Which is which? by Thynie Arlhene Candelario
Which is Which?
By Thynie Arlhene B. Candelario
Upon learning that there was a scholarship program offered by the Indonesian government (Darmasiswa Program), I immediately applied to the Indonesian Embassy in the Philippines. And luckily, I got accepted. As the embassy prepared for the necessary papers that I had to take with me, I began reviewing Indonesian words that would be helpful for my survival. But since my scholarship was about language and culture, I did not really bother studying too much. My thinking was, “I am going there to study this thing and will be exposed to the locals.”
Basically, the Darmasiswa scholarship is a cultural program offered to people from different countries who are interested in learning the language and culture of Indonesia. Aside from their language, you have the option of choosing to study their music, dance or visual art. Based upon field of study, the scholars are sent to different schools all over Indonesia. Before the scholars are sent to their assigned schools, they are gathered first in the capital of the country, Jakarta, for the orientation process. They stay there for a week to get to know each other and be formally introduced to the culture of Indonesia.
One of the first things I observed in the culture of Indonesia is the strict division or separation of girls and boys, especially when it comes to accommodation/lodging. It is not usual to find lodging especially dormitories that house both the sexes. They are mostly separated. I was assigned to a room with other 10 or 14 girls. We were jam packed!
During the first day, I woke up late and found that our bathroom was fully occupied. So I went to the bathroom along the main hall of the hotel to wash my face and body. Here’s when the trouble began - I did not know which bathroom was for women and which one was for men. There was no one there to ask – not even hotel staff. Since it was still very early, I thought it would not matter which bathroom I used as nobody was roaming the halls yet. The signs for the bathroom read “pria” and “wanita”. I had no idea what on earth that meant. They both sounded feminine. So I went to the “pria” room and boom - there was a guy inside taking a pee. I was so embarrassed and shocked just by seeing the face of this poor human being. Because of my carelessness, I went to the wrong bathroom. And this carelessness resulted in the carelessness of another person who rushed to zip his pants before he’d finished. He’d wet his pants.
I was speechless (welcome to Indonesia!). I just saw something which should not be seen and maybe was a taboo in this country. I tried to communicate and tell him how sorry I was but it only made matters worse since he couldn’t understand a word I was saying. I ran outside as fast as I could and prayed not to bump into the guy ever again. As I waited for my turn to use the bathroom in our room, I laughed and felt sorry for the guy at the same time. I also became aware of where I was and the language barrier that I’d to face for the next ten months of my stay.
Travel Information from Thynie:
When you are in Indonesia, it is important to observe religious and cultural practices. Brace yourself on the sound of the mosques from time to time, especially during Ramadan. In Malang, where I stayed most of the time when I was in Indonesia, people are highly conservative and only a few speak English. It would be advisable to learn some Indonesia words and not to roam the streets late at night. For the girls, people find it weird or unusual if you go by yourself roaming the streets especially during the night.
More about Thynie Arlhene B. Candelario, Philippine:
Thynie Arlhene Candelario loves travelling and photography. She has been to various parts of Asia. She takes pride in learning foreign languages on her travels as well as taking beautiful photos.