Implications

In an attempt to be more Indonesian, I have embarked on a great local tradition—trying to “lighten” myself. Here's how it works:

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1. Fall prey to pervasive and persuasive local ads which tout the need to be more light skinned (see ad below). Common themes in ads appeals to the happiness and attention (from the opposite sex) you will receive when more white.

2. Go out and buy any variety of lotions which promise lighter skin.

3. Apply generously.

4. Bask in the results.

Visitors

Despite the fact that we are in the "thick of it" here (school and life are quite busy), we enjoyed the visit of former students Phil and Jamie Frederiksen who spent a bit of a weekend with us. We celebrated their presence by wearing all the New Mexico gear we could (at least in this picture). Other happenings here:

My birthday cake (Feb. 13)

Hope Chills

Have a great week!

Harvard Model Congress Asia

What would the founders of Harvard think of this logo?

A week ago, I was in Singapore with 17 students at Harvard Model Congress Asia. This is Harvard Political Science Department's attempt to spread good cheer and American Democracy (I hope those two things aren't mutually exclusive anymore) all over the world by simulating U.S. government (Model Senate, Model House of Representatives, Model Supreme Court and Model Cabinet) . In doing so the kids learn, analytical skills, speaking skills and a understanding of pluralism and individual rights.

Here are the humorous moments:

1. Hearing and seeing a short, thin Asian assuming the role of Rep. Peter Hoekstra from Michigan (they even addressed each other by their assumed names)! There was also a Vern Ehlers(R-MI) and Tom Udall (D-NM) running around.
2. Watching all the status oriented students fixate on anything that had the word "Harvard" in it. The first thing they did when receiving their t-shirts was to make sure the magic word made it on the shirt.
3. Getting stuck in Singapore an extra night because one of the students lost their passport. I Ended up with them at the house of a family friend who kept feeding me even though I didn't want to eat. Great local hospitality.
   

parallel universe

Hope in Sydney harbor

Janet and I watch a lot Star Trek on TV. While not officially Trekkies (no conventions for us), we get into the various series (The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and most recently Star Trek Enterprise) that have been produced since we have been married. A common theme in these shows is the parallel universe: a separate reality from our own which broke off from our existing universe at some decision point and now exists separately from our own. This universe looks exactly like ours except for a few details. This provides lots of good story writing as you can explore the idea of “the road not taken” and also keep fans on the edge of their seats as they continually ask “which universe are we in”.

Here is our Australian parallel universe experience…

Driving to the Grampians

The Grampians (on the Pinnacle)

We are driving behind a Ford through a gentle national forest in Victoria (southern Australia) called the Grampians. We travel through vast sections of national forest with outcroppings of rock. Interspersed are large alfalfa farms with large John Deere mowers or pasture lands with lots of free range cattle. As we flip through the radio stations, we even are able to listen to All Things Considered on NPR (National Public Radio) at 91.7 FM. Gas stations are BP, Mobil or Caltex (Texico), Government roads signs are in English and colored brown (if a public park) or green (everything else), and businesses consist of typical little shops or bigger stores with names like Woolworths and Safeway. We stop at a campground for the kids to go rock climbing. The campground has a hot dusty feel and there is the smell of campfire in the air. Later, when we go hiking, the sedimentary rocks have algae and lichen growth on them along with lots of lizards running around on them (see picture below)

A couple of old rocks(my head included) with lichens and and algae

With my limited descriptive writing ability and the help of a few pictures, I hope you get the sense that the Grampians had a strong resemblance to national forests in the Southwestern United States and I remarked to Janet that I kept thinking that we would come around a corner and see Cortez Colorado, or Greer Arizona or Aztec New Mexico.

Except that in this universe:

We are driving on the wrong side of the road.

There are gum and eucalyptus trees, not pine and oak.

The road kill are dead kangaroos (we saw lots of live ones too).

And we come across signs like this:

Lost in Australia (translation)

G’day mate!
(Hello There)
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Haw ya going?
(How are you?)
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Mi bloke Stuive Whyda wuanted mui t’ tel ya ‘bout speekin ‘Strahlian.
(My friend Steve Weeda wanted me to demonstrate the Australian dialect)
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I Reckun ya ‘ll herd that Stuive an ‘is relie’s visited ‘Strahlia fo’ th’ sommer auli’days
(I’m sure you all know that Steve’s family visited Australia for the Christmas holidays)
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For Christmas, Stuive and ‘is relie’s staid in J’loung where they opened prezies and had tea out doors with sum bit’s o’ meet on the ba’ arbi.
(For Christmas day, Steve and his family stayed in Geelong where they opened presents and enjoyed dinner outside with grilled meat.)
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An’ naw they aar’ ‘njoying visiten’ the wander fuul syites round ‘Stralhlia.
(And now they are enjoying visiting great places around the Australian State of Victoria)
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So, No warries if ya doun’t hear much fr’ om Stuive an’ ‘is reli’s. He ‘ill post to blog Stryat awa’ay in the next bit of tyime.
(So, don’t worry if you don’t hear much from the Weeda family in the next few weeks. Steve will post to his blog soon after he returns.)

Christmas at the mall

Eric in front of a Santa banner at a mall in Indonesia

Yesterday, we gave our helper her Christmas gift along with a stocking full of other items and a card. This got me thinking...

Other than Retailers, it's hard to find anyone who disputes the negative effects of the commercialization of Christmas. Even theological liberals and conservatives, who disagree about just about everything, usually join forces in verbally lashing what Christmas has become in society today.

In a place like Indonesia however, the commercialization of Christmas probably brings more benefits than drawbacks. In addition to causing the humorous situation where nice muslim girls don Santa hats while they work, the commercialization of Christmas also results in people seeing and hearing about peace, goodwill, and God made flesh (something scandelous to all Muslims). Christmas trees, Santas and decorations have sprung up everywhere. Even the soundtracks in malls have Christmas music playing continually (and unlike stores in the West, the music here contains lyrics in English that shout out that Jesus is here to bring redemption!). At some point this should cause most people to ask "what is this all about?"

This is basically what our helper asked us last night after she read our card and opened her gift.

Janet found her a church to go to this morning.

Once in royal Davids city,

Stood a lowly cattle shed,

Where a mother laid her Baby,

In a manger for His bed:

Mary was that mother mild,

Jesus Christ, her little Child.

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He came down to earth from heaven,

Who is God and Lord of all,

And His shelter was a stable,

And His cradle was a stall:

With the poor, and mean, and lowly,

Lived on earth our Saviour holy.

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For He is our childhood's pattern;

Day by day, like us, He grew;

He was little, weak, and helpless,

Tears and smiles, like us He knew;

And He cares when we are sad,

And he shares when we are glad.

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And our eyes at last shall see Him,

Through His own redeeming love;

For that Child so dear and gentle,

Is our Lord in heaven above:

And He leads His children on,

To the place where He is gone.

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Merry Christmas Everyone!

Take a step back

A funny sequence of events from our beach outing:

Step 1: Hope attracts a crowd. I pull out a camera, which further attracts people.

Step 2: Indonesians girls love to pose for pictures by playing coy with the camera. Hope watches.

Step 3: Hope mimics their pose-- quite unsuccessfully.

Thanks to Kim Whites Facebook album for this picture.

And when you take a step back... this is what it looks like!