Tuesday 20Jun06
Highlights: school & marathon debates over lunch
It’s day #2, and already school feels like routine. It’s nice,,, except it’s hard to get a ride to school before 7:20. that leaves me 15 min to check e-mails before class, which is frustrating, because I’m up at least 2 hours before class usually. It’s a 15 minute ride on the back of a moped,,, or an hour to walk. I’ve walked home 2 of the last 3 days, both to make sure I knew my own way home, and because I didn’t want to bother anyone to come pick me up. It’s humid though- so by the time I get home,, I’m heading straight for the “mandi” (shower). The walking thing is not happening in the morning.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had to depend on other people for rides,, and it’s a 10 minute walk to the main street where I can catch a cab… whew… I’m thinking it’s time to rent a moped of my own. Traffic is scary- but I can follow-along & do what everyone else is doing.
It’s a funny subject actually- a few of the guys were quick to rent their own scooters… (costs anywhere from $40 to $100 a month, depending on how bad you got scammed,, Dan! Ha ha) and two of them, Marty (the former New Orleans cop) & Yancey (who’s neighbor is a bone doctor & told him stories…), are scared everytime they’re on the roads here. Yancey is thinking about returning his actually,, and he lives the farthest away. I live the 2nd farthest away from school.
Seriously though, walking to school, and to kickboxing class, then to cooking class & back is not a viable option. This isn’t New York, with subways. There are a whole series of busses, cabs, becak (pedicabs), and entrepreneurs who offer rides on the back of their scooters… and one way never seems to cost much more than a dollar. True. But I live juuuuuuust far enough from the main road to make getting around a pain. My younger brothers, Nana & pak Rochmadi are always offering to take me wherever- but… I can’t push them out of the house before 7:20! I am an on-the-go, 32 year old who likes efficiency & independence, and is stewed in the mores of American conveniences… which is to say i’m impatient. (=
I’m loving my new group of friends. Today for lunch 5 of us headed out to Oichii Bentu, all of us students of poly sci, anthropology & history,,, kicking around Crossfire-worthy debate over whether or not the death penalty is warranted, the state of our legal system, education in America,, and several random tangent spin-offs from there. What a great group of guys to verbally spar with. After 2 ½ hours and some drinks, we paid the bill & went back to school or home. This was just one of many interesting conversations you can find on any random day here. It’s great.
Togo was totally cheated by the refs against Switzerland tonight! Bollocks.
Highlights: school & marathon debates over lunch
It’s day #2, and already school feels like routine. It’s nice,,, except it’s hard to get a ride to school before 7:20. that leaves me 15 min to check e-mails before class, which is frustrating, because I’m up at least 2 hours before class usually. It’s a 15 minute ride on the back of a moped,,, or an hour to walk. I’ve walked home 2 of the last 3 days, both to make sure I knew my own way home, and because I didn’t want to bother anyone to come pick me up. It’s humid though- so by the time I get home,, I’m heading straight for the “mandi” (shower). The walking thing is not happening in the morning.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had to depend on other people for rides,, and it’s a 10 minute walk to the main street where I can catch a cab… whew… I’m thinking it’s time to rent a moped of my own. Traffic is scary- but I can follow-along & do what everyone else is doing.
It’s a funny subject actually- a few of the guys were quick to rent their own scooters… (costs anywhere from $40 to $100 a month, depending on how bad you got scammed,, Dan! Ha ha) and two of them, Marty (the former New Orleans cop) & Yancey (who’s neighbor is a bone doctor & told him stories…), are scared everytime they’re on the roads here. Yancey is thinking about returning his actually,, and he lives the farthest away. I live the 2nd farthest away from school.
Seriously though, walking to school, and to kickboxing class, then to cooking class & back is not a viable option. This isn’t New York, with subways. There are a whole series of busses, cabs, becak (pedicabs), and entrepreneurs who offer rides on the back of their scooters… and one way never seems to cost much more than a dollar. True. But I live juuuuuuust far enough from the main road to make getting around a pain. My younger brothers, Nana & pak Rochmadi are always offering to take me wherever- but… I can’t push them out of the house before 7:20! I am an on-the-go, 32 year old who likes efficiency & independence, and is stewed in the mores of American conveniences… which is to say i’m impatient. (=
I’m loving my new group of friends. Today for lunch 5 of us headed out to Oichii Bentu, all of us students of poly sci, anthropology & history,,, kicking around Crossfire-worthy debate over whether or not the death penalty is warranted, the state of our legal system, education in America,, and several random tangent spin-offs from there. What a great group of guys to verbally spar with. After 2 ½ hours and some drinks, we paid the bill & went back to school or home. This was just one of many interesting conversations you can find on any random day here. It’s great.
Togo was totally cheated by the refs against Switzerland tonight! Bollocks.
posted by jonathan adventures at 4:36 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home