Let's take the Ferry and board to Batam, an island in Indonesia!
Norlinah's son Akid's girlfriend's father (pffiou !) drive us to the harbour front, and they drive through places that might be of interest for me since there are condo, westerners, and we see many of them doing our kind of activities : cycling, jogging, walking and hiking... Norlinah is very sensible about that, she says it is not what locals do on their spare time, and she hopes she finds a way to make me do these activities... I do not mind, I see different things with them! As everything is on construction in Singapore, the father kind of figure out a new way, and everyone is making fun of it : As everything is on construction in Singapore, the father kind of figure out a new way, and everyone is making fun of it:
« We are visiting
new places we even did not know about, Delphine, just like you. See, we are
Singaporeans and we had not seen everything yet, because we have really little
time to travel »
We drive in front of the American School, ESSEC, Europeans caffe and restaurants, and so on. Even when we reach the harbour center (kind if a mall actually xD) I have to confess I definitely feel more comfortable surrounded by other westerners, not the only one dressing casually, even lightly, not to say scantily clad for Americans d: It is just that we are not used to that. In America, it is not that people pretend not to see miniskirt, and lighlty dressed people, it is just that they do not care. They really do not notice it and do not mind. God that made me so happy to see there is a place like this. Here, you almost feel guilty just because your neck is visible, not to talk about your tights or stomach... I do not care, I dress as I want.
There is not much to see during the boat ride, as you are not allowed to go outside. Still the water makes me feel like diving...
Once you get to Batam, I have to pay a visa... Whaaaaat? Spanish and other europeans countries don't, why France? But the stamp I got is awsome, totally worth it d:
No more westerners unfortunately... Where did they all go? I saw them boarding xD Everyone is very tanned here, almost black, and they all look at me, it is very annoying. I feel almost in danger, especially since I went ahead of the queue with my French visa, so I have to wait for my host family. At least, other Chinese girls wear shorts and tops as well...I only see one other foreigner, at some coffee, and that's it, and he seems lost and kind of uncomfortable as well. Here, people smoke everywhere, all the time, it is insane. You have the smell all around you. Still, Indonesia is a Muslim country. How ironic.
I enjoyed hearing the prier call, the muezzin makes the call lasts a very very long time, and the speakers are very loud, and there are many many mosques (read « mos ») in the area. As a matter-of-fact, many people complaint about how loud and constant it is. I do personally like the sound of it, feeling like I am somewhere in the Middle East. However, thinking about how annoying it is to me when my host family is playing out loud the prier call at 6:00am while I seek for sleep, I now understand why people living here are fed up. Actually, I do not understand how they cannot be even more mad (x
I definitely can tell I am in Indonesia according to the surroundings: people walking in flip-flops, chicken in the streets, no house, and many many MANY motorbikes, like you can see a thousand around you. They are three or four of them on a single one.
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| As we spent most of our time in buildings or in the cab, rather than outside, I could not take many pic ... |
Then it is like, there is no house, no REAL build house. People live outside, they eat, sleep, seat on the ground, not floor, GROUND. I would say this is poverty, but not sure, according to the climate, they can afford to live this way, I guess ... Still, despite the heat, there is dust and sometimes mood everywhere. It feels hot, but not as in Singapore, I do not know why I feel the heat is less overwhelming, less suffocating, and I do not sweat as much, whereas my host family says it is hotter for them here.
One thing I remember, is that I am constantly hungry. .Yet, I had a huge breakfast, but since I am on the boat, I am hungry. And then, because part of us went to the spa and others to the mall, I had to wait, not to eat on my own without the others. I never felt so much pain because of hunger. It was ubiquitous, unescapable. At least, once you eat, you enjoy the food, and eat slowly and savor every single piece of it you have xD I was looking for something heavy, to feed me for a while, not knowing when would be the next time I eat (x and cheap. Well, actually, everything is cheap here. One wooden souvenir keyring, 20,000 indonesian rhupias = 2 $SGD. I only brought 10 $ SGD and yet felt rich. Anyway I did not want to spend for food, not when I am in a foreign country, I'd better save it for something else to buy. I had toast with Kaya!! for 2 $ SGD as well.
Actually I just remembered I was in a foreign country, trying to figure out what were people saying, trying to adapt, probably still jet-lagged, it quite makes sense that my body is always hungry, Yep that sentence was quite sarcastic. I remember it did the same in the US. But the thing is, in the US I was struggling against cold, while it is hot and comfortable here... Actually, as I prefer cold, maybe my body is spending a lot of energy to regulate my personal temperature xD Convenient, somehow, as I can eat pretty much whatever I want - especially here, since they have a lot of unhealthy food and snacks (we had crackers and donuts, well, I only had the Donuts because I was once again hungry like hell, although I did not do anything)
Saving money made me able to afford a typical Batik-made t-shirt (traditional material for clothes) at the Bateeq store.
Something very unusual to my host family, and basically all the locals, is that I TOUCH the material of clothes, bags, I examine carefully all the details and the seams of the garnment. I thought it was something pretty common, to pay attention to the quality of the material, but my host mother told me they kind of admired that, and the fact I chose not to buy some cheaper clothes which pretended to be Batik because touching it I could tell it was lower quality made all the other ones come and tell her about that, and she told me she was glad they noticed because she wants that to be a model for her children, for young people. I was touched, and honoured. That was not the first time they observed and noticed such a behavior from me toward clothes, jewelry, leatherwork goods, and yet, I am not any of some professional advice here, just very basic wonderings and checks... Maybe that is undoubtedly part of the French culture, without even being aware of how unusual it is (':
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| The sleeves are called cup sleeves qnd the bottom is style is called peplum |
Something very unusual to my host family, and basically all the locals, is that I TOUCH the material of clothes, bags, I examine carefully all the details and the seams of the garnment. I thought it was something pretty common, to pay attention to the quality of the material, but my host mother told me they kind of admired that, and the fact I chose not to buy some cheaper clothes which pretended to be Batik because touching it I could tell it was lower quality made all the other ones come and tell her about that, and she told me she was glad they noticed because she wants that to be a model for her children, for young people. I was touched, and honoured. That was not the first time they observed and noticed such a behavior from me toward clothes, jewelry, leatherwork goods, and yet, I am not any of some professional advice here, just very basic wonderings and checks... Maybe that is undoubtedly part of the French culture, without even being aware of how unusual it is (':
Going back to fashion and appearance, people there, but on a more general note most of the Asians, can be over-made up. Like, they excessively use make-up, jewels and wear very extravagant clothes, trying to look, it is obvious, like fashionable Western ladies, while they only look vulgar... What is quite astonishing since women cover in that country, and keep saying you are supposed to dress « decently » and stuff. They think they look pretty and feminine while they look ridiculous.
That is so incorrect so as to almost be aggressive, including frightening. Somehow, that is cheating, and I feel sorry for them.
Besides, they wear branded accessories. Oh, my bad, I mean FAKE luxury accessories. Yep, counterfeit stuff, what makes me pity them even more.
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| Yep, they try to make it close to the famous Sephora real brand. I also saw Cucci and Armany .... |
Seriously, you can find complete floors full of stores or sales counters selling counterfeited products! With officers walking inside the mall, saying nothing, like it si normal you know? OMG this is so disgusting. I mean, people can just sell it like that, where is the respect for the company, no matter if is already rich or not? Well, I guess is still less serious than if they were selling it its real price... That would definitely be dishonest and despicable. Anyway, if luxury brands behave ethically, investing in their supply chain, upholding the status of the artisan producer, being transparent about where their goods are made, using ethically materials and paying their taxes, why not showing respect to them, instead of making them lose money... I could have bought any bag, dress, sunglasses, purse, wallet or perfume there, « which smelled the same » as Sarah kept telling me, but I did not. I would get no prestige out of it. I still prefer to spend more, but knowing it is because I managed to earn enough money to afford it. Because it means you belong to some particular social class, because it means you are a successful person. Then I would buy it. The fact I was so disappointed about the counterfeit products and how serious it was to me also surprised and impressed my host family. They thought it was admirable and it was such a proof of loyalty and some sort of strong sense of ethic. Once again, that left me dumbfounded, then made me laugh, then I was flattered,and eventually worried. Oh my, how different mentalities can be over here...
A lot of entertainment was on the agenda, just like Malays and locals from Singapore seem to enjoy, rather than hiking or visiting cultural places, looking for beautiful landscapes and places of interest ...
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| Inside the Spa |
Some had Spa, others massage, then movies... They barely
live outside the shopping centers or the malls, and when they do, they
take the cab (x Well, at least, you are not too tired of your day...
We went to karaoke. Yep, over there you just rent a room, with television, microphones and stuff, just like we do have at home with the Wii, and sing, have fun with family. I enjoyed it because it was new, but still got pretty bored at the end...
Anyway I could rest then. I did not participate that much because in France, we do not dare to sing, to externalize our feelings, we do not laugh loudly or scream, and do not expose.
To me people, more in Asia than in the US, are very extroverted. It was pleasant though, somehow you feel comfortable, in the midst of the bustle and hustle, surrounded by the cheating while you keep quiet and just listen (:
Then before to go back we had dinner in a patio restaurant, just next to the sea, very nice.
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| Typical Malay snack. I guess Banana leaves witth inside some fish. Delicious but very spicy and salty, tpp much salt and too much sugar everywhere in their meals, as Norlinah told me xD |
I could see the big freighter ships in the distance, you know, waiting off the coast, I could see the lights, but there were very few of them, not like when you are in a city and it is so alighted you cannot even see the sky, I could see those typical-looking fishing boat from modest Indonesians, like dugouts/pirogues. I could here the cool sound of the motor on the water... Well, yes, it had a motor. That is modernization huh? Anyway I really enjoyed it, I felt like I was on vacation in some Pacific Island.. What I was actually. It was just like I was going out on summer vacation.
At the Singapore custom desk, the man was really nice, making jokes not about, but with me. I made sure I can stay 90 days from the moment it puts another stamp on my passport. He asked me how long I was expecting to stay and said, well, the longest, the ninety days I am given (another way to confirm it d:), eventhough I do not think I will stay till the end, I said that laughing. He then asked me on a banal/trivial/casual tone if I stayed there with my parents (guess he is investigating anyway, doing his job, especially as another stamp shows I was on the territory since the 18th of April, actually surprised I did not get in any trouble, I was not asked more questions nor met any difficulty to enter Singapore). Customs officers are very approachable here, not trying to look like uncaring/cold people, to make you feel you are at their mercy or behave haughtily. I really appreciated that. They were actually very friendly, every time I had to deal with them! Quite surprising for a city like Singapore... Maybe those are just prejudices.
Once in Singapore, we walked. It was weird, I thought we would be driven home. We might take the bus. It doesn't matter, since we GOT home. I was really tired, it was 1:00am. The only things that kept me awake were the noises from the city, the talking and my music, and somehow the state of mind in which I was, you know this weird feeling like you are in a daze, when you have been up for a long time, and it still feel good to be up, nothing is important and you just enjoy being alive. We stopped by another - empty - cantine, and I just had a drink. A coffee actually, the « bur » one, very appropriate if you don't wanna sleep Delphine, smart choice. Damn it... Anyway, it was refreshi... Nope, hot coffee. Holy crap.
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| Yep, no one could explain why a Dinosaur... |
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Just a little quote from a book I am reading. It makes me feel better: I am not the only one who noticed it xD !
« Have you ever
noticed how Asians just go ahead and bump into you, how they don't seem to have
any sense of personal space? Boy, that pisses me off. »
The Burgess Boys, Elizabeth Strouts
I definitely feel the same, and worst is, they look at you just as if it was your fault... It is not only they show lack of dynamism, but they seem almost of unsound mind... Just move, react, do something. Don't you see you get all the fuckin space? Don't you see you are on my way why I am trying to pass you since you are about as fast as a snail? Damn it.
We finally went home by cab. I had done nothing of my day but was really tired!
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We finally went home by cab. I had done nothing of my day but was really tired!
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