Reconnected

I'm apparently starting all my blogs with caveats now, but...this blog may be a bit off because I'm a little too excited right now. The reason being that this is the first blog I have published while sitting in the private AC-ness of my room! That's right, I have internet in...my...room! Like I said, I'm a little too excited, but I really feel like I'm re-connected with the world a bit now. That's quite an accomplishment looking around my situation!

Because of this abundance of internet the pictures on facebook have/are being commented on, and there will be a couple new ones up in some of the older albums.

Overall I'm in a great mood right now: I have internet in my room, I just watched a little of the Superbowl (unfortunately not as much as I wanted, and none of the commericals), and maybe even more, I've got all of February pretty well planned out. A weekend in Makassar got me reinvigorated to travel and more than just survive Indo.

While I was down trading for a different internet cable I stayed with Jimmy and was able to remember what the big city is like.
My quick weekend in Mak brought up a topic I've thought about before, but never blogged on: being an Ex-Pat, and the stereotypical lifestyle that goes with it (at least here in Indo).

When I initally arrived in Indo I didn't want to be treated different from anyone (in large part because I'm such a stubborn only-child). This meant I didn't want any special treatment just becauase I had white skin or spoke English.
This is still true in some part, but I've found (readily apparent this weekend) myself falling into what I call the Ex-Pat perks. That covers a lot to me, but in general that means living a lifestyle completely different from what the average Indonesian sees everyday; to be fair when I say Indonesian I really mean the Indonesians I live with here in Sidrap.
When I first arrived, I kind of looked down on that lifestyle: not knowing much if any Indonesian, only hanging out with other bules, not eating street food, and in general just flaunting (not necessairly on purpose) that they have a huge amount of money by Indo standards, but also getting perks becauase you're a bule: cutting to the front of a line, not paying a cover charge, etc.
This weekend however, I was basically living the ex-Pat lifestlye, and I gotta say, I see what's so inviting. It's a lot of fun. More than that though I was surprsied to note that I was happy to have my bule perks since earlier I didn't want them. At first I was bothered by that, but the more I've thought about it, why shouldn't I?
When I first arrived I didn't want the perks, but I also hadn't experienced the bule negatives. If I'm going to constantly be on display (being gawked at, hello mister'd, etc) and many people are going to try to take advantage of me finacially (cab drivers taking a round about way, the price being 10x for me when I go to a marker, etc), why should I not get some benefits as well.

What it comes down to is that try as I might, I'm not an Indonesian, and I'm never going to be treated like one (at least not completely); frankly, to think otherwise is naive.
And besides, living like an Ex-Pat is a lot of fun!
As much fun as it is however, I couldn't do it for my life. Before this experience, I didn't realize how nice we had it in the US, but now I cannot wait to get back to it!
On that note, I have less than 16 weeks left teaching, and the time is going to FLY by. I'll be seeing you all soon!