Things I take for granted

Not my best self portrait, notice the red face and disheveled hair the heat here doesn't agree with my body.

Since coming to Indonesia I realized there are so many things I take for granted in the US. I now have gained a great appreciation of how spoiled we are. For example when I get up in the morning at my house in the states I can jump on the computer and check my emails, if I had a fancy cell phone I could even use the internet basically anywhere I wanted to. Here access to the internet is a bit harder. If you are outside of the big city of Jakarta you need to find a place that has internet access. So here in Palangka Raya we have to go to the mall, or this one coffee shop (which is brand new) to use the internet. And when using the internet there is no guarantee that it will work, and it most definitely is not fast. Now that we have been here for awhile we found out about internet sticks. Apparently you can get a USB stick for your computer and it can connect to the internet through the cell phone network. But of course the computer store we went to didn't have one that worked with Mac computers.

Lychee fruit, it was really interesting and pretty good!

Taking a taxi (which is actually a open door van).

 Vegetarian meals. It has been incredibly difficult to find meals with just vegetables. And sometimes when you order a regular meal but just ask for no meat, it comes with the meat anyway. I was really excited the other day when I ordered a meal that was supposed to be sauteed cabbage, carrots, and other greens with white rice. And when it came I noticed something in it that at first looked like a mushroom...after very careful scrutiny I found it was not a mushroom but some intestines. I was not thrilled, but I was so hungry so I ate around those parts, I wasn't into having an Anthony Bourdain moment. I am dreaming of veggies, can't wait to make a stir fry when I get home.

Almost a real cappuccino, but hey I'll take it!

The fancy coffee drinks at the new coffee shop here (so glad we found this place).

Also I realized how wonderful it is that in the US, we can turn on the facet and drink our water. Here that is unthinkable. You must drink bottled water, cook with bottled water, use it to brush your teeth. It isn't worth the risk to drink the water here and maybe wind up sick. It seems so silly to me that I have keep in mind that I can't order drinks with ice, can't get iced tea at restaurants, and shouldn't eat soup that we didn't make at our house here. I feel like we re so lucky to have fresh, clean, cold water that comes out of the faucet at home.

In the US it is now the norm that restaurants don't allow smoking, not the case here. A lot of people smoke, and with the smog and burning of trash it can be overwhelming for the lungs. I am so spoiled by the pristine air of the upper peninsula of Michigan. When I blow my nose here (since I am now constantly congested) it is all black ick, I feel I should apologize to my lungs since I am sure they are the same way. Can't wait to breathe the air of the forest, I am hoping with more trees around it will be more clear. Cross your fingers for me and count your blessings there in the US, I will never think I have it bad there again!