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So, usually I get priority for weekend athletic events, but this weekend was different. We as a family had the opportunity to watch Daddy participate in his first ever criterium cycling race. It was a very cool experience full of cycling entertainment and we are super proud of Ben!
If looking good could win you the race . . .
Helping daddy get his bike set up
Hanging out with the Indonesia national champion
Ben at the front of the peloton
You've been searching for the answer. You've been wondering. It's ok, we all have. We all want to know just what really represents the cultural heritage of Indonesia for the rest of the world. Is it a game like hockey or baseball? Is it a fashion statement like the kimono or the kilt? Maybe it is a food . . . a kimchi, a lasagna, or warenecki? What really sets Indonesia apart from the rest of the huddled masses? Well . . .
. . . you guessed it: its shadow puppets. You might be asking yourself: how is it that a nation built on shadow puppetry has not yet managed to rule the world? It's a mystery my friend, but one me and my philosophy class tried to unlock on our field trip to the Wayang Museum of Indonesia last Friday [wayang is the Indonesian word for shadow puppet]. I can definitely say that I have never been to a museum quite like this before. The wayang here is either Arjuna or Bima. I can say that with confidence because, judging from what I picked up from our legitimately awesome and knowledgeable guide Didit, pretty much every wayang is either Arjuna or Bima . . . or a member of Team America World Police [yup, these are authentic Indonesian cultural treasures].
Anyway, we had a great class trip and enjoyed the museum. One the way, we stopped at 7-11 [there are only 6 in Indonesia, so it makes a cool stop] and Kari gave me a stern look when I said to one of my students: "Boy, let's you and me hop out here and get the Slurpees." She said that it was really rude to address him like that; but then I told her that his name actually is 'Boy'. Take that Kari. Here is Kari's hair and Boy, staring lovingly at his first ever Slurpee. He said it 'almost makes him forget his home town'. If they had a sweet potato flavoured one I think I could get him to move to Canada.
So, long story short, next week in class we are going to be talking about how Plato's allegory of the cave in the Republic is basically just Indonesian wayang set in a Greek context. The only difference might be that Plato says we spend our whole lives watching the wayang instead of trying to discover what is really real; the wayang show itself actually only lasts ten hours [!!]. Oh, and we also got gamelan lessons, and Blaise was a natural. Keep in mind that the gamelan playing also lasts ten hours (Didit only let us mess around for 15 minutes) but at the end I think you get to see Arjuna fight Bima.
Also this weekend was graduation. We had a joint graduation between my school (Jaffray Seminary Jakarta) and our sister school (The Foundation for Christian Counselling). It was really cool to see all the grads come through and get their diploma, especially so now that I have had so many in class and got to know them a little bit. I am really proud of our grads, and really proud to be a part of a school that is committed to shaping leaders, teachers, pastors, and counsellors in their work here in Indonesia. Being a part of an event like this is a great reminder of how really worthwhile (hopefully) all that theological class prep and grading really is. Great job grads and great job organising committee! [ . . . and next time can I get one of those killer medals?]
Mostly it was Ben, but I like to think we all had a hand in the work projects of today. Imagine a house without any closets - no linen closets, no front hall closets, no pantry - that is what all homes in Indonesia are like. You have to create storage space. We have been craving storage (especially for toys) for so long but reluctant to spend much so Ben went to work. At one point Blaise said to Ben "Mom is sure lucky to be married to a carpenter". I agree!
This afternoon all four of us Elliotts were out on the front lawn. Ben was hammering and sawing and I was leading the way for team "paint". We realized that we were causing quite a stir in our neighbourhood - especially around 5 pm when everyone began to pass our front lawn on their way home from work. I am sure some were thinking "you know you can buy furniture in Indonesia". We like to think you can't buy it quite this nice!
Lately, the Elliotts (mostly Ben, let's be honest) are into biking, and by into biking, I mean rearrange your schedule to watch the Vuelta every night for two hours into biking. In fairness, it is really the only sport that you can get on prime-time TV 'live' here in Indonesia; that, and it has more crashes than Nascar. So, it was no surprise that the decision to host a family time trial in the neighbourhood (Raffles Hills) was met with much acclaim. [Here is Blaise looking for some TV time with his (sweet $2 outlet store find) jersey unzipped and a mouth full of juice; he traded bottles with the car at 3k.]
Blaise led us out, followed by me, and then Kari, with Flora driving the support car. My guess is that Blaise is the only six-year-old not resident in Europe who has shouted over his shoulder: "Mom, do you have an extra tire if I have a blow out?" I corrected him with the reminder that, by rights, she should have prepared a full wheel to speed up the change. (You know, maybe a little less Vuelta for that kid . . . ) Yes, those are aerobars on Blaise's bike; thanks for the loan Uncle Harry, but Blaise hasn't let me try them yet. [Nice custom TT numbers by Blaise -- he got 6, I got 5. We should make a video, out of the saddle Blaise has a style that looks just like Contador, with a little bob; he is so light.]
Anyway, Flora passed drinks out the window, Blaise pulled yupies out of his back jersey pockets (Indonesian for jube-jubes), and Kari and I tried not to get honked at too much. But all in all, it was a cracker of a family day in the neighbourhood. Blaise finished the (quite hilly) 5.5k loop in 27:34, and the two adults went 10:54 and 10:07. Our neighbours assuredly think we are so strange [. . . especially that guy that I just passed in the minivan . . .]
