Purple finger power

You all know why we are in Indonesia.. we are here to encourage democratic reform.  Which is why Zeric goes to work everyday, why I didn't bribe the quarantine officer to get Theda and O in the country, and why we encouraged everyone we talked with to vote in the legislative elections in April and the presidential ones this past Wednesday. 

It's pretty amazing that a country this big with this many islands can pull off an election where there's a voter turnout higher than 70 percent.  Though it will take weeks to confirm that Jokowi has won, it's been so interesting to be an observer of the intense campaigning, smearing, and the use of media--of all kinds.  FB went crazy, and there were concerts and tweets and flash mobs..

See here for a video that came out a few weeks ago to vote number 2 (Jokowi).. it'll bring you right back to the 80s!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QOU0Xjdkt4
Two fab ladies I work with, Early and Vinny, got their second of glory.. they are the left side at 2:57.

Here's another favorite. In many countries, when you vote, you dip your finger in purple to be sure that you don't vote again.  It stays on for a number of days, so folks are still walking around with it.  Why not use it to get a discount at your favorite stores??  Do your civic AND economic duty all in one day!

And so now that the votes are cast, the jokes come out.. my favorite so far?  If you want to see Brazil win their World Cup game, just go watch TVOne (the channel that declared Prabowo the winner of the election Wednesday afternoon).  ha!

Shopping Mall movie

In addition to smooching her boys, Jaffa decided to do Lego camp for her first week of vacation.  Their project for the week was stop motion animation, and she and her partner Iyla made this great movie entitled, "Shopping Mall".  It's a GREAT story!!  See below for some scenes. 

 

  

Junior Master Chef camp

The kids were given a choice of several options for camps to keep them busy while in Jakarta this summer, and Eben chose cooking school.  I asked Jaffa if she wanted to go too, and she said that she orders take-out.  So there.

 

At Young Chef's Academy, you learn to follow a recipe and to watch the clock.  You don't make your own pastry dough, but you do bring home FOUR MEALS everyday.  No wonder it's so expensive.

 

Eben went for a week where they did food from all over the world: France, Australia, Tanzania (I need to get them some new recipes on that one), Russia, and on Friday, they had their final competition: Brazil.  [Note: I lied and said that Eben was 7 so that he wouldn't have to do kindercooks.. so everyone is older than him.]

There were three judges, and he had to present his food and how he made it.  A bit nerve-wracking for him, and parents had to stay behind the window. On his Brazilian beef stew and empanada, he scored 67 out of 90.  Not first place, but a good showing!

He seemed to have had a nice class, and he loved Pak Gori--the main instructor.  So, he'll go again for a few days next week, and I won't have to cook dinner :)

Bin House batik

My friend Peter has been inviting me for MONTHS to come to Bin House on a Saturday for lunch and shopping.  He goes every week and meets his friends there. Peter has been in Indonesia for 40 years in the insurance industry, and he is lovely and sharp-tongued all at once, and reminds me so much of my Grandpa Irving.  With the kids out of school with no soccer, no birthday parties, and no homework, we went.  We were so glad we did!

 

I was having too good of a time having lunch (3G) gila (means crazy, in this case, spicy) gado-gado (cooked veggies in peanut sauce, with a base of kankung - water spinach - yum!).. then shopping.. to whip out my camera to take pix of the store.. but it's beautiful.  They sell really, really high end batik all made by the traditional method.  And lots of colors, and lots of styles.  Peter was explaining that Bin (a woman) was one of the key people responsible for revitalizing batik in Indonesia.  She brought back the methods and designs, and used all kinds of fantastic colors (traditional Javanese is brown and black).  It's fantastic now!  Peter gave Jaffa a purple and fuschia silk scarf (ummmm.. eeeeeeeeeeeeeep!!!)  I have hidden it somewhere obvious so she won't yell at me or torture the thing.  ohmydog I wouldn't pay that much for one for me!  I might for my mom.. but that's it!!

 

The reason that batik is so special is because of the method.  First they weave the cloth, sometimes with a pattern.  Then they draw the pattern in ink, then they cover all of the spaces that they don't want to dye with wax using something like a fountain pen.  Then they dye one color.  Then they take off the wax, and cover everything else with wax, then dye another color. And so it goes until the whole thing is dyed.  These are really intricate designs, and some pieces take 9 months to complete.  Below they are doing the waxing part..

 

Zeric bought a shirt to add to his collection.. it's magnificent!  I'm going to take Peter up on lunch again, and shop for myself this time :)

First things first

So, what does a girl do when she's on summer vacation?? 

Snuggle her boys of course!!

Do you love meat?

 

 

Why would the cow be asking??

 

I must be either too much of an urban American or an almost vegetarian

because ... aaaaack!!!!

Girls gone wild!

 

 

It's Alice, Malvy, Amira, Maelle, Ziah and Jaffa - good buddies

 

 

Breakin' outta school.. it's the last day.. the last moment of CE1 (2nd grade).. and off they go for a wild and wonderful summer!!

Friends, decadent brunch.. and a lion

Knowing that our crew was going to be scattered in the coming month, we went for one last decadent all-you-can-eat-including-booze-sushi-waygu beef-and-fois-gras brunch.  With a separate room for the kids to play :D

 

And celebrated Lou's birthday too!

Zeric was happy about the fois gras.

The kids were happy about the lion that came to offer birthday wishes.  

The lion was happy to get a kiss from Lou.

And we took one last picture of (almost) the whole bunch of us that have been friends for three years. Saying good bye is the hard part...

big people row: Zeric, Afia, Arnaud, Lou, Zoey, Kutty, Lisette
sandwiched in the middle: Amira
kids in the front: Jade, Malvy, Eben, Jaffa, Meera, Bas
missing: Marcel (Lisette's husband)

School projects

We spent a lot of weekend time at school the last few weeks for all kinds of shows.  This last one was a primary school-wide performance of a Papuan song and everyone had to wear some kind of batik. [As a side note, Jaffa was so funny .. in French 'Papuan' is 'Papou" and she thought it had something to do with a dad's lice - papa poux.]  They did a great job in spite of the heat.  "Saljojo" - it was a fun song, with a great rhythm. And was stuck in their heads for days!  Here are some of the crew in their great outfits. [L to R: Eben (with Ziah behind him), Jaffa, Amira, Emily, and Malvy.]

Some of this trimester's work was on display too..

here's the Harpy eagle info and sculpture. He's so handsome!

 

 

Here's the traditional Kalimantan house (to the right of the pretty girl).

And here is the fairytale they wrote as a team. 



The End.