My first blog post!

October 10, 2009

This blog has been way too long in the coming. But as my closest friends and relatives, you know that my perfectionism and poor communication skills combined make this fact far from surprising. However, even in light of that, I am sorry for the delay. Thank you all for gently nagging me, and waiting patiently. This is as much for you as it is for me, and I think I have overcome my fear of your judgment to let you all read my most personal and reflective thoughts so that you can share this other-worldly experience with me.

Let’s begin.

I think I am required to say at some point that the opinions and information expressed in this blog are solely my own, and do not represent the Fulbright Program or the Department of State. THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL DEPARTMENT OF STATE WEBSITE. Let not the wandering souls of the internet be confused.
Well, now that that’s done, I can begin to tell you about Indonesia.

October 16, 2009

So…great ready for a great read.

Today, I went to the gym. In Indonesia. It was so much more than I could have hoped for.

So, you’re thinking, “Okay, it’s a gym in a small town in Indonesia, how great could it be? What, does it have some treadmills or something? Maybe a few weight machines? Wait. Does it have air conditioning?! It’s got to have air conditioning, right? Right?!”

No. No air conditioning, no weight machines, and no machines at all except one stereo. This is a one room gym run by one amazing women. I really, truly wish you could all meet her.

This room reminds me a lot of a dance room I know from Gainesville in a small dance studio that goes by the name Cameron Dance Center. This room, like the one at Cameron Dance Center, has one wall lined entirely with mirrors (for the obvious help this gives the dancer when practicing for good form). Unlike the room at Cameron Dance Studio, this room has tile on the floor. Now these large white tiles on the floor, were I swear, the cleanest white tiles I have ever seen on a floor. They looked brand new. Maybe they were. Alexa and I commented that we can’t even keep our floors at home this clean, and supposedly, these floors have women sweating all over them.

Oh, I should mention, that like my tap class that I took at Cameron, this gym/room was filled only with middle-aged women, and of course Alexa and I. Oh and a few children who were there with their mothers, being watched.
So, we walk into this all women’s gym with Ibu Selvi (pronounced sel-fee), and were welcomed by other aerobic-enthusiasts. And wow - I was worried about my work-out shorts being too short…I had nothing to worry about. These women were wearing matching work-out outfits, that were skin-tight, and sometimes the tops were more like bras. It was awesome. I felt so much more comfortable, like I could have easily been in America.

We had the usual picture-taking with the Americans, and then the instructor arrived. She was wearing a matching two piece red, white and blue ensemble, that looked striking like an American flag. It made me so happy. Just like home  And man she was toned. This small framed woman was compact and strong.

So, then we began the only real thing we could have done in this gym – aerobics. And let me tell all of you who don’t know that I’ve never done an aerobics class in America, but this class was INTENSE. Alexa and I were both drenched in sweat by the end. I mean we were more drenched then I have ever been. Ever.

The work-out started slow, with marching in place, something that never stopped throughout. There were two thirty minute sessions: one very active, and second (which we didn’t know about until the first one was over) was more like ‘slow’ dancing. At least that’s what they called it. It was not slow, but it wasn’t as hard-core as the first one. In the second half we did a lot more dancing that they told us was Indonesian dancing. It was so much fun – lots of hip moving, and hands turning.

But what you really need to know is that this work-out was the most sexual of any I’ve seen ever. You’d be surprised that in this conservative culture where I get stares for showing my shoulders, that these women were pulsating and gyrating their hips hard and with real enthusiasm. I’m glad to see that they have a release, where behind closed doors they’re able to get out any sexual frustration that they may have. I mean these women were working out but having a great time pulsing their bodies to “Don’t you wish your girlfriend was hot like me.” You all should have seen it.

Well, since there was no air conditioning, I am really dripping with sweat still, so I’m going to go take a nice cold shower. Mmmm. Finally, I’m looking forward to that cold shower I wake up to every morning.

Now, I will finish off my night with a little “Save the Last Dance” on the tv, and then “Definitely Maybe.” Be jealous. It’s going to be a great night…