A Sweet Girl in Sanur

[Bert Vierstra]

I usually go to the Sanur Plaza if I have to stay in the South for some reason. They have broadband and a sauna. Across the street there is a small DVD shop, last time I bought West Wing season 5 there... Hope season 6 comes out soon... This time I bought Superman Returns and season 4 of the Sopranos....

The young sales girl was pleasantly surprised when I talked Indonesian to her. She excused herself for pushing me to buy a few more DVD's, and said that if she didn't sell enough she wouldn't have any salary.

I saw a picture of an Asian looking guy on her desk, and asked if it was her boyfriend. Yes, she replied, he is from Maylasia.

While I checked the DVD's for playability, I got through the usual round of questions, where I was from, where I lived, marriage and kids etc.

She told me that he older sister already was "taken" by a foreigner and now lived in Australia. "Taken", she said, "di ambil". Her sister met him on the beach here, in Sanur. Like she excused herself to me, she told me that she was not, yet.

When I paid she asked for my name, and I gave her my given Balinese name, she smiled and told me hers, "Ayu", and a bit hesitating she added, "Gusti". I excused myself for not being able to speak high Balinese, afterall she is of higher caste then I am. With a seriousness which seemed way above her age (17-18?), she said that it didn't matter.

Before I left the shop, she pointed to the picture of the guy on her desk, "I am not going to see him, some boys brought the picture, and he is waiting in a hotel, no I am not going to see him..."

Smart girl, I said... an she laughed...

 

[nayusari]

Hello. I'm new to this forum, still trying to get used to the life in Bali.
Just out of curiosity, what did you mean by 'smart girl' on your posting? I apologize if I sounded too naive with this question. Did the girl do what we normally called 'Call Girl'? Or I misunderstood the whole scenario.
Regards, S

 

[Ipanema]

Welcome Nayusari

I agree, I am a little confused :? and I am not naive. I understand the language but not the "taken" by a foreigner. Also the photo what does that mean, a possible type of arranged marriage or as mayusari asked a 'call girl'.

Some girls I speak to (from beauty shops and restaurants) want to meet foreigners and marry them. It does not seemed that they are forced into it.

I personally would like to understand what happened.

 

[Sergio]

Nice post Bert,

A sauna? Are you serious? Wow, I usually look for places to cool off. :wink:

 

[Bert Vierstra]

I personally would like to understand what happened

Just what I said..... Consider it poetry

Yesterday I saw her again, this time with Dewi, and she said she saw the Malaysian guy anyway. She spoke High Balinese to Dewi.

Dewi and she concluded that Dewi was a bit older then she, she was not 17 or 18, but 23...

 

[smusdar]

ring my bell, couple months ago you posted about your ex wife..


so i guess better to say no comment this time....
personally i dont respect Indonesian girl like her or that girl on your story..
But anyway, it's your own story, I should respect it as reader .

 

[JAMIE]

...how old are you bert ? your pic say to me 45 ? Really thats my age , no insult if your younger .

 

[Bert Vierstra]

49 in November...

 

[Adele]

Umm I'm still confused? :shock:

 

[donfuego]

Me too. Confused!
This story makes my wonder, is it ever *ever* possible for a bule to grasp this culture, the people, the ways, the talk, the hidden language. No matter how long you live with it and no matter how much you believe. It isn't! Is it? :shock:

 

[gilbert de jong]

It's a pretty old post, but hey what the heck...
What is it that you are confused about donfuego, also the 'Taken' part (di ambil).
If it is that, I will shed some light on it, as I see how she (the girl) meant it...
1: as her sister is not on this Island anymore but her husband has taken his wife abroad...he 'took' (taken) her abroad.
2:Also in weddingvows the priest/referent/dominee, also askes " do you TAKE this women to be your lawfully wedded wife....etcetc"
I am no expert on the Balinese people, culture etcetc.., but if one lives amongst them long enough, interact with them, see them not as low-level humans, I am sure even for a Bule there will come a time he/she will understand what the Balinese are all about. It will not come to you sitting poolside with a coldbeer delivered on a silver platter, but if one is interested in all what you have asked about and actively tries to learn.....It is possible.
friendly greetings...Gilbert.

 

[donfuego]

So it seems there's even hope for me then. Well, except that cold beer perhaps :mrgreen:

 

[aquaman]

1: as her sister is not on this Island anymore but her husband has taken his wife abroad...he 'took' (taken) her abroad.
2:Also in weddingvows the priest/referent/dominee, also askes " do you TAKE this women to be your lawfully wedded wife....etcetc"

Not sure about the rest of the post but in English when you say she "is taken" simply means she's not single anymore.

 

[noodles]

So romantic met!!! :shock:

 

[gilbert de jong]

Hi aquaman,
I assumed from Bert's post, that 'the sister' is married, since she lives on Australia, and as far as I know it's hard to get an permit from Imigration to live in Australia, unless your married to an Aussie, is that right? I really wouldn't know so that why I am asking. But therefor I refered to the 'taken' part as I would see it from bert's post.
I know that it can mean, not single anymore, but in the context of above, i don't think she meant that.

Donfuego...ofcourse there's always hope, just make sure you have a beer in each hand...one for you ofcourse and one spare for your new found Balinese friend :wink: .

 

[aquaman]

Hi Gilbert,

I'm no expert but yes immigration rules have tightened over the years in OZ as in many other countries. I guess marriage would be the common way of getting residency in Oz. Re: the "taken" bit I just took it as not single anymore but who knows. Taken also can be used for kidnapped but I 'm sure that wasn't the case here .