drbruce
My youngest son had his 12th birthday on Saturday. This year he wanted to have a party for his class at school. He comes home last week with a list of the number of students in each class along with the total number of teachers-161. Hmm. Nice son, what's the meaning of this? Mommy is going to make lunch for everyone at the school.OK, after an initial laugh I checked it out with his mother. Sure enough, that was her plan. I reminded her that I was retiring in another five weeks, and we would be living on a very different budget than we have over the past 18 years. One class is enough, I said. Yeah, OK was her reply. Always ominous when she agrees with me right away. Generally it means, I don't want to argue so I'll give you an inconclusive answer. (This is actually an Indonesian trait - better to let a person think that you agree with them than risk a confrontation. Later I can do what I want.)A few days later I noticed a large amount of the cardboard boxes that meals are packed in in Indonesia. I asked about this and was given another vague answer. I've gotten somewhat Indonesianized over the past 19 years, and so I took that vagueness as agreement with my point that we weren't going to feed the whole school.I continued on in my delusional state right up until the morning of my son's birthday when I noticed that my wife had gotten up at 5:00 to begin cooking the final part of the boxed lunches that everyone was going to receive. No, no she assured me, we're only giving a partial meal to everyone except Sam's class. By noon Saturday, we had the car and several motorcycles loaded with baskets of boxed lunches and boxes of water. I accompanied the crew of six women and my gardener to the school. Sure enough the whole school was waiting for us to arrive. Lots of cheering and screaming. We had to clear a path for the car to get into the school grounds. Once we arrived the teachers split the kids into two groups (somewhat like parting the Red Sea) and afterwards the principal and former principal led everyone in two prayers. The kids lined up while we distributed two boxes to each child. Yes, no one received any more or less than anyone else. After three days of cooking, the party was over in 20 minutes. Why do I think that I can fight any of this? Who was it who said Asian women were cute little sex dolls?One unrelated item and not all that weird either. I took my friend and colleague up through the jungle today to see the land that he bought from me for his son. It's a fairly steep climb up along a small path cut through the bush, but the views are incredible, and I can't wait to see what he does with it. So one part of what a Balinese friend calls my "Sumbawa Empire" sold Actually, I'm sad to see the land gone; it's been a part of our life on this beautiful island, and it's one of those bittersweet things about moving on and changing directions. Well, we still have the house and its adjoining land and the bungalow and its adjoining land.
goldminer
great story drbruce, do u have any pics of ur empire, home etc, sounds great place... :roll:
drbruce
Thanks. There are photos up at sumbawa.org and cyberbali.com, and I think that there may still be some photos here as well, although it has been some time since I placed photos here.
goldminer
thanks for the links Drbruce,... amazing place it seems. I realy liked the kitchen in your house, huge and lots of space, unlike most i have seen in property adds. You must be sad to leave such a loverly house.
Jimbo
Who was it who said Asian women were cute little sex dolls?[/quote]I have no idea but there is no way my wife is in this catogory. She rules us all with the iron hand of the love we have for her. Would not change it for the world :D
