$10,000 smile

Children are adored here. Smiles abound in Indonesia, especially around kids. On top of that, blond hair and blue eyes add to the appeal (likely because of their respective scarcity).

I think our school knows that. Even though SPH consists of 98% Asian kids, our kids have made a few of promotional publications. On top of this, Hope recently found her way onto a large billboard on one of the biggest interchanges in the city. Here it is:

Who wouldn't want to spend a lot of money so their kid can attend a school with a cutie like that!?

Strange Site

What is the strange citing in this photo? A Weeda relative in Asia, a Gecko or a hand of Neil's that is actually quite clean?

Answer: See below.

While we have lots of lizards, or Cicaks (pronounced Chee-chucks) and Iguana's here, we have never seen the above gecko before. Very cool.

We are also enjoying family visiting.

Talk more in a week or so!

A Calvinist, a hippie and a cowboy go golfing...

Indonesian society is divided into very rigid hierarchy of races classes and genders:

• At the top would likely be the Indonesian Muslim political and religious elite. This group is closely affiliated families who accumulated power through political intrigue, corruption and involvement in the 1965 coup that brought Suharto to power.
  
• This group is followed by the economic power brokers of the country, mostly Chinese large business owners who own large production facilities, large retail franchises or large land developments (I teach the children of this group at SPH).
  
• Next would be Chinese middle class small business owners (Janet teaches this group at UPH), Muslim government bureaucrats, and a growing number of professionals (middle management, engineers, accountants ect…).
  
• On the bottom rungs of society would be local villagers and city dwellers, who on Java are either Javanese or Sundanese. These people have basic educations and usually enter the workforce anywhere between the age of 11 and 15. If they are men they will get jobs using simple skills in areas such as general repair, taxi driving, delivering, day laborers ect…. If they are women, they are likely housewives, farm help, textiles workers, retail associates, maids, nannies, or cooks. Their rate of pay probably begins at $1.50 a workday (when they are young) and maxes out at $5-6 (if they are lucky). In this whole system, there is a definite chauvinistic bias as men always trump women in authority and pay.
  
• On top of that, there are also layers of hierarchy between age and seniorities within classes, families and institutions.
  
• Any one from “the west” (North America, Australia, Europe) doesn’t really fit any category although most people treat us as if we are near the top. What we, as “westerners” don’t realize, is that there are so many subtleties and rules between these groups with one consistent theme (NEVER, EVER question a superior).

Social structures such as this are common all over the developing world, but especially in east and Southeast Asia because of their Confucius legacy. Confucius was a Chinese philosopher who loved societies where people had roles and did their jobs accordingly. Many of his wise sayings, which we make fun of in North America, had underlying messages of people doing what they were “supposed to do”.

All of the above came to a head this week when I went golfing, which is reserved for the top social structures in Indonesia, and was a lesson in high society in the following ways:

Imperial Golf Club

§ The event begins at a palatial club house, where oodles of workers in uniforms take your bags, label and carry them, direct you to the carpeted locker rooms where you prepare for a tough round of golf.

§ You then hit the links, with your own caddy, who follows right behind you and does every thing but swing the club for you (carries, cleans and hands you clubs, cleans and marks your ball, and keeps score). All of this was done with precision and attention to detail. My caddy had a concerned look on her face the first few holes as I broke all the rules (reaching into my own bag to retrieve a club, for example). After the 3rd hole, she realized I was a doofy white guy. From then on, she just smiled at me as I bumbled through the course.

Another hole on the Imperial.

§ After a complete round and a tip for your caddy, you return back to the club house to again be greeted by the workers, who direct you to the showers, hand you towels and plastic bags to place your sweaty clothes in. Other options following the outing: massages, buffet dinners or a few rounds in the bar.

§ Leaving requires valet or drivers picking up your car, loading your clubs and sending you on your way with a smile and a wave.

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Besides my complete lack of golfing skills, two forces in my life made this high class golfing experience quite difficult:

A vision of CRC heaven --"Fellowship Greens' clubhouse"

1. Calvinism rooted in the American Midwest. While many may assume that Calvinism is very rigid and hierarchical, it is extremely egalitarian. The belief of the total depravity and the “priesthood of all believers” taught me a belief that I was no better or no worse than any one else and that everyone stands an equal distance before God (a long way away). About 30% of my golfing experience has been at “Fellowship Greens” (at the Christian Reformed Church Recreation Center) in Grand Rapids Michigan, which for me was all about depravity (my golf game) and Grace (the easy course was likely a plowed up corn field with generous fairways). The clubhouse was (and is) a converted 4 bedroom ranch style house from the 1960’s, usually with some retired Christian School teacher manning it.

Gallup golf course on a windy day (89% of the time)

2. Growing up and living in the American West starting in the 1970’s. The values where I grew up were a cross between libertarian cowboy self reliance, Native collectivism and hippie laid back life style. I was taught to be easy going and that the only people who deserved elevation in society were the stars on the high school basketball team. The other 50% of my golfing experience has been at the Gallup Municipal Golf Course which embodies these ideas pretty well. The course is watered by effluent water (treated sewage), the fairways and greens a mess, the clubhouse a faded corrugated metal eyesore, the golf pro an unhelpful old fart, but most everyone makes do, doesn’t complain and has a great time anyway.

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So...what's a poor egalitarian guy like me to do if I want to keep playing golf in Indonesia?

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P.S. If you want to hear a good story, ask Tim Pikaart how we got kicked off the Gallup golf course when I was 13—even hippie cowboy communalists have limits.

Another milestone in Weeda family history

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.