Ah procrastination. My old friend. I should really be cleaning right now, as well as every other waking second. But instead I am updating.
It's my last week at my apartment in Glenside. There is a lot to be done before the weekend. I am trying to clean and pack everything but I am also trying to get some time in with all the great friends I made at my job. It's bizarre to stay home everyday. It still feels just like a vacation. Maybe it'll hit me that my life has significantly changed when I move back home to my parents. Or maybe it'll hit me when I board the plane. Or get off the plane in Thailand. Or maybe it won't hit me for another 4 months.
On Friday my Mom is going to come down and pick up one load of boxes. Then on Saturday, Selina is throwing me a goodbye party at her place. Sunday we move the rest of my stuff out, and that's it! I'll be living with my parents until July 13th. Then Thailand until the beginning of August. Then on to Indonesia.
Ok, this is going to be a short post. Too many empty boxes to fill.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Friday, June 6, 2008
Preparations
I have just over two weeks left at work. I've gotten my vaccinations and paid my last month of rent. I sent in the check for my fee and reserved my plane ticket.
I guess this is actually happening.
It's surreal how quickly May came and went. I still need to desperately and urgently take care of my student loans, although it is NOT an easy process to get them deferred, especially for someone as epically bad at financial stuff as myself.
I'm also trying to observe some ESL classes at Arcadia but keep playing phone tag with people there.
In a week from tomorrow I'm having a picnic for family/friends at my parent's house and I'm going to cook nasi goreng and satay. We'll see how that goes...could be a complete disaster. I'd like to get to an Asian market to try to find some Indonesian ingredients. There's one not far away. BUT.
BUT my car broke down last week. OF COURSE. It couldn't just last one more month. I haven't heard yet what the problem is and how expensive it'll be. Hopefully they fix it soon and cheaply. But on the other hand I should be getting used to not having a car, I suppose. It's going to be public transport for me in Indonesia. Especially since it doesn't seem like I'll be learning to ride a bike anytime soon. Nobody I know has one and I am definitely not buying a bike just to have it for a month so I can learn to ride.
Studying the language is (I think) going pretty well. I have a copy of Rosetta Stone but I don't really like it that much. I prefer my all audio Pimsleur CDS. However, the further along I get with Pimsleur, the more convinced I become that its target audience is lonely American businessmen trying to get a lady to get drunk and go home with them. The only food/drink I know how to ask for is either wine or beer. At either "your place" or "the hotel". It's...interesting. Especially considering that alcohol is not a huge part of Indonesian culture, being a Muslim country.
That's it for now I guess.
I guess this is actually happening.
It's surreal how quickly May came and went. I still need to desperately and urgently take care of my student loans, although it is NOT an easy process to get them deferred, especially for someone as epically bad at financial stuff as myself.
I'm also trying to observe some ESL classes at Arcadia but keep playing phone tag with people there.
In a week from tomorrow I'm having a picnic for family/friends at my parent's house and I'm going to cook nasi goreng and satay. We'll see how that goes...could be a complete disaster. I'd like to get to an Asian market to try to find some Indonesian ingredients. There's one not far away. BUT.
BUT my car broke down last week. OF COURSE. It couldn't just last one more month. I haven't heard yet what the problem is and how expensive it'll be. Hopefully they fix it soon and cheaply. But on the other hand I should be getting used to not having a car, I suppose. It's going to be public transport for me in Indonesia. Especially since it doesn't seem like I'll be learning to ride a bike anytime soon. Nobody I know has one and I am definitely not buying a bike just to have it for a month so I can learn to ride.
Studying the language is (I think) going pretty well. I have a copy of Rosetta Stone but I don't really like it that much. I prefer my all audio Pimsleur CDS. However, the further along I get with Pimsleur, the more convinced I become that its target audience is lonely American businessmen trying to get a lady to get drunk and go home with them. The only food/drink I know how to ask for is either wine or beer. At either "your place" or "the hotel". It's...interesting. Especially considering that alcohol is not a huge part of Indonesian culture, being a Muslim country.
That's it for now I guess.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Security climate in RI no longer warrants travel warning
Security climate in RI no longer warrants travel warning -
embassyJakarta (ANTARA News) - The U.S. Department of State has lifted its Travel Warning for Indonesia after determining the security climate in the country no longer warrants such a warning, according to information on the website of the US embassy in Jakarta. U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron R. Hume on Monday announced that, effective May 23, the Department has canceled the Travel Warning, which has been in effect since November 2000, after a series of bombings struck Jakarta and later Bali. The U.S. has lifted the warning due to objective improvements made by Indonesia in its current security situation, the Ambassador said.Indonesia has not experienced a major terrorist attack since October 2005, and the Government of Indonesia has disrupted, arrested and prosecuted numerous terrorist elements. The Ambassador called the decision significant and said he hoped it would lead to more people-to-people ties between the two countries. He said he expected that more American businesspersons, tourists and scholars would now visit Indonesia to help expand trade, tourism and educational exchange between the two countries. The Ambassador emphasized that the U.S. remains committed to protecting U.S. citizens and improving security cooperation with Indonesia He said the Embassy will not modify security precautions in light of this development and urged public facilities in Indonesia to maintain their current high level of security since security threats continue to exist. The Embassy advises that for updated information on safety and security in Indonesia American citizens and travelers should read the Department Country Specific Information for Indonesia and the current Worldwide Caution. Both documents are available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website,http://travel.state.gov. (*)
embassyJakarta (ANTARA News) - The U.S. Department of State has lifted its Travel Warning for Indonesia after determining the security climate in the country no longer warrants such a warning, according to information on the website of the US embassy in Jakarta. U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron R. Hume on Monday announced that, effective May 23, the Department has canceled the Travel Warning, which has been in effect since November 2000, after a series of bombings struck Jakarta and later Bali. The U.S. has lifted the warning due to objective improvements made by Indonesia in its current security situation, the Ambassador said.Indonesia has not experienced a major terrorist attack since October 2005, and the Government of Indonesia has disrupted, arrested and prosecuted numerous terrorist elements. The Ambassador called the decision significant and said he hoped it would lead to more people-to-people ties between the two countries. He said he expected that more American businesspersons, tourists and scholars would now visit Indonesia to help expand trade, tourism and educational exchange between the two countries. The Ambassador emphasized that the U.S. remains committed to protecting U.S. citizens and improving security cooperation with Indonesia He said the Embassy will not modify security precautions in light of this development and urged public facilities in Indonesia to maintain their current high level of security since security threats continue to exist. The Embassy advises that for updated information on safety and security in Indonesia American citizens and travelers should read the Department Country Specific Information for Indonesia and the current Worldwide Caution. Both documents are available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website,http://travel.state.gov. (*)
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