The people of Surabaya have been tremendously warm & friendly.

Pak Soeyanto is a retired Army Sergeant, and lives with his wife in a 10’x10’ room, which they rent for $50 a year. (cheap even by Indonesia standards). Their monthly electric & water bill tops the rent at $5. They sell snacks from home to supplement his retirement check.
Walking into their neighborhood, I became an instant celebrity main attraction amongst the neighbors & kids. I didn’t ask if I was the first American to sit with them in their homes, but it felt like it. The kids were as curious as if the Michelin Tire man had just dropped by to play with them for a few minutes (=

They were doubly surprised & happy to hear that I’m fasting this month, even though I’m not Muslim, and asked me to open fast with them. I came back an hour later, after visiting the monument of heroes, a few km away.