Beasty Woman

My strength in Indonesia is beastly.  Here are several examples of the way in which I awe my steadily growing audience:

1.  Upon arrival in the Medan airport, I saw my 60lb suitcase coming around the baggage claim belt.  Naturally, I lifted it off.  It was by no means effortless, but my counterpart (who shall now be referred to as my Ibu) was so surprised that I could lift my own suitcase that her mouth dropped to the floor.  Then she laughed and pointed.  Rule of thumb: never pack a suitcase that you can't lift yourself. Duh!

2.  Yesterday I took my backpack with me to school.  In it was my laptop, a few books, and my purse.  Maybe 30 pounds - nothing compared to the average weight of the American high schooler's backpack - and the other female teachers tried to move it.  They almost fell backward and said it was far too heavy.  They are tiny women.  Then they laughed and pointed at me as usual.

3.  Today I got a water dispenser for my room.  Ibu Mai, the vice principal in charge of accounting, drove me to the local supermarket to buy a 5 gallon jug for my dispenser.  When we got to my house, I knew there was no way that the women who were there would carry the jug up the stairs to my apartment, so I threw it over my shoulder and marched upstairs.  Again, laughter and pointing.

I hope you have noticed the common theme of laughter and pointing.  This is what happens in my life.  Everything I do, whether it's carrying a bag that weighs more than 20 pounds or buying a liter size bottle of water, initiates laughter and pointing.  Everyone talks about needing to have a sense of humor when you come here, but what they really mean is a sense of humor about yourself.  Sometimes I will do something that is really and truly funny, like accidentally call the chief of police an orangutan while I wave my finger in his face (true story), but most of the time I just do normal stuff, like buy a big bottle of water when I am thirsty.  Anything I do that is different is, apparently, funny.  Good thing I can laugh at myself, although sometimes it does really get old.