Strange Encounter

How one meets a friend is always an interesting story. After shower in the gym this morning, I struck a conversation with this girl with a Shirley Temple ringlets. She just had a shower herself and trying to "style" her hair into a desired ringlets. My accent roused her curiousity and she asked, "Where are you from?" The 10,000,000 dollar question in Cynth's life. "Ehmm, from here. You know, Indonesia." She looked at me and gave me a-i-don't-really-believe you kinda look. As usual I went on to explain how I used to study overseas, yadda yadda yadda.

Her name is Anna Lieke. She's from Holland. She is here researching the Dutch insitution for juvenile delinquency in early 20th century for her PhD. One thing lead to another and we just started talking non-stop which resulted in me dropping her off at the National Research Centre around the corner and giving her my business card. "You're the first Indonesian woman I know who drives. Everyone else seems to have a driver." I don't know how many Indonesian women she knows. It can't be very many.

"Maybe we could have a drink sometime...", she said as she grabbed her bag out of my car. Yes, that would be lovely. Hopefully it would happen soon. It's cool to just have that kind of impulsive encounter. Nice. Refreshing.

One week ago

They say time flies when you're having fun. Indeed. HK was so much fun; not because I got to see places or shop or do fun stuff but because work was gooood. I know. I suck. I get too much pleasure out of work it's not even funny. It was the same feeling I got when I was in our LA office and getting to know the business. This trip I got to know my regional colleagues and learned about the other offices in the region. It's exciting. We almost always ate too much, and work too much. I have nothing more to say about this trip on the risk of sounding like a workaholic, so I won't. I'll just leave you with some photos from the trip.

This is my favourite.

Somewhere else

I arrived yesterday afternoon to the flat jungle that is Hong Kong. One day earlier than expected gave me a chance to chill out and spend some quality time with a friend. Although it is my second visit to the island, I found myself still completely in awe of the tall buildings where people live. As urban city living in Jakarta is slowly rising up, most people still prefer a house, a land, a backyard.

This morning I look out from my friend's kitchen to the neighbouring towers. It feels weird to be able to get a glimpse of other people's lives. There's a voyeur in all of us and there I was hoping for some drama. The morning was quiet in this area. Most people have gone to work and beginning of a day quickly passed.

So, here I am typing away words and impressions about the place once again procrastinating. I should really finish my work before I head into the office and try to impress my colleagues. After all it is not my usual fun travel, it is for work.

When flying economy...

When it took me more than 2 hours to pack for a one week trip, I knew that I was in trouble. Either it was too late in the evening to be doing any kind of practical thinking, or I was just rusty. I hated the feeling. I was a super-packer! I was summoned to help some friends packed 12 months of their lives in 2 huge suitcases -- and I suceeded!! Me! Eventually the packing was done and 4 hours later I was sitting in an airport lounge waiting to board the plane.

The plan was to use the 4.5 hours on the plane to finish some work stuff that desperately needed to be done (it was my own procrastination to blame). The plane was full and I held my breath to see who would be sitting next to me. The idea is to get a gorgeous 6ft something handsome man, but since that never happens, someone with a good economy class seat flight attitude would suffice. I got myself a young man indeed, a 5 year old with his parents. Not the ideal. I hate children in planes because they're normally cranky at some points on the journey and irritate the hell out of you. One next to me, when I had 4 hours sleep and some work to do was not ideal at all.

However, it was a really good surprise to discover to find that not only was he polite and not annoying, and not cranky, and didn't do stupid things children do... most importantly, he was quiet. I like quiet. Quiet is good.

Alas, quiet was not a word known to a middle-aged couple sitting behind me. On route to China (yes, I got to hear all about their trip, their children's educational history, etc) the lady was talking to 2 teenage girls next to them who were on their way to do 12 months of language course in Shanghai. She simply could not shut up. I swear it was 2 hours of non-stop talking with her...

Traveling is a bit like that. You hope for the best in people, and that the journey would be as painless as possible. But when it comes to people, there's really no telling. I wonder if there's an etiquette class on air travel. The curriculum should include things like: conversational volume level, how to read a newspaper without annoying the next person, how to stop your children from crying... Anything else anyone wants to add?

Matchmade My Parents

Somehow I missed the turning point from being an attractive, independent single girl to an attractive, independent single-for-too-long-girl. Another valentine day's passed and I am still without a beau to show. My parents showed me their concern a few months back, but after a discussion they could not rebuke my arguments; for the last thing they want is a daughter who marries just anyone. When it comes to their children's happiness, parents often decide that fate needs a helping (...meddling) hand -- and they take it upon themselves, to try to find their son/daughter the ideal son/daughter-in-law.

At a recent hospital visit, my father and mother meet this lovely woman who out of the blue started inquiring about other people's eligible children. She started her question from where we live, my mum's practice, etc. Mum thought that it was all very strange, but then again the world is full of strange people. She began to think that something really strange is going on when one day this lady paid a visit to our empty house (everyone was working and out of the house) and asked even more questions to my maid. My good maid gave her my mother's business cards and told her to contact my mum.

She did. It was when she revealed her true intentions. She wanted to get to know: ME. Thank god for my mum's sanity, because she in her own polite way managed to dodge every possible chance of ever meeting this woman and her son, who turned out to be a school friend of mine. Well, we're not exactly friends... but we did go to the same school. It was all very hilarious. She actually made my friend talked to my mum (that's how she found out that we actually went to the same school) and that if he was interested in me, he should just gave me a call. Yes, she did give his mother my phone number.

This was a few weeks ago. So far, no phone calls.

Isn't it strange that a single girl in a big city like Jakarta can be seen as unable to find her own beau? That somebody else's mother should do the picking? I found it disturbing that parents "go-shopping" for their children's lifelong partner. It is interesting that in this era of equal rights, women's independence and all... we're still objectified.

I'm sure that woman means no harm. All of those thoughts I mentioned above probably did not cross her mind at all. She loves her son. She just wants the best for him; she thinks I'm probably good for him. I should just be flattered.