The city is steeped in musk & rings of ancient religion. The mosques against the sky, colorful sarongs and batik, veiled hair of women, and noisy street chatter made me realize that though I am in a nearby Asian country, I am a foreigner. I have tried to learn a few words and phrases prior to my arrival but the spoken language is different to my ears. It is spice on rice congee & noodles, fiery red peppers mixed with rice, sambal (hot sauce) besides every dish, curry & peanut sauce (satay) on grilled meats. My tongue is not used to the spicy foods & other meats (aside from beef & pork & chicken), that I felt it is always burning like hot coals.
I have arrived in Jakarta City to train and coach our counterparts on behalf of my company. But it is I who became a student & bought a pair of Indonesian puppet dolls as a souvenir. Between broken English & Bahasa Indonesia, I found kinship specially during our informal conversations. I learned that if one looks for similarities, then we will find that we have a lot more in common than differences.
I have arrived in Jakarta City to train and coach our counterparts on behalf of my company. But it is I who became a student & bought a pair of Indonesian puppet dolls as a souvenir. Between broken English & Bahasa Indonesia, I found kinship specially during our informal conversations. I learned that if one looks for similarities, then we will find that we have a lot more in common than differences.
jasmine white flower
on my lapel, smell of rain-
drops on hot afternoon
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Haibun Monday - Recalling my trip to Jakarta, Indonesia, more than 15 years ago. Thanks for the visit ~
