At long last, after months of training, hours of language class, and many a night gorging myself on pisang goreng, I have reached my permanent site! I was sad to leave the new friendships I built with my fellow trainees and the Indonesian family I now have in the Batu/Malang area, but it is exciting to think about settling down here for the next two years. I can’t even begin to imagine what they will bring. Officially a Peace Corps Volunteer with a functioning grasp of Indonesian and enough cultural know-how to keep me from looking like a complete fool these first few days, I have entered a whole new phase of my Peace Corps experience here in Indonesia.
My new stomping grounds – a middle school madrassa in Paron! Literally in the middle of rice paddies.
It seems only appropriate at this point to take a look back at a few things I have learned…
- The World is a very big place.
If I’m being really honest, Indonesia was never really on my radar. I never looked at a map and thought, “Hmm. Indonesia. I will go there one day.” But here I am. And you know what? I LOVE Indonesia. It is so rich in history and culture. I am pretty convinced that Javanese people are some of the nicest people in the world. And don’t even get me started on the fruit here. So. Much. Fruit. Fruit I had never heard of or imagined in America. (Blog post to come) Basically, there is way more out there in the great wide world than we can possibly imagine. So many things to make us feel finite and small, but also so many opportunities to learn and explore!
- Religion is what you make of it.
The unfortunate reality is that Islam gets a lot (tons and tons) of bad press in America. And yes, it’s true that there are some radicals who identify with the religion of Islam and wish to do harm to anyone who doesn’t. Just as there are radicals who feel the same in pretty much every belief system in the World, including Christianity. I would hate to be identified with militant, Qur’an burning Christians, and it has become repeatedly and repeatedly clear here in Indonesia that Islam absolutely does not equal terrorism. Every Muslim I have met here has been nothing but open and kind. I have had some amazing conversations about the state of the world, social justice, and peace with Muslim Indonesians that have been incredibly illuminating and enlightening to my own worldview. PC talks a lot about “goal 3,” or educating people back home about the cultures we PC Volunteers live in, and this, in my opinion, is one of the most important impressions I can send home.
- History is complicated.
As I previously mentioned, everyone I have met here has been incredibly hospitable and kind. But as I have learned more about Indonesian history, I am discovering that this is a country that has undergone incredible trauma and conflict. The rich, fertile soil that makes this land so beautifully green also hides the skeletons of a bloody past. And I can’t help but wonder if, behind the smiles and the openness of Indonesian hearts, there lie painful memories and wounds not yet healed. This is an incredibly diverse nation with a depth of culture and identity that is both stunning and shocking.
- Possibility is in the eye of the beholder.
I must admit that, when I boarded my plane in Florida way back in March I had my doubts about whether or not this whole Peace Corps thing was actually possible. I told myself on that day that I had to stick it out for at least the first three months. But there has not been a day here, not one single moment, that I considered turning back. Of course there are days that are hard, days when I feel lonely, awkward, confused (MANY days of confusion), and days when I am unsure of the expectations others have of me and of the expectations I have of myself. And perhaps days may come where I will wonder why I ever came here or if I should stay. But if and when they do, I will look back at this day, this moment where I am sure – not of everything I say or everything I do (goodness knows I have tripped over my own feet here more times than I can count) – but sure of the fact that we are all working together towards something worth having. Together we are building a world where we understand just a little bit more about each other and ourselves. Every day we are taking steps towards a shared future of cooperation and peace. And that is a future I am willing to stay for.
So here’s to the next two years of learning, exploration, and moments shared with my Indonesian friends and with you!
Worth a Journey 