Sun. Oct 10 - 7 am

I just refilled the rooftop water tank - only the second time in 2 weeks, and it probably wasn't necessary; it's a big tank and I haven't used much water.It's mild out with white, thin clouds covering the sky and just a faint breeze.

With no warning whatever, yesterday just before 5 the sky turned black and then the power went out even before the rain began.It was more of a typical tropical shower, except that there was, briefly, a vivid full double rainbow, which I got photos of - by far the best rainbow photos I have ever gotten, and right from my own front steps.Though the rain ended, the power stayed off until after 9 pm, except for brief moments early on.I ate by the light of my laptop screen, then sat in the pitch dark - I could not see my hand in front of my face - on the sofa, alternately dozing off and reflecting on local culture, IAIN's abnormal ( for me ) version of 'normal' school life, and my willingness or even ability to adapt to it all.

Monday Oct. 11 evening

Last prayer call happening from too many mosques to count - all out of synch but I like the effect, always have.

Very enjoyable day from start to finish.I'd been feeling a bit grumpy ( privately ) for a few days and today totally pulled me out of it.My Curriculum Development class were there and ready and seemed to like everything I did, even the quiz - especially when I let them take out the article it was based on and find the answers, then discuss them.I told them I do the quizzes to get them to class on time AND to have another chance to review what's important.They got it.Once I helped them through the HW reading ( using my handout ), they seemed less intimidated by that too.I told them I'll give them difficult readings - for native speakers - but always help them to understand the main points.Best of all, they liked the small-group activity, which they said no other teachers had ever given them.I told them it will be a big part of class every week.

At 10 am 2 'reps' from Writing III came to ask me to move our class to Thurs. 8-10 am, which I agreed to do.Then Mohammad Sejin, the ketua RT ( 'chief'' ) for my little neighborhood came in to get documentation about me for his records.The gov't has asked him and all his counterparts to step up security, and this is part of it.To my advantage, it served as a catalyst for Yani/Herizal to finally stop putting off getting strong locks for my back entrance - Hassan ( our diminutive, elderly'gofer' who makes all my copies and always brings me plates of snacks with a big grin on his face ) went out and brought me two, which I put on already.I also got the guys to commit to taking me to a good bank tomorrow morning to change some dolar A-S to rupiah, which I'm about out of - I'd changed $300 in Singapore and never expected to go 6 weeks without changing more.

I wrote a letter to the RELO director asking that Herizal be the person put forward as our nominee to attend the TEFL short course at Georgetown U. next March, and continue to TESOL in New Orleans ( later: he's agreed - yeah! )

Finally Raidul came in to chat and I ended up playing some of the CD songs I'd recorded on my laptop - after he commented on my being from Louisiana and sang a few bars of "Oh Susannah".I played a couple songs he knew and we ended up having a loud singalong right in the office, "Red River Valley" etc.This drew Yani in and I kept playing more and more songs of many types, most of which just enchanted Raidul.He REALLY misses the US.

Arriving home - under a rare truly blue sky - I found the chubby 9-10 year old boy ( who is usually alone for some reason ) waiting outside, not for the first time, as ever chatting me up briefly ( in Indonesian ) before holding out his hand for money, which I always say 'no' to and that ends the pseudo-conversation.Nothing ventured, nothing gained from his point of view, but if I ever gave him a penny he'd be back endlessly and so would everyone he told about it.

Tonight I made some of the 'black rice' I'd bought what already seems ages ago - actually just 2 weeks has passed since I moved in and made my first 'grocery run'. It took an hour to cook and turned the water ink-black, but is chewy and flavorful, arealtreat which I enjoyed with the last of Hanifa's chicken, a cucumber/tomato salad, and OJ.

I'm really enjoying the first of the two novels I got from the English Library, an historical romance ( with the emphasis on history ) that starts in New Orleans in the Civil War and moves to England.Instead of racing through/semi-skimming as I usually do with such 'light fare' at home, I'm taking the time to read every word, both to make it last longer and because the attention to accurate historical detail is clear in nearly every sentence ( the writer is a BBC correspondent ).

No emails of note and no Skype today - I didn't even open it or think about it all day.

Yesterday I didn't write anything; just not in the mood for some reason.The Aqiqah ceremony at Kasinyo's was boring and formal but at the end provided a good lunch with goat curry and a baked tuna-like fish. ( They insisted that I go through the food line before anyone else. ) As always speaker after speaker during the ceremony referred to me and I had to keep popping my head out from the living room, where I had been brought in on our arrival ( though Herizal was not ) to sit with the Rector and the other most distinguished attendees, most of whom whispered to each other nonstop during the lengthy pro-forma ( I guess ) speeches about the importance of makingthe Hajj pilgrimage, etc.Of course they did not chat during the short prayer.I had my photo taken countless times as I sat there, by official photographers and videographers, and then again with many combinations of people outside after lunch when the event ended with a handshake line and an informal chat.I can see why people like Raidul complain about being socially obliged to attend so many neighborhood/work-related Sunday events - giving up a good part of the only day of the week that most people would otherwise have free - not to mention enduring miles and miles of bumper-to-bumber Sunday traffic.The ever-positive Herizal defends them as reinforcing community togetherness, which I know they do, but still I tend to agree with Raidul.I expect even I will get over the novelty of it all and tire of the long-winded speeches I wouldn't get anything out of even if I did speak Indonesian, especially knowing that I'm partly invited for self-serving reasons since I help set their event apart from similar functions, especially now that I'm 'famous'.

Then it was a lazy afternoon at home, which was just fine.I washed clothes and read.I kept the AC off all afternoon and even sat out in front for a while, but the constant roar of passing motorcycles ( a bit loud and annoying even inside ) finally drove me in.The tan kitten was around but ran and hid in a covered gutter when I got too close.Cats here are not of the 'people cat' variety, and I'm guessing there are no 'cat people' either.