A rather short, but full, weekend

I blew my very first fuse at 7am today trying to charge my camera for a morning of monkey watching. The electric pop sparked behind the outlet, and so I got ready vowing to simply remember my day rather than document it. My counterpart (Iis), her adorable husband Reza, and Reza's 9 year old little sister and I drove about 20 minutes away to a water park/monkey hang out. Buses, children, and families clamored outside the gates. Peddlers hawking their goods, beggars asking for money. The same grey monkeys I saw in Bali were all over the grounds. At first I was enamored, as I always am with animals, until I saw the monkey on a chain. A man sat in a folding chair not far from the main entrance, a small drum in his hand. At the end of a "leash" sat a monkey, dressed in clothing, wearing a hat, and hissing at his audience of mildly amused pedestrians. I stood stone still, my hands over my mouth, as this man jerked the chain back and forth, made the monkey do flips, made him stop, made him pick things up with his hands, made him behave like a circus freak. It took all I had not to walk right up to him and...well...my Mother taught me better than to say what. I was enraged. Animals do not like cages or chains. They need wide open spaces, good healthy food, and peace and f*#king quiet. Not a drum that bangs endlessly in their ears, or people throwing peanuts and then screaming when they peel the shells and ask for more, unable to find their own food.

We kept walking. We had fun on the bumper cars, merry go round, and dirt bikes. People stopped to take pictures of me on the massive three wheelers because, as usual, Bules are a hot commodity. This time I actually smiled. They were genuinely excited to have me there, and shoot, who doesn't like such attention? However, the reality of Indo was inescapable, despite my moments of joy. The small lake where we went row boating was filled with trash. Small fish swam over forks, plates, plastic water bottles, and god knows what else. Once ashore, I saw a monkey up a tree chewing on a dirty, abandoned sandal. CHEWING it. Like it contained actual food. Next to him perched a monkey nibbling on a plastic spoon. Below him, a monkey trying to eat the lid of a soda can. Looking closer, I noticed these monkeys had growths, bubble like additions to their jaws that looked like small white marbles protruding from their cheeks. Many of them. Cysts? Tumors? Who knows. My stomach turned. Walking out of this "park", I tried to rationalize what I'd seen. However, I cannot escape the fact that animals are treated terribly in this country. Cats are kicked, tails are cut off, and rats run wild.

I came home to two rooms that had light and thankfully, a fridge that was still cold. Iis had found the circuit breaker on the outside of my house and flipping one of those switches seemed to turn on a few bulbs. I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning the dirt off my floors, and doing the usual Sunday tid bits one does when one doesn't have to be anywhere (or when one is trying to avoid doing school work). The sun set with still no air conditioning or DVD watching in clear sight, and so I took a walk around the homestead, looked in every room, and could not find the answer to my dilemma. Seeing no alternative, I sent my counterpart a text message, and she agreed to come over and help. She lives 30 minutes away, with her husband, in-laws, and his family. She's incredible to even offer to come back after driving me around all morning.

While waiting for her arrival, the white cat who has visited me in the past showed up at my door once again. Her eyes still in a daze, her fur still matted. I fished out the chicken in my fridge, filled a bowl with filtered water, and left it out for her. She pecked at it, and snuggled next to the water. I noticed her gait was a little slow, and her hind legs were spread wider than usual. Dear God, "Pus pus" (one of the names for cats in these parts) is going to have kittens.

Iis and Reza arrived, took one look at Pus pus and agreed that she was indeed pregnant. Reza took three steps into my sitting room (yes, I actually have one...this place is the biggest house I will never pay for in my life, better appreciate it while I can) and found the second circuit breaker box. He flipped a switch, and the air was back on. With my lights. In under 20 seconds my problem was fixed. How I had missed the box labeled "Curcuit Breaker", I don't want to know. Feeling terrible that I made them drive out to my place for the second time today, I offered them cookies, teaching materials, etc. We decided on a night I would take them out to dinner this week, and then I mentioned the cat. I simply cannot let her deliver kittens when she's obviously sick and no one gives a hoot whether she lives or dies. Turns out, Reza's Uncle is a vet.

Part of me wonders if Miss Pus Pus found her way into my house and flipped a switch of her own to rig this situation. After they left (books and cookies in hand), I filled a shoe box with a towel, a bowl with tuna fish, and set both on my front porch, just in case.

Looks like I've been adopted by a cat.

In other, more academic news, school is going well. I had my first formal presentation on Saturday (yes, my day off, but, you have to show up when invited to such things) where I spoke on Language BA programs in the States as the Language Department at Brawijaya is revamping their curriculum and they wanted to know how things are done back at the ranch. However, I had to wait and listen to 4 hours of Bahasa before it was my turn. At about hour one I felt completely ridiculous and totally unqualified. I need to get on those language lessons, and fast. (The actual presentation went fairly well.)

I'm also tutoring my writing students outside of class on how to, well, write better. This is a daunting task as I have over 70 of them. 60 of them really need my help but their classes meet once a week and there are about 30 of them per class. Thus, I've started a program of sorts where I sit for a half hour with any student who signs up to see me, voluntarily, and we review a one page journal entry on a topic they enjoy writing about. As exhausting as this is, it seems to be working. My students are coming back to see me at least twice per assignment. They thank me often, and they leave feeling, hopefully, a little more capable. I'm so proud of them. And so lucky to be here.

Before I sign off I have to mention that I start bike lessons tomorrow (mine is a standard and I've never actually driven a motorcycle before). Watch out world. This lady's got her very own hog and she intends to ride it like the wind (while adhering to the speed limit and wearing a helmet at all times, of course)! Goodnight ya'll...