Ok, well I finally have my own interesting blog to write! I decided it was time to venture out on my own and head to town via the public transportation, no translator and no help! I had quite a few things on my list to buy and from several places but was pretty confident that I knew the stores to go to and what to ask for. I had my truly handy new electronic dictionary with me just in case, and with that and several bags for carrying my items home in, I headed up the street to catch the Ankota (minibus). It took me about an hour and I had found everything I was looking for and felt I got good prices, despite my lack of ability to barter yet.
So I headed back to one last store, which was near where I would get on a Dokar (Horsedrawn carriage) to take me and all my stuff home. I was in Ramayana (our biggest store here in Salatiga) for about 10 minutes and when I entered it had begun to rain lightly. By the time I was ready to leave the store however, it was raining quite hard, so I decided to wait it out a minute and see if it would let up.
While waiting with about 25 or 30 other people, a woman walked toward the store entrance in the rain. She had on a Jilbob (Muslim headcovering) and was wearing jeans and carrying a bag full of various items. Before she actually got to the entrance though, she set her things down with a ballcap on top (like she was ready for tips) and began “preaching” to the crowd, while removing her jilbob. Of course her discourse was in Bahasa Indonesian so I couldn’t understand a word of it. It was all quite amusing to me and everyone else watching this crazy woman rant and rave and dance in the rain. That is until she singled me (the only white skinned person in view) out and walked up to about 6 inches from my face and began screeming at me! My immediate reaction was to say, very firmly, “Tidak!”, Which means no! The more she talked, the more I said “TIDAK!” In just a few seconds a couple of police officers/security guards were by my side and telling her to leave me alone. She did, whew, and I stood there stunned. “What just happened?”, I thought! I looked over to the officer on my right and asked him, “tidak apa apa?” – am I ok? He gave me a hesitant “ya” – yes and smiled apologetically. Ok, now what? I need to get home, it’s raining cats and dogs and I’m afraid if I walk through this parking lot, she’s gonna follow me and then what!? So I stood there like a deer in headlights, wondering when my brain would kick in and come up with some brilliant idea. Then it hit me! “Call someone to come get you, you idiot!” So that’s what I did and my new friend, Anna came to my rescue about 10 minutes later! She promised me that had never happened here to anyone else and she’d never seen anything like it! I believe her, but oh, why me?
I have now recovered and have since ridden the Ankota to town again. Get back on the horse, right?
Bethany
3 comments:
Exactly what were you singing??? God is giving you wonderful insights into a different world. Maybe the song should be, My God is so great... Your saga reminds me of when I wa in a huge store in Budap. alone in a asile and waited forever 4 someone to come get me.
Glad you got back on the horse. Mom in MO
That's an interesting story Bethany. Don't you wish you knew what she was saying? Or maybe it's better that you didn't!
That's interesting that the store was called "Ramayana"- that is a very hindu word. Of course it probably means something else there, though perhaps it's related.
I'm so glad you have a friend that could come get you!
Love ya!
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