2011 § 0

In Indonesian, one verb functions to mean both "to sunbathe" and "to dry something out in the sun." The cultural absence of sunbathing as recreation is apparent in this limitation of expression; to sunbathe, to most Indonesians, is about as appealing as baking in the afternoon heat like these fish spread out to dry.

Tarian Legong Kraton....Ubud, Bali

29 March 2011 § 0

Muhammad Rizki Algatani....Tetanggaku, Sumbawa Besar

24 March 2011 § 0

Malu Malu Kucing....Desa Poto, Sumbawa

19 February 2011 § 0

You Are The Star Bright In My Liver....Smanika, Sumbawa Besar

14 February 2011 § 0

In Indonesian culture, the organ with which love is associated is not the heart, but rather the liver. Thus, writing Valentines in class today led to some hilarious translations.

Dear Ms. Sarah....Smanika, Sumbawa Besar

10 February 2011 § 0

Dear Ms. Sarah,

I think the culture is most important to my generation. Because the culture is identity for every country. The culture will keep us from negative influence of globalisation. The culture teaches us to be wise people and love environment. Indonesia has many different culture, and all of them are so unique, beautiful, and interesting. Indonesia is big country with so many different culture, so we must keep them, because they will be heritage for our nation.

And

The law is most important to my generation. Because the law will manage our live and protect us from crime. In Indonesia, there are many judge accept much money to change the law. They let rich people always win and poor people always appress. The law must upright. If not, our country will never peace. Criminal in everywhere, corrupt, woman and children trafficking, etc. So, upright the law!

Sincerely,

Fahmi Dwilaksono

Mandi Sawah....Desa Penyaring, Sumbawa Utara

30 January 2011 § 1

Little Jockeys....Desa Moyo, Sumbawa Utara

26 January 2011 § 0

In traditional Sumbawanese horse racing, the jockeys are usually about five or six years old. If you question the safety of this practice, someone will quickly assure you that the kids are in perfectly good hands: there is a wizard (my friend Aan used Harry Potter as an example, in order to clarify his explanation in Indonesian) in attendance at every race; the wizard will ensure the well being of each very small jockey by harnessing some kind of mystical ancient force.

Pacuan Kuda....Desa Moyo, Sumbawa Utara

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Lomba Seni....Smanika, Sumbawa Besar

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$125,000,000 Per Annum....Tanjung Luar, Lombok Timur

13 January 2011 § 0

Shark fin is highly coveted in some global gastronomic circles as both a natural aphrodisiac and a seasoning that rivals even MSG: though shark fin cartilage is relatively flavorless on its own, many an online cache of chinese recipes credits the shark fin with the power to bring forth unprecedented levels of deliciousness from the ingredients with which it is stewed.

The legitimacy of these claims—dubious as they may sound to this ETA—seem to be supported by a persistent demand for shark products: the annual trade in shark parts is worth an estimated $310,000,000; fins represent about seven percent of the yearly catch by volume, but generate nearly half of the shark market profit each year. There is, however, something of a hole in the statistics.

Shark finning is the process by which a shark is caught on the high seas, reeled onto the deck of an industrial fishing vessel and relieved, via a few decisive chops of a machete, of its fins; note the shark is still alive and, you might imagine, a bit confused. This shark-turned-shark-log is then rolled—or slipped, rather, in a slick of its own ooze—back into the watery depths from whence it came.

Sworn protector of the natural world that it is, Indonesia hauls in more sharks each year than any other country in the world.

Pasar Ikan Hiu....Tanjung Luar, Lombok Timur

09 January 2011 § 2

About this time last week, I read about the famed fish market of Tanjung Luar—a small town on the southeast coast of Lombok—in a TransNusa in-flight magazine; you can’t go far without bumping into a fish market of one sort or another in Nusa Tenggara, yet this place is special: every morning, small fishing boats return from the waters around Sumba to haul a catch of sharks into the rank yet endearing seaside stalls of Tanjung Luar.

One rented motorbike and a night nearly spent in a brothel somewhere on the east coast of the island later found Alison and I rolling into the stinky gates of the Tanjung Luar fish market around quarter to six in the morning. As the sun climbed through the haze that cradles this corner of the earth, we set to work asking stellar investigative questions such as, “Good morning, we are looking for sharks. Sharks?” This worked faster than I’d expected when one guy answered knowingly in the affirmative: “Ya, ya, ya, tentu, sebentar lagi.” Which means, “Yes, of course, hang on a minute.”

Although I was admittedly skeptical about our odds of actually tracking down a shark trade, man, did this place deliver: over one hundred sharks were auctioned off for export to Surabaya for roughly $4,000 on this morning alone. We’re heading back in a few months for “shark season,” when the deadly specimens for sale almost double in size when compared with those seen here.

Awas Ada Tukang Tenun....Desa Poto, Sumbawa

27 December 2010 § 4

Barodak: One Of A Gazillion Traditional Wedding Ceremonies....Kampung Samapuen, Sumbawa Besar

06 December 2010 § 0

How To Make Banana Pancakes....Smanika, Sumbawa Besar

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A few days after our lesson on procedures, I received this gem of a text from one of my students: "Hallo mis, I want to ask to you about banana pencake. if I haven't syrup to serve on the cake. can I use chocolate milk? by: dwiyana."

My Name Is Ms. Sarah & I Am Thankful For Chocolate Cake And Air Conditioning, And For My Silly, Inspiring Students

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A Supposedly Fun Thing That I May Actually Do Again....Pantai Sekongkang, Sumbawa Barat

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Living in Indonesia, I’ve found occasion to face down my two most harrowing, nightmare inducing childhood fears: great white sharks and tidal waves. Now, sharks and tidal waves are both enormous and scary deadly forces that lurk, in one form or another, in the depths of tropical oceans such as, for example, the South Pacific. It’s one thing to assure yourself that you’re safe from both sharks and tidal waves whilst swimming in Lake Washington; it is quite another matter to ignore such fears when paddling atop a surfboard on a tropical reef in the middle of the Indonesian archipelago.

Awful as the latter may sound to a person prone to morbid speculations involving shark attacks, this is how I spent my Eid al-Adha vacation: Alison and Ben, two Fulbright kids working in Mataram, came over to Sumbawa to try their hands at surfing with Doug and myself. Eid al-Adha, or the festival of sacrifice, is a holiday observed by Muslims the world over; like any respectable festival of sacrifice, Eid al-Adha involves a lot of throat slitting and blood letting—let’s just say this is not a good day if you've got four hoofed legs. After the ritual slaughtering of three cows in my school courtyard, the four of us trekked way down south where they make the roads impossibly steep (for real, think roller coasters climbing through the jungle) and the beaches pretty.

And by pretty I mean something between breathtaking and holy shit; shark and tidal wave potential aside, this is not a bad place to stage a few days of haphazard surfing attempts. My Toms—which have been stinking up my suitcase since I failed to wash them clean of Jakarta sludge one afternoon in September—made a comeback as some super awesome reef booties (second only to Alison’s five fingers; see Seattle granola style). On balance, we all managed to look like legitimate surfers—that is, while strutting down the beach with our surfboards—without sustaining too many injuries: one bee sting, one dislocated shoulder and a few Dengue mosquito bites are a seemingly small price to pay for the adrenaline loaded satisfaction of standing up on a wobbling board for the first time. At the very least, none of these afflictions were related to three rows of razor sharp teeth prowling the shallows.

As we honked our way around indifferent livestock on the road home, contentedly smelling of insect repellent and seawater, Ben posed this Fulbright worthy question: “if you yell oh my God as you’re running over a goat, does that mean it’s halal?”

Sounds like a debate for the ulama, Ben.

Featuring The Photographic Stylings Of Mr. Douglas....Sekolah Menengah Atas Negeri Dua, Sumbawa Besar

15 November 2010 § 0

Despite his claims to be something of a Luddite when it comes to photography, Doug can turn out a good picture when he gets his hands on the Nikon. A few weeks ago, Doug and I spoke most expertly on education in the United States as part of a panel discussion on education both stateside and here in Indonesia; pictured above are a few particularly captivated audience members from the Department of Education.

Malu Malu Kucing....Pantai Batukuping, Sumbawa Besar

13 November 2010 § 0

Malu malu kucing, which unintelligibly translates to "shy shy cat," is a popular Indonesian idiom often employed to describe bashful children (who do not want to practice their English with me). The exact meaning of the malu malu kucing evades me yet, but one of my fellow English teachers put it like this: "You know, when the cat is shy in front of the person and then when the person leaves, she catches the fish." Of course.