Another interesting week

I am pleased to announce that on Wednesday morning, at 9 AM, a long awaited arrival joined us here in Jakarta.

No, not our son - our personal effects from Arizona!!! Sixty boxes filled with stuff we needed, stuff we wanted, stuff we have no idea why we shipped and stuff we have no idea why we still own arrived. We were very nervous about our digital camera - the $1,000 digital camera - but we did eventually find it...in the last box we opened. Only two items arrived worse for wear. One was a hard cover book who's slip cover was damaged. The other was a large book shelf that was completely destroyed.

We've been unpacking now for two days and still are not yet complete. We don't quite have room for everything we own. Looking at all the toys my daughter now has here, and seeing the look on the face of my domestic staff, I really felt like a over-privileged glutton. I'm really just fascinated with the perspective I'm gaining here.

The best thing for me, personally, is I now have enough books to, hopefully, last me the whole time I am here. I've purchased and finished 14 books now, and am half way through another one (that I don't like). This past weekend, still not knowing when our stuff would arrive, I bought 14 books at a local bookstore. They are quick, light reads, and I bought them mostly for my daughter's collection, as they are the classics - Swiss Family Robinson, Robin Hood, Treasure Island, The Secret Garden, A Christmas Carol, etc. I even bought Mother Goose - Old Nursery Rymes, Poems for Children, and a book titled "Just So" Stories, by Rudyard Kipling, about how things came to be (like how a camel got its hump).

The Mother Goose book had an interesting surprise. The first page had the classic Jack Sprat, and another, 6 line poem. Then the start of a poem about Margery Daw. This is the one that surprised me. Here is how it reads:

See, saw, Margery Daw,

Johnny shall have a new master;

He shall have but a penny a day,

Because he can't work any faster

Okay. Never heard that one before, but typical Mother Goose. I turn the page to find the shocking second verse:

See, saw, Margery Daw

Sold her bed and lay upon straw.

Was she not a dirty slut,

To sell her bed and lie in the dirt?

WHAT!?!?! When did Mother Goose become Andrew Dice Clay? And since when did "slut" rhyme with "dirt"? At that point, I stopped reading them aloud until I had read them to myself, first. My wife had a hard time containing her laughter for several minutes.

Work had some interesting events of its own. Annual physicals are a compulsory event for anyone working for my company. It isn't enough to advise people it needs to occur and request proof of a physical from their doctor. No, they bring an entire medical team to the office and schedule employees, throughout the workday, for blood work, urinalysis, and other pokes and prods. I had a physical in February, before heading out, which is the only reason, I believe, no one has contacted me regarding having my own exam. You think something like this could happen in the US? I think the ACLU would have all kinds of fun.

Tomorrow I am anticipating great amusement and excitement to close out the week. I'm sitting in a meeting this afternoon watching a demo of a new software product we're preparing to release when my phone rings. It's a colleague calling to inform me that he has received confirmation that the Papuans living in Jakarta will be staging a demonstration outside our office starting at 9 AM tomorrow. Apparently this is an annual event where a large group of mostly college students assemble around our building and demand more money from our mine operations in Papua. I've been advised that it is typically peaceful, but to plan on not leaving for lunch, and to leave through the back entrance after work. I'm going to bring my camera and take pictures of what I can.

I've never been protested before! Should be fun!

Back to Normal

Life's little routines are often viewed as boring. I think of them as comforting. The routines are what make us so happy to return from a vacation, even if it was the best vacation of our lives. The moment you walk in the door to your house, to the familiar smells, the familiar furniture, the familiar life, you're immediately reengergized, even after a long flight. We are pre-programmed to appreciate the familiar, the routine.

My routine is firmly established, beyond work weekdays, don't work weekends. Monday evening is a session with my personal trainer. Right now, the focus is on my flexibility so we are doing yoga. Tuesdays I workout on my own and typically spend more time with my daughter at the park. Wednesday night is date night. We'll try a new restaurant, or a new activity, while our maid watches our daughter. Thursdays is another session with my trainer. Fridays are family movie night. We order in and watch a movie none of us have seen before that we all can enjoy. Saturdays is either errands or a family trip somewhere - like to the zoo. Saturday nights we typically all go to Hacienda, where by now they do recognize us, and know what we want to drink, our appetizer, and our special requests (like no rice for me because it is made with chicken stock). Sundays is our day of rest. We typically lounge by the pool, or just at home. I also usually hit the gym and get a massage. Once our stuff arrives (yep, still waiting on it), I'll have to figure out where my piano lessons will occur. Most likely on Tuesday nights after dinner.

This Wednesday, our date night was a visit to a new spa and dinner at Hacienda. The spa is directly across from Hacienda, and last time we were there I noticed they offered Thai massage. I read in a travel brochure for Bangkok that Thai massage is "the lazy man's yoga", and have wanted to give it a try. It was an interesting experience.

Unlike most massage, where you "undress to your comfort", for a Thai massage they have you wear a "gi". These are similar to the outfits martial artists wear. A towel wouldn't do much for modesty with all of the different stretching, pulling, and contorting involved in a Thai massage, so they have you wear the outfit. The masseuse used her hands, her feet, and all the strength she had to push, and pull, and stretch my body into a variety of different pretzel like positions for over an hour. At the end, I felt invigorated, not relaxed.

When receiving a massage I have two fears and/or rules: no arousal, no flatulence. The first one is typically only an issue if I fall asleep on the table. Natural part of the male sleep cycle (at least at my age) that I can't do anything about. So, I seldom fall asleep. The second one tends to pose a larger challenge for me and often results in tightening and/or clenching and a comment from my therapist that I need to "relax". Yeah, right. Be careful what you wish for. The pressure, twisting and contortions of the Thai massage made this second rule extremely challenging to live up to, though I did succeed.

I also got the impression that I'm not the typical client to request this type of massage. My 171 pounds (78 kg) took all of this poor, porcine professional's power. I could hear her struggling to lift my legs, or twist my dead weight. That's what I'm paying her to do, so no way am I helping the cause - I don't get maximum benefit if I do.

The biggest issue with her struggles wasn't necessarily the quality of my massage, it was that she began to sweat. Profusely. Glistening with slimy, salty sweat, her hands would slip slightly as she pulled on my arms, or pushed my legs. I couldn't relax. I kept thinking I would feel a wet, warm droplet of water fall on the back of my neck or, worse, my face. Even when she washed her hands so she could massage my face, her hands were still hot and sweaty. The end result being a thin film of dry saltiness on my face when she was done. I think she is used to the small, 90 pound Indonesian women. I don't think I'll be trying that again, at least not at that spa.

Around the city, everything else has returned to normal, too, with a few exceptions. First, the hotels are closed for business. The bombers took out the lobbies so it's hard to check people in. Second, there is enhanced security everywhere. My office building now has armed guards - military - out front. The security guard on my floor now has a wand like they use to check for bombs in bags when you enter a building. In my housing complex, they've increased security, too, and spend more time inspecting each vehicle. Despite all of the demanded increased vigilance, I've still arrived to the office and not been inspected, including the vehicle. If you're a bule, and arriving at 6 AM, I guess they think there is no chance of terrorism.

Even with the bombing in Jakarta, and the shootings in Papua, everyone here feels safe. To illustrate a point I made on a prior entry, I share with you the story of an expat family we know. They have two young boys. He works security for the US Department of State and is currently stationed at the US Embassy in Jakarta. He spent the day of the bombings at the hospital with the injured Americans. She, like most expat wives, doesn't work outside the home. Their assignment here is ending and, while awaiting their new post, they are returning to their home in Georgia (US). The wife recently confided to my wife how scared she is to be going home. She is scared of being a victim of violent crime in the US - robbery, shooting, anything. She feels safer here.

In many respects, I agree with her sentiments. I would not think twice about leaving my door unlocked at night here. I would not even dream of doing that in the US. I would not say I necessarily feel safer - though in many ways, I am. I would say that I do not feel less safe.

A few other quick notes:

1) We don't watch much TV. We watch a lot of movies and we read a lot - especially me. In four months, I've completed 12 books (those of the 400 page variety). I read at lunch, I read on the drive home, and I read at home. I need our stuff to arrive so I'm not overspending on books here. The English variety are not cheap.

2) I recently viewed a movie called "The Watchmen". I'd never heard of it, though apparently it has a large enough following to have a video game. It's an okay movie, and if you look past the comic-book superhero dreariness, there's two interesting messages. The first is that the only way we'll achieve world peace is if we can unite against a common enemy. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" - Sun Tzu, mentality. If you believe that we always kill each other over our differences and inability to find a common bond, as I do, you'll agree with that sentiment. World peace will exist only when we are fighting for the survival of our planet. The second message was that once you have world peace - no violence, nothing bad to report - the media won't know what to do. They are so focused on everything that's wrong, if all they can report is what is right with the world, they won't know what to do with themselves. Over the last few years I've grown to despise the media - the Fourth Estate. Social media - twitter, face book, blogs! - I find much more informative, if you can identify the truth from the pretenders.

3) Speaking of the press, it's been full of interesting articles this week that have ticked me off. First, a Harvard Professor needs a class on stress management. If I'm the cop, I probably would not arrest this jackass, but I also won't be responding to a call for help at his house anymore, either. If the police visit my house when I'm breaking into it because a neighbor sees someone forcibly entering, I'm glad to see him. The more he does to verify my identity before he leaves, the better I feel that no one other than me is able to break into my house and steal stuff. The second article is about the money-chasing liar in Lake Tahoe. Anyone who honestly believes that this woman isn't fabricating a story - one she had a year to refine - needs their head examined. Claims like hers diminish the claims of women who have truly been brutalized. Few things make me angrier then when a woman (or a family court) treat a man like a wallet. Finally, an article about another moronic, headline seeking Congressman. Is this really the nation's top priority? Is it even in the top 100? If this guy honestly believes an 18-year-old can save the Memphis Grizzlies he is losing his grasp on credulity. I actually sent that guy a letter. He actually said that the NBA is denying an 18-year-old the opportunity to support his family. How about focusing on why an 18-year-old kid has a family to support! When Congress becomes involved in private enterprise, especially an ENTERTAINMENT enterprise, I'm just dumbstruck. Since when did the NBA have anything to do with national security or the military industrial complex? Is Shaq holding patents that, if he sold them, would cause a complete collapse of our democracy? Geesh!

4) Finally, some interesting postings regarding the bombings. The Jakarta Post had an editorial asking for the heads of the security agencies to lose their jobs. There have also been some interesting articles from the Australian press that we've posted on our intranet at work and I can't find now. The most interesting one discussed the bomb at the JW Marriott. Apparently, it did not happen in the restaurant I've eaten at. Instead, the bomber walked into a meeting where leaders of industry in Jakarta met once a month. CEO and other executives of most major companies in Jakarta were in attendance. The article says this bomb, not the one at the Ritz, is the one that injured the Directors of my company. I've not seen any of our internal communications indicate which bomb caused their injuries. The latest update is that the bomb found on the 18th floor was supposed to be the first to go off. The plan was for that bomb to explode, causing guests to rush to the lobby, where the second bomb would explode.

Responding to fear

In the aftermath of the bombing, I've read every article I can find on the event. When something dramatic happens to shock your system, people respond in different ways. Some become so gripped with fear they want to act without the benefit of forethought, any action being better than inaction. Others fill with retaliatory rage and want to respond in kind or more extremely. The message boards associated with the articles I've read have borne this out with crystal clarity.

I've been trying to organize my thoughts for this entry for the last several days. I am finding this exercise to be more challenging than I had expected. I had hoped I could find a methodical, coherent way to share my perspective on all of these topics. Hopefully, I have.

My approach to a dangerous situation is to logically, yet quickly, perform a risk assessment. Which activities are safe, which are unsafe. In the minutes immediate following the event, I had to determine what activities I considered safe for my family. I surmised that personal residences would not be a target and, if they were, they would focus on names people would recognize. Bombing places with large congregations of people - malls, schools, etc. - would make a statement. This is why I advised my wife and daughter to stay at home.

Once my family was safe, I had to determine what made the most sense for myself. I felt I had two options: return home and be with my family or stay at work. I knew I would be safe at home. I work for a Western company already under attack in other parts of Indonesia, in a building with other Western companies, across the street from a Western embassy that was a target of previous attacks. I decided we were on a list of potential targets, so risk existed. My preference was to go home.

Reports of car bombs found on the street (which were later discredited) complicated my decision. I was sure the roads would be crowded. Many in the city would want to return home, emergency vehicles would be rushing to and from the scene of the attack. I also had to think of the impact of my disappearance on my staff. If I left, and required them to stay, what message would that send? I determined that, in the immediate aftermath of an attack, building security would perform their duties with increased vigilance. I decided to remain at least until lunch and reassess the situation.

By lunch, the city was under control, the media had rescinded all reports other than those at the two hotels, and my day was more than half over. Ultimately, I decided to finish my day at work and only left about fifteen minutes early.

We spent much of Friday evening reading on the Internet and watching on TV every report available about the attacks. Before we went to bed, the media had reported on the possible connections, the room they had stayed in, and even the theories on how they had circumvented security. When we went to sleep Friday evening, the reverberations of a slamming car door were enough to make the heart race.

Saturday, with the exception of a trip to a small, local store and the nearby grocery store, we stayed within the comfort of our secured compound. It appeared most of our neighbors had decided to take a similar approach. No one was on the streets, no one was at the playground, the pool, or other common areas.

By Sunday, we felt the risk was gone. I went to a mall to buy the wireless router so I could finish configuring our home network. For lunch we went to Hacienda, only to find it filled with expats. The city is back to normal. I consider this is a good thing. If a city shuts down, or we alter our behavior after a terrorist attack - like Spain did after their subway bombings - then the terrorists have won. I don't advocate being unsafe - I explained my thought processes. I also don't advocate recoiling and hiding in fear. That benefits no one but the terrorists.

In addition to reading the articles, and the comments, I've also spoken with several colleagues, expats and Indonesians, about the events. I want to provide my perspective on several comments I've heard.

1) Islam is not a religion of peace/Muslims are evil. As much as I disagree with these comments, they do not surprise me. Western society's experience with Muslims, for the most part, is either non-existent or violent (terrorism, war with the Moors). There are two reactions to things we do not understand - interest, or revulsion. I experienced this first hand when I changed high schools my Junior year. Because of violent histories with Muslims, we have chosen revulsion.

The reality is suicide bombers are the destitute or the village idiot. They have nothing in life, or they are struggling to provide for their family, and a wealthy, twisted, power-hungry "brother" gives them a way out. The masterminds behind the attacks are wealthy individuals who want to transform their wealth into absolute power. They manipulate and brainwash impoverished, mostly illiterate, men and women under the veil of religious conviction and send them on suicide missions promising them glory, and riches for their families.

If you are familiar with history at all, using religious fervor to advance your political power is as old as religion itself. I could make an argument that Christians invented this practice. From the Catholic papacy of the Dark Ages, to the Knights Templar, and even America's conquering of the West, Christianity has been the justification for wars for millenia.

What interests me, and dismays me, most about the broad condemnation of all Muslims is we do not apply the same stereotyping to Christians. We often hear of people bombing abortion clinics, killing abortion doctors, or torturing and killing homosexuals with the misguided belief that Christianity demands this of them. "Smite Satan in all his forms", is often quoted. We never apply the fringe, fundamentalist beliefs and actions of these fanatics to all Christians. We seem so willing to do that to those who are unlike us.

2) The bombs in Jakarta make it an unsafe city. I've heard this from several people in the US, some have even said it is time to come home. I associate this fear with those who are afraid of flying. Every time a plane crashes, the air-phobic use it to reinforce their irrational fear of flying.

The reality is that gun violence in the US kills more people than any type of violence in Jakarta. The Phoenix Sniper, the South Carolina Serial Killer, gang violence have all killed more people than the bombings that took place here. Every nation, state, city have violence. In the US, we accept gun violence as a fact of life. We dismiss our personal risk by saying "that only happens in X part of town", when in reality, it can happen anywhere.

In nations like Indonesia, where citizens are not allowed to have guns, bombs are an easier method of creating havoc, and are the weapon of choice. I feel safer from violence in Jakarta than I do in Phoenix or Grand Rapids, Michigan. Health issues are more of a concern here, but violence is not.

One other thing to note is many foreigners are scared of visiting the US because of gun violence. I've had several expats, from all over the world, ask me if we live in fear of people with guns in the US. When foreigners hear reports of guns in schools, random shootings, serial killers, they have the same reaction Americans have to bombs in other countries.

3) Muslims are not condemning the attacks; that must mean they support them. This could not be further from the truth. The majority of the people I work with are Muslim. My domestic staff are all Muslim. When the bomb attacks occurred, they all had fear in their eyes. They condemn the attacks as much as anyone. They just don't have a voice. Read the last part of this article on Yahoo. The Muslim taxi driver says that they, as Muslims, must stop them.

If you want to change the argument to say that Muslim leaders don't denounce the attacks, then you don't understand the situation, or the facts. The President of Indonesia, a Muslim, very quickly condemned the attacks. You won't hear religious leaders in devoutly Muslim nations speaking out against the attacks for the same reason people in New Jersey and New York City don't speak out against the mob - it isn't conducive to long life and good health. Christ said "You are either for me, or against me." Muslims believe that, too, and the fundamentalists kill you if you are against them.

4) Terrorists are attacking Westerners. The truth is they are attacking Western symbols. The people are just collateral damage. More Muslims and Indonesians are hurt in these attacks than Westerners. If the bombers went to a grocery store filled with Indonesians that only Indonesians shopped at, the international media would limit coverage to three paragraphs buried in the "World" section of the paper. Attacking well-known, international targets gives them front page, global attention. I think we would be better off not reporting on it at all.


Not one to leave the problem of fixing terrorism to others, here is what I would do:

1) Stop buying oil. If you think terrorism is cheap, think again. These groups need financing. Oil makes Arab nations rich beyond their capacity to spend. Wealthy people with money to burn find a cause (you see this all the time with celebrities and athletes in the US, even Bill Gates did it with his quest to eliminate malaria). Muslim oil magnates have decided their cause is making Islam the global religion at any cost. We stop buying oil, they have no money to finance it.

2) Stop reporting it on the front page. All the attention we give these events just makes others on the margin join the cause because they see how important it is. We are doing the marketing for them.

3) Stop supporting Saudi Arabia. The number one gripe terrorists have with us is we provide military support for a ruling family of a Muslim nation that terrorists believe are not true Muslims. We support them because of our dependence on oil and their control of it. Once we end our reliance on foreign oil, we can let Saudi Arabians decide for themselves who should rule their country.

4) Don't just take the information given to you by CNN, your local news, or national broadcasts. These organizations are no longer "news" organizations. They are profit organizations. They will print what people will buy, not what is most important in the world.

Read the facts. Read translations of the Al Qaeda manifesto. Read the Quran and understand for yourself what message it sends. Understand the history of religion and how easily it is to manipulate people. Benjamin Disraeli, a former Prime Minister of Israel once said "People never do evil so willingly and completely as when done with religious conviction." Power hungry, wealthy Muslims use this fact to their advantage.

Finally, retaliation is not the answer. That is their method, not ours. I've seen comments on discussion boards that have said "if they bomb a hotel, we obliterate a city". Asinine. Gandhi said it best: "An eye for an eye just makes the whole world blind".

My advice to everyone: calm down, take a deep breath, understand the facts, and respond rationally and without emotion. Only then will we do the right things as individuals and as nations.

Jakarta Bombings

Let me start by saying that my family and I are safe and were never in any danger. Like most of Jakarta, we are a little bit on edge. With the exception of avoiding crowded, public places (like malls and restaurants) over the three day weekend, we are not planning on altering our activities.

For all of us, the day started like any other, and I think that is what contributes to the sense of unease. I was at work by 6 AM, my wife and daughter were up and preparing for a day at school. At 7:45 AM, I was on the phone with my boss in Phoenix. Hearing loud "booms" in my office are pretty common. Large trucks drive by or through the alleys around our building, bounce over speed bumps, and the noise carries. When I heard the loud boom and felt my building shake, I stood up and looked out the window. The boom was louder than normal, and the building had never shaken before. When I saw nothing out of the ordinary outside - people walking calmly, kids still playing soccer - I figured it was nothing.

At 8 AM, I had a meeting in my office. About 8:10, a colleague who is our floor warden for emergencies interrupted the meeting and said we had an emergency and I needed to talk with her right now. That's when I found out that two bombs had gone off in the Kunigan district near the JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels.

Our first response was to call and account for the safety of all our employees. Half my staff was either on site or en route. A few of my staff, who travel by the hotels on their way in, missed the explosions by less than five minutes.

Once we had accounted for everyone, we started scouring the Internet. I was at a disadvantage as all the local - bahasa only - sites had the news first. English language sites - CNN, Yahoo, MSNBC - didn't have anything posted until about 45 minutes after the first Indonesian site. While surfing, I phoned my wife and told her to keep our daughter home from school. Then I called my parents to let them know I was safe, and sent an email out to the rest of the family delivering the same message.

As you can imagine, any moment of free time throughout the day was spent reading the news updates about the incident. It's situations like these that show just how useful and powerful the Internet can be. It was fascinating to watch the stories evolve as more information became available. Initial reports were of the bombing and of known casualties. Updates soon included where the bombs exploded, where the victims were from, eye witness accounts. One site even had a list of 15 names who had been injured.

Around 10 AM, our company sent out a memo with an update on the incident - a busy week for our internal communications team. The memo explained what had happened and informed us that two of our employees were hurt in the blast. Several people have told me who they are and what the injuries are - non-life threatening - but, as they haven't been confirmed (and our company VP is not telling the press citing company policy), I won't repeat them here.

I was surprised both by my reaction and that of my employees and colleagues. My mind absorbed the situation calmly and with clarity of thought. My body began showing signs of stress, and still does as I type this 12 hours later. I can feel the bile in my stomach and the cortisone in my muscles. My staff, after confirming their family was safe, more or less took it in stride. When a rumor circulated that management was having us go home, some asked if it was mandatory or if they could continue working. To some extent, I felt the same way. I felt very safe in my office, and wasn't sure if being in a car, stuck in heavy traffic, was very safe.

Many people started talking about the last time there were bombings. The target that time was the Australian Embassy, which is directly across the street from our office. That was a car bomb that wiped out every window in the front of our building, and half the windows down the alleyway. Our windows are now "bomb resistant" as a result. The cleanup of that bombing included the discovery of pinkie fingers embedded in the ceiling tiles on the twelfth floor of our building. Anyone who was in an office that faced the street was badly injured.

Our primary meeting room, with video conferencing, faces the street. My office is at the rear of the building, as far away from the street as you can get. My office doubled as a meeting room for the day.

I continue to watch the story develop, but I'm very cautious about what to believe. If the current media-caused recession has taught us anything, it is that the media presents what it wants to, not necessarily the truth. Having seen the press in Singapore and Jakarta, I can tell you that the Western press does anything it can to scare people, while other papers tend to be more balanced in the types of stories they report. So, expect the Western media to tell you that this was an attack on Westerners, Western interests, intended to combat the Western way of life. This is what I'm seeing at this point, anyway.

I've seen reports blaming Muslim extremists. The newly elected President of Indonesia had a different perspective in the news conference he held at the site of the bombings. According to my driver, who watched the speech on TV, the President accused one of the opposing candidates of coordinating the attack to discredit him politically. This candidate, apparently, was a general at the time the military looted and raped wealthy Chinese in the late 90's (I spoke of this on one of my prior blogs). Interesting political candidates they have here. I have seen no reports of this in Western media.

I'm sure other conspiracies will surface. Possibly even one that says the President coordinated the effort so he could blame his political rival. Anything is possible. Bottom line, don't believe any guesses, conjecture, or theories at this point. They will only scare you.

The two hotels attacked - JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton - are the two hotels I've stayed at before I lived here. I've eaten in both restaurants that were the targets. My family and I ate breakfast every morning in the lobby buffet at the JW Marriott when we stayed there waiting for our housing on our move out here.

Many of the news reports have commentary from people who have stayed at the hotels that they are surprised these attacks could happen there. I share this perspective. I've made several comments on this blog on how tight the security is. They examine every car, they examine every person. It's like screening to board a plane just to enter the building. How anyone brought explosives into these hotels is just amazing to me.

That said, it was just two weeks ago when my wife and I had commented to each other how perfunctorily the security teams performed their tasks. One of the tasks is to walk around the entire car with a mirror and look underneath to see if there is a bomb. On several occasions, we've seen the person make the trip around the car without ever actually looking at the mirror. Often, if they see a foreigner in the car, they won't even inspect it. I don't think they will be so lax any longer - at least not in the immediate future.

I left the office a little earlier than normal, but not much. The building security is requiring us to enter and leave from the rear and have our badges visible at all times in the building. The drive home took 20 minutes. For the most part, the streets were empty. I've never seen so few cars on this road at that time of day. I've also never seen so many police officers. Every corner, every light, had four or five officers directing traffic. I felt very safe driving home, except when we had to stop. With the terrorist's proclivity for car bombs, being stuck in a pack of cars and motorcycles with no way out was not exactly what I was hoping for on my drive home.

My wife said that our neighborhood had been eerily quiet all day, too. No one was walking the streets, no one was at the park. The drive home, and the feel in the neighborhood, reminded me of when we had the Phoenix Sniper killings near my neighborhood. The streets usually busy every morning with walkers transformed into a ghost town. I think the malls and restaurants of Jakarta will be that way for several weeks to come. My driver told me that there were reports of an undetonated bomb in a building we drive by on our way to Hacienda. That's why we ordered take out for dinner tonight.

The latest news reports coming in while I've written this indicate that the bombers were staying in room 1808 at the JW Marriott. I've actually stayed in that exact room.

I'll continue to keep everyone posted.

Transferring to Singapore

Many of you have commented that we should move to Singapore to avoid the violence at the mine site. I say that's like moving from Seattle to Vancouver because of the violence in Miami. Ineffectual and unnecessary.

Sentiments aside, I learned this week we have an office in Singapore complete with video conferencing. Starting in September, my plan was to commute every other weekend to Singapore while my wife and daughter lived there awaiting the arrival of our son. My plans have now changed. From September through November I will be working out of our Singapore office 50% of the time. My plan is to alternate between Singapore and Jakarta every two weeks until they can return with me. Nothing to do with the continued violence in Papua.

Regarding Papua, we have now had 4 incidents in 5 days. It started Saturday with the shooting death of our Australian employee and has continued with the latest event being a gun fight yesterday. The Associated Press has published a history of violence near our mine site.

The continued violence has required drastic measures, and some bold strength by our executives. First, because we have shut down transportation up the hill, we've told our people stuck in the lowlands to just stay home. Second, some of our senior executives have flown in from Phoenix to demonstrate that it is safe enough to continue working. This has been a major morale booster for the staff. So many of them have fear in their eyes when you talk to them. Having a high ranking official come to the site demonstrates to everyone we believe in our business, we believe in safety, and that work can continue.

Meanwhile, the theories continue to fly. The one gaining the most support is that the military forces in Papua are committing the assaults because they are upset over losing the lucrative security contract. As expected, they are denying involvement. Our party line, for obvious reasons, is we do not comment on conjecture and assumptions.

Every day we receive both an update on the incidents and an update on transportation restrictions. I haven't asked how others are taking it, but I'm tired of the boilerplate memo we are using. I'm sure there are legal reasons why it contains everything it does. The video message from our CEO and our division president, I think, were more effective. Senior management keeping their family at site sends an even stronger message. Overall, I think we are doing the right things we're allowed to, and doing the wrong things we are legally required to do.

Oddly enough, this is very similar to when I worked for Security Trust a few years back and they were giving us frequent updates on whether or not the government would allow us to exist. The memos that went out were not nearly as effective as the town hall meetings where we could ask questions and management gave tough, honest answers. Honesty allows people to feel like they are in a position to make their own decisions, even if they really cannot. I'm glad we're doing all we can in this respect.

The other aspect that has been refreshing is we are overcommunicating on what would typically be very mundane activities. For example, when we sent a lot of people off the island, we explained to everyone why they were leaving. The people we sent home were visitors (employees on business trips) and contractors. People who were taking up beds that we badly needed to provide to displaced employees. We overcommunicated so rumors wouldn't spread that people were being shown favoritism in their ability to leave.

These are the elements of stressful situations that bad companies overlook. Our management has been through this before and knows what to do. This is preventing a bad situation from getting worse. Even though I am not involved in the discussions on what to communicate, I am learning a lot from what the organization does communicate.

Finally, on a lighter note, our daughter has been entertaining us with her observations and perspective on what it means to be her. Two days ago, when she returned from the pool with my wife, our maid, Jumentin, was sitting in our garage conversing with another maid from the neighborhood who happened to look very similar - short black hair, older, short. Our daughter very matter-of-factly said to my wife: "I guess we have another Jumentin", and walked into the house like it was a very normal thing to just add another person to our household.

I don't know what she's going to think when we get back home and mom and dad are doing the driving and the cleaning. She laughed out loud when our maid ironed her clothes. She'll probably think it is very strange that mom and dad know how to drive.

The Siege Continues

Events inside the company are getting to the point where I know things before the press does. I'm going to err on the side of caution and only update what the press already knows (with links where possible) and anything I personally experience that does not come from internal communications. There is likely to be a mere 24-hour lag between what I know and what the press knows. I'm not at the job site and am not on the Emergency Response Team (ERT), so often the press will know more than me.

I feel comfortable I'm not violating any policy by informing everyone that we had another incident today. I was in a video conference with colleagues at our mine site when a member of the ERT interupted to inform us that they had received a report of shots fired and were shutting down all road access until further notice. Later, an internal communication went out apprising everyone of the incident and providing further details regarding transportation, travel and access restrictions. This incident resulted in no casualties, so our safety measures are paying dividends.

We now have armed escorts for caravans moving up and down the hill. The articles I've linked to discuss the increased police, military and anti-terrorism forces sent to provide security. After the gun fight that occurred during the last attack, it's pretty bold to continue firing shots at our vehicles.

The organization has been very good with communicating both internally and externally. This is one of those situations where we have to exercise spin control to prevent false information from creating undue concern. We are also hammering home the message that the safety of our employees and their families are of paramount importance. Our actions are reinforcing this message.

The Jakarta Post had two articles today about the situation in Papua: an update and an editorial. This one appears to be an update from yesterday's news. Another article from Bloomberg.

An expat working for another company in the same building as myself noticed the Freeport name on my security badge as we were heading up in the elevator and started asking me how everyone was taking the news. Some of the other expats my community have asked me a few questions about the event, too. When people start going after foreigners, it reminds people of the riots in Jakarta about 10 years ago when they started going after the "wealthy" expats - mostly Chinese - and there was much looting, raping, and beating. We are very much insulated from any threats here in Jakarta, but people still feel it.

Under attack

As I suspected, the shootings over the weekend were the talk of the company. I'll summarize the information that is publicly available. First, on Saturday, early morning, a car heading from our highlands housing (Tembagapura) down to the lowlands (Kuala Kencana) came under fire. One person, a 29 year old Australian expat, was shot five times in the chest and neck. He had passed before arriving at the hospital. Sunday, a security detail came under fire at roughly the same location. This car had six passengers, five were injured, one lost his life. Today, investigators found the body of a policeman who was traveling with the security detail, but separately. He had gone missing during the gunfire. As of my writing, casualties are at three dead, five injured.

The organization as a whole received three memos; management received a fourth. Management's response to these events has been swift and focused on employee safety. The three memos announced the events, explained the new precautions, and provided hotline information for employees to use if they feel in danger or see anything suspicious. The memo to management was a reminder of our policy regarding distribution of information - both internally and externally. There are several rumors, theories and outright lies about the events and we want neither false information nor true information that could endanger employees, to fall into the wrong hands. So please excuse me if I seem vague - I'm doing my best to inform without violating policy.

According to local press, the latest theory is that a separatist movement in Papua is attacking Freeport as a symbol of the Indonesian government they consider unrightfully ruling their land. Part of the issue, the press contends, is that the locals are still poor, despite the billions Freeport and Indonesia has made off the mine. The counter argument is that before Freeport, there was nothing but jungle. No airport, no deep water port, no hospitals, schools, roads - nothing. We also employ thousands of Papuans and participate in dozens of community outreach programs. Other outlets have other ideas.

With any major company event, two groups are always involved - HR and IT. For me, I have two primary concerns. First, I have staff located in Papua that I have to ensure are safe. We've communicated with each of them and given them flexible work options to ensure their safety and that of their families. Second, because we have shut down all movement of personnel, we have several thousand people stuck in the highlands who can't go home, and several thousand in the lowlands who cannot go to work. This is creating challenges with payroll - clocking in and out - that we are working with HR to resolve. My team, along with the network group, also manages the security checkpoints. We have to monitor that all of the terminals are up-to-date and receiving current, updated data feeds so that no one can steal a badge and pass by without photo validation.

Personally, I have no connection with any of the people injured or involved. My colleagues on site, however, are a different story. One of them had dinner plans with the employee who died on Saturday. For those that have been there a long time, this is just another event - "just another rodeo", as one of them put it. Part of doing business in a hostile environment.

Here's hoping everyone stays safe and that we have no further events.

Thoughts on Singapore

A 3 PM international flight coupled with three tired bodies who slept in meant we didn't have time to do much in Singapore today other than eat breakfast, buy a few essentials we can't find in Jakarta - like M&M's and vitamins. We did pause to allow my daughter the opportunity to play at the playground in the mall, as well as a playground at the airport during lunch. At the airport, she had fun playing with a local who introduced himself as "Jeremy, One Smart Boy". Other than that, it's just been taxi rides, standing in lines, and waiting to board our plane.

I'll summarize our trip to Singapore with the following:

1) We were still a minority, but we didn't feel like one. We think it is because the only difference we really share is appearance. In Jakarta, we different in appearance and economics. The more time I spend overseas, the more I realize it is truly the economic differences that divide us, not racial, religious, or physical differences.

2) The Singaporeans speak English, but I had trouble understanding them. One of our cab drivers said they speak "Singlish", which I think is a combination of English, Malay and Chinese. This wasn't too big an issue until this morning. I ordered a strawberry smoothie. The woman behind the counter said something about "ice cream", and then pointed to a board behind her. I replied with "mango", thinking they would use "mango" ice cream or yogurt in my smoothie. I ended up with a mango juice.

3) On a clear day, you can see Malaysia from Sentosa Island.

4) You see a lot of people in surgical masks. We first noticed this on the flight from Jakarta to Singapore. We also saw this on the subway, at the zoo, and again in the airport.

5) Singapore is very small. It is a city, state and nation all in one (much like Australia is a country and a continent). I think metro-Phoenix is larger than Singapore by quite a lot.

6) Two weeks in Singapore is enough to know your way around and make the most efficient use of mass transit. The subways are clean and efficient, though you'll need to be prepared to walk from your destination to find one. In Paris, you can catch a metro at nearly every corner. In Singapore, they are not quite as available. Buses seem more accessible. One of the best things about the mass transit is the transit cards are transferable. Subway our bus, one pass.

7) Singapore is expensive. I haven't kept track of our spending - I've been afraid to. With cab rides averaging $10 USD, and dinner about 15% more than US prices, I'm sure we spent more than I wanted to. We didn't look into the cost of services like massage, tailoring, etc.

8) We often felt like we were in a US city. The malls, the restaurants, even the brands in the grocery store were a welcome reminder of home.

9) We ate at every US restaurant we could find. Subway was our staple for lunch. Dinners were at California Pizza Kitchen and Black Angus. It's amazing how comforting familiar food can be.

10) The people in Jakarta are friendlier. My theory is that the more money you make, the less dependent you feel on the future kindness of strangers, so you are less compelled to be amiable. Singaporeons are not rude, by any means - pushy, maybe, but not rude. Indonesians just seem to be much more interested in being friendly, helpful, and welcoming to others.

11) Our daughter is demonstrating that she wants to lead (or at least be bossy). At dinner, were discussing what we were planning to have for dessert. When the waitress came back, our daughter promptly advised her what everyone would be having. In cabs, she would always tell the driver where we were going and, when we were done for the night, would tell them "you can go home now".

I'm glad we had the opportunity to visit Singapore prior to coming here for delivery. I am very comfortable with the medical care we will receive here, and that there will be plenty to keep us entertained while we await the big day. I'm also very comfortable that my wife and daughter will be safe without me for the 8-12 weeks they will be living there while I am commuting back and forth from Jakarta.

We are now safely back at our home in Jakarta. The big news on the front page of the Jakarta Post is that an assumed sniper has killed a 29-year-old Australian near our mine site. He was an employee and seated in the back seat of the vehicle. I'm interested to see what our internal communications has to say about this tomorrow morning.

Saturday in Singapore

Our late night had us all exhausted. Yesterday, we made it to the breakfast buffet with 15 minutes to spare. Today, we only beat that by another 15 minutes.

After breakfast, we went to the Singapore Zoo. I'm glad we did. For me, and I think for many, the quality of a zoo is based on the uniqueness of the animals, the human-animal experience, the knowledge transferred, and the enjoyment of the children. While Singapore's zoo did not have any animals I hadn't seen in other zoos, it excelled in the other areas. For animal encounters, I maintain that Taman Safari in Puncak, Indonesia is second to none. For a zoo experience that makes you feel like you are viewing animals in their natural habitat, the Singapore Zoo is at the top of my list. In addition to the close proximity the displays allow you with lions, polar bears, white tigers, penguins, elephants and orangutan, my daughter had a tremendous time playing in the water park and taking her obligatory pony ride. We spent a good part of our day there and returned exhausted.

When we returned from the zoo, we all passed out for a nap. I slept about 20 minutes, my wife and daughter slept well over two hours. When we were all awake, we decided to go to the Night Festival. We were lucky enough to be here for the two-day event. Singapore's three major museums - National Museum, Art Museum and Peranakan Museum - were all free during the event. The museums abut the Singapore Management University and they were staging several cultural shows on the grassy areas around the university.

We arrived at the National Museum shortly before 8 PM and took a quick tour before making our way over to the SMU Campus Green on the opposite side of Samford Road. We found a nice spot on the grass close to the stage shortly before the red ribbon dance began. The hostess described it best by saying it was like watching Chinese calligraphy being drawn with red ribbons. Just as the next act took the stage, it started to rain. Within seconds, the skies opened up and it began to pour. The performers were already leaving the stage and the organizers were advising everyone to take cover. Lightening lit up the sky as the masses huddled under the overhangs of the campus buildings.

Fifteen minutes later and the rain was coming harder, so we decided to leave. We waited for thirty minutes at a taxi stand before the rain finally let up enough for us to walk to a hotel where we hoped we'd have better luck. We snagged a cab before reaching a hotel and had it take us to dinner at Black Angus.

My thoughts for today:

1) A few years ago I determined the average walking speed of a human is about 3 mph. I am assuming my daughter reduces that average speed by about 1 mph. We also spend a good portion of our days sitting in cabs, trams, and benches. Taking all that into consideration, I figure we are walking about 12 miles a day while we are here. I'm not surprised our feet hurt, our backs hurt, and we wake up not wanting to move. The $18 massage back at our compound in Jakarta is something we are definitely looking forward to.

2) As advanced as Singapore is, apparently they have not mastered the art of cartography. The map of tonight's festivities was grossly in error. The street map available at the hotel shows streets continuing through dead ends. The subway map seems to be the only thing that was accurate. While waiting for a cab, someone asked me if I knew where she could find the nearest subway station. I said I didn't know and pointed to a map behind us. Her response: "I've given up trying to figure out how the maps here work". Which leads me to my third thought.

3) Singapore is NOT tourist-friendly. The maps are misleading. The instructions on how to buy a subway ticket are either inaccurate or the machine was not functioning. They kept telling me to point to a point on the "interactive map". The only map on display was not interactive. Finally, the taxi stand at SMU never had a cab arrive that someone hadn't called for. Not exactly great for tourists unfamiliar with the local customs for obtaining a taxi.

Maybe I am being unfair to Singapore. There is the distinct possibility that my expectations were
too high because of everyone in Jakarta talking so highly about it. Or, it could be that people who live in Jakarta have low expectations.

Friday in Singapore

After yesterday's blog we've had quite the adventure in Singapore.

Thursday evening we went to Night Safari at the Singapore zoo. We first went down to the lobby and spoke to who we thought was the concierge for the hotel. He told us the last bus had already left for the night safari and we would have to wait until the following night. He then started telling us about the different activities we could do - and their start times. That's when I knew he was a tour operator, not a concierge. We thanked him for his time, grabbed a cab, and went to the Night Safari.
Not having been to the zoo during the day, I don't know how different the two experiences are. We're discussing go to the daytime zoo on Saturday, so I may get that opportunity. The zoo at night starts as a little village of small shops and restaurants. At the end of the street is the queue to hop the tram to tour the zoo at night. The line moves quickly as a new tram replaces a departing tram shortly after it pulls away.

In order to see the animals, the zoo has setup lighting to simulate a full moon. The focus of the tour is on animals that are seldom active during the day because they are nocturnal. As is typical at most zoos, we saw plenty of deer, wild cattle and buffalo. We also saw tapirs, hyena, elephant, rhino, lions, giraffe, hippo and zebra. They were all fairly active, roaming about their cages. The only animal that wasn't active was the tigers. The guide informed us that the tigers are sedentary 20 hours a day - sort of like me on a typical vacation.


What makes the experience unique is the cages are prepared so that you cannot tell they are cages. You truly feel as if you are driving through the jungle (albeit on a paved road surrounded by strangers with cameras) at night. In addition to the tram ride, you can take dimly lit trails through specific sections of the zoo and walk by foot. We opted not to do this as we were still tired from all the walking we had done earlier in the day and the day before.

After the tram ride we watched two shows. The first show was a fire dance. Flame swallowing, flame spitting. Spectacular the first time you see something like that. Typical when you're seeing it for the twentieth time. Always entertaining. The highlight for me was the audience participation. They brought a young guy up on stage who was a little more brazen than I think the performers had planned. He was supposed to "feed" the fire stick to one of the performers. Instead, he extended his arm and began rubbing it along the length of his arm! I'm sure that was not in the script.

The second shows was an animal show featuring nocturnal animals. It featured a hyena, servil (a wild housecat), otters and a boa constrictor they wrapped around a petrified audience member. Both shows were entertaining.

For my money, Taman Safari Park in Puncak, Indonesia is still the best wildlife experience I've had.

We finally arrived back at the hotel after 11 PM. We were all tired and my daughter was still awake. It did not take long for all of us to prepare for bed and fall asleep. When we finally awoke it was after 9 AM. Our plan was to visit Sentosa Island and spend a day at the beach. By the time we got out of bed, dressed, ate breakfast, bought new sandals for momma and sunscreen, it was afternoon. We hailed a cab from the hotel and arrived at the beach shortly before 1 PM.

There are multiple beaches on Sentosa Island. We visited Siloso, a small cove near one of the hotels. The beach was clean, with many facilities and hardly any people. Being Friday afternoon, I wasn't expecting a crowd. I heard weekends it gets quite busy. When we first arrived, there was a storm just clearing and the surf was choppy, even in the protected cove. The red, do not swim flag was flying. We took a short walk to one end of the cove and the water was calm and the flag was gone when we returned. Everyone spent sometime in the water. No one did any real swimming.

After the beach my daughter and I did, for me, the highlight of the trip: a luge ride down Imbiah Mountain - the tallest point in Singapore. My wife was not allowed to even take the ski lift to the top because of her pregnancy. My daughter and I took the lift - a long ride high above the trees. She was so small in the seat I was worried she might fall, so I was glad when we finally made it to the top. At the top, we donned our helmets, received a 60 second explanation of how to use the luge (how to stop being the most important lesson) and away we went. My daughter sat in my lap as we sped down the hill at speeds so fast the cameras setup to take pictures of us didn't capture us (no lie!). I would say we reached at least 30 km/h. on the little sled. At the highest velocity, my daughter turned to look back at me and flashed a wicked smile. She was having fun.

When we finished, she said she wanted to go again. I had purchased two rides, so this wasn't a problem. She took a quick bathroom break. Apparently she had liquid courage because when she returned from using the facilities, she no longer wanted to take a second ride and instead wanted to eat. So, I sold the second trip to someone for half the price it would have cost him.

We ate a quick (late) lunch and took a bus back to the top of the hill. We planned on seeing a 4D movie (3D movie where the add a fourth dimension of touch by spraying you with water or bursts of air). Unfortunately, they did not allow pregnant women to partake, so we passed the time by eating ice cream and letting my daughter plan in the dancing fountains.

We finished our day at Sentosa by watching the Songs of the Sea show. This is a cheesy laser light, pyrotechnics and water fountain show with a plot line resembling a video game or a Dora the Explorer episode. The special effects were cool. I could have done without the lip syncing, mouseketeer quality dancing, and the constant urging to sing along. For my money, not worth the S$10 per person. My daughter really seemed to enjoy it, however.



It is now 10 PM and my daughter has finally crashed. Unlike yesterday, she didn't get a nap. I'm betting she sleeps in past 9 AM tomorrow. We haven't had dinner yet, either, so we're waiting for room service to bring us a pizza and salad.

The more time I spend in Singapore, the more I realize how small this place really is. For such a small city/state/nation, though, it does have a lot to offer. We're taking a lot of cabs, but that's only because the nearest subway station is too far for my pregnant wife to walk. Sunday, I'll post my thoughts on the people, the city, and my overall experience.

Thursday in Singapore

Running out of time for my one hour of internet use today. Quick rundown of our day:

1) Morning we had our appointment at the hospital. Everything looks great, baby is big, and the ultrasounds here show no irregularities. The ultrasounds in Jakarta showed irregularties (not with the baby). So, all is good. We will need to be back on Sept 7 and move permanently by week 36, which is Sep 22.

2) After doctor appointment, we returned to hotel and went swimming. Our daughter had fun, but didn't last long.

3) When we finished swimming, we took the subways to Funan City to buy my wife a laptop. She'll need one when she is here and I am in Jakarta. So, we're not officially a three computer family...four if you count my work laptop.

4) We had lunch at Subway again.

I'll elaborate more on our day tomorrow. I'll write my blog before logging on so I can just copy paste and upload photos. Today I was trying to access work email, but it was down, and that took a lot of my time. Below are some pictures from our day walking around yesterday.

Arrived in Singapore

I got to sleep in this morning until 6:30 AM. I wish I could sleep that late every day. I probably could, but I would have to sacrifice too much to make it worthwhile.

Today was the Presidential election day in Indonesia. Just like the last election, the government declared it a national holiday. Their was some question as to whether or not it would actually be the election day. The trailing candidates felt they were gaining momentum and delaying the date by a week or two would give them a better chance of winning. They actually filed a formal request to move the election date, and had a good chance the date would move. Ultimately, the date stayed the same.

For us, the holiday meant there were no cars on the road when we left for the airport at 7:30. It also meant there were no shops or restaurants open in the airport, so we went without breakfast. Because we do not have our official tax ID cards yet (it takes 181 days), we had to pay the fiscal tax (basically, a tax on expats working in Indonesia) in order to leave the country. I brought $750 - enough to pay the tax for myself, my wife and my daughter. I forgot about the $15 per person airport tax, dropping me to $705. I was worried I was going to have a problem getting us out of the country. Thankfully, I learned that I can now pay the fiscal tax by credit card, and that people under 23 are not required to pay.

The ninety-minute flight to Singapore was uneventful. As soon as you enter the airport, the stark contrast between Jakarta and Singapore is evident. We've been here less than 10 hours and already have a list:

1) Cleanliness. Nothing in Singapore is dirty, cluttered, littered with trash. It is a very clean city. The streets are smooth, painted, lined with manicured landscaping and aren't cluttered with traffic.
2) The people are cleaner, taller, and healthier. You don't see beggars with missing limbs, severe burns, or malnutrition walking around or coming up to cars.
3) The air doesn't have an odor or a polluted tint.
4) Bule are everywhere. We are still the minority, but we do not stand out like we do in Jakarta.
5) Shops and food establishments are familiar. We had lunch at a Subway.

We did a lot of walking today (actual sidewalks, and they are wide and spacious). Our hotel is very near the main strip of Singapore - Orchard Blvd. Mostly malls filled with stores selling brands that are too expensive for us - Gucci, Hermes, Louis Vitton, Cartier, Rolex, etc. We didn't buy anything. We did, however, go to a movie and saw Ice Age 3. The theater required us to pick a reserved seat. I think the US would benefit from doing this same thing at our theaters.

I'm unimpressed with our hotel. I think it is considered one of the better hotels in Singapore. The service is not nearly the quality it is in Jakarta, the rooms remind me of the hotels in NYC - small, cramped and over-priced. We have two twin beds and had to order another bed for our daughter. All around disappointing.

Tomorrow we will go to the hospital - about 2oo feet from our hotel - for the checkup on our soon-to-be son. We are planning what we'll do the rest of the week. We're thinking the night safari, probably a day at the beach, and the zoo. Beyond that, we don't know.

Quick note

You'll want to check back daily for the next few days. Tomorrow morning we will be going to Singapore for 5 days. Singapore is where we will deliver our son in October and we are visiting with the doctor, touring the hospital, and seeing what the island nation has to offer.

We are not bringing gum, do not plan to jaywalk and have no intention of spitting or urinating in an elevator. All of these bring mandatory jail time - some also include a caning.

Signing the CLA

Today was the event I bought a suit for on Saturday. Indulge me as I give more information than you are probably interested in....

I woke up at 4:30 AM. Just kidding!

The invitation said the event started at 10 AM at the Hotel Gran Melia. At 9 AM I called my admin to find out if that meant they wanted us to arrive at 10 AM, or if the event started at ten so I needed to be there before then. I also wanted to know when I should leave the office to make it there in time. She didn't know, so she said she would find out and call me back. A few minutes later she called to inform me that the executives would be leaving the office between 9 and 9:30, so I should leave about 9:15.

I left at 9:15 and arrived at 9:30. I checked in with registration and, after looking over the list three times while I stood there wondering if I had forgotten to RSVP or perhaps was not actually invited, they directed me to my table. I looked at the list and saw I was one of four names at the table and that the other tables all had 10-12 names. Great. The reject table.

I enter the ballroom to discover I'm the only one there. Great, the loser who arrives first while the host is still setting up. I find a seat - well, actually I just chose one, finding was easy - at my assigned table and a waiter immediately brought me some Indonesian delicacies: deep fried banana sprinkled with sharp cheese with a little chocolate syrup; a small, two-layered cake (chocolate and sponge) with a fruit jam middle; and a small quiche-like dish with ground beef and onions. They would have all fit on my passport. They also offered me a glass of guava juice, which I heartily drank.

By 9:40 I had consumed the feast and was now one of three people in the room. I took out my cell phone and started playing solitaire to kill time. Ten minutes later (after losing 4 straight hands), the room was filling. Entire tables were full - I was the only one at my table. Great, the "bule disease" had struck again.

At 9:55 I was still the only one at my table and I was beginning to consider quietly slipping out. I think one of our executives noticed me by myself because one of the organizers - a colleague - rescued me from my solitude and sat me at a new table. I no sooner took my seat when a waiter came by and presented me with another helping of the feast and another glass of guava juice. Score!

The program began at 10 AM - like last time, it was all in Indonesian. I picked up every 4th word this time. I think the first part was introductions, welcome and an agenda. I'm daydreaming about football -

(side note, I actually woke up in a panic from a dead sleep the other night because I dreamt I lost my Internet connection when it was my turn to pick in the third round of my online draft) -

when all of a sudden everyone in the room stands up. The person next to me, with whom I had conversed before the program started, said "National Anthem" in my direction. I stood up just in time for the entire room to begin singing the 7 minute long anthem. First, I did not expect a company function to begin with a national anthem, though I probably should have since government dignitaries were present. Second, had I known it would start that way, I would have assumed they would have played it on an instrument or had a professional singer lead them. Nope, the whole room (minus myself and a few other expats) belted out the anthem as if it were their favorite song in the world.

After the anthem a member of the labor union stood on the stage and gave a speech. My interpretation - take it for what it's worth - was that he was discussing the difficulties of the negotiations, praising both sides for compromises, and that he was happy with the result and the impact it would have on the union members. If I counted correctly, he said the words "krisis global" (global crisis) seven times.

His speech was followed by one from our President. My interpretation of his speech was that our company is a strong company, an asset to Indonesia, and is only as good as its people. He was glad to come to a mutually beneficial agreement with the labor union. He used the phrase "krisis global" ten times.

Following his speech was the actual signing of the contract. Eleven people stood on the stage to watch one person sign the contract. At least twenty photographers did a paparazzi imitation and snapped pictures at the rate of 40 per minute.

After the signing, I believe it was a representative of the government who gave the next speech. She was quite animated and received several good laughs from the crowd. Some were even genuine and sustained. Without truly understanding what she said - she spoke VERY fast - I could tell she was a skilled speaker. This is why I figured she was an elected official. She used the phrase "krisis global" nine times - twenty-six total for the group.

When she finished it was time for more pictures. First, all of the union representatives, about 30 people, clamored on stage for pictures. They all wore black suits. The only paid photographer at the event took one in the middle and one angled from each end. Then they had all of the "socializers" - a group of employees whose job it will be to go back to the rest of the employees and explain, promote and sell the agreement - came on stage for their group photo. They were all dressed in orange and brown batiks. There were about 40 of them. Next was senior management - all of the top people in our organization who had participated in the negotations - CAO, President, VP Government Relations, etc. They all looked like they do every day at work. About 25 in all. I began to wonder what those negotiating sessions were like.

Just when we thought all the pictures were done, the photographer wanted more. He had senior management stay where they were and brought up the union representatives. Then sent the union reps back to their seats and brought up the socializers. Then sent Sr. Management back to their seats and brought the union reps in to take their place with the socializers. I think everyone was glad it was finally over and time for lunch.

Before lunch could begin they had employees come up and lead the group in two prayers. The first was a christian prayer - obvious by the speaker making the sign of the cross before praying. The second was a Muslim prayer - obvious by the greeting "Salam a lekum" (I hope I spelled that right!).

When prayers completed, the fun began. Everyone stood up and scattered. I stood motionless in a stupor, not knowing the protocol. I looked for my table mates only to find they had left the building (I later discovered this was to smoke). I looked at the buffet line to my right to see if the executives had their lunch yet, and they were not even in line. People at other tables had food but I had no idea who they were. I looked to my left and the buffet was untouched and empty. I'm thinking "is that for specific people"? I finally walked over to another expat and asked if I was required to wait for anything. He said no, so I went over to the empty buffet to avoid the crowds.

I grab a plate and prepare to sample the feast. The first dish was a seafood and pasta dish. No go (allergies, for those who don't know). The second dish was prawns in red sauce. Third in line was baked salmon. Next was roast duck heart. Next was roasted chicken. I could see the last tray just held Nasi Putih (white rice), so I was hoping I could eat whatever was before it. Luckily, it was one of my favorites - Sapi Lada Hitam (black pepper beef). I filled my plate, added some salad and returned to my seat.

I had no sooner put fork to mouth when the Karaoke began. It was the government official singing an Indonesian song to much applause. For her second song she pulled in two poor saps who were standing nearby. The third song was an American tune I had heard but don't remember as I sit here typing. It was upbeat so one of the paid Karaoke singers (who were quite good) grabbed someone to dance with her.

I finished my lunch and headed for the dessert table. I'm ready to sample some new Indonesian treat. I find - deep fried bananas, two-layered cake, and these little gelatin cubes that everyone around here seems to like and I think taste like gooey air. Disappointed, I walk to the other end of the table and find sesame seed balls - something I tried and enjoyed at the cultural immersion class we took (that I just realized I never blogged about) - and a big, metal container packed in dried ice. There were a number of small bowls in front of it, and I'm thinking "woohoo! Ice cream!"

I lift the top and, sure enough, it's vanilla ice cream. I grab a bowl, scoop out a respectable amount, put two sesame seed balls on top and return to my seat. I pop the first sesame seed dessert into my mouth and notice it has a slightly different and not so pleasant taste than I had remembered. I figure I must have just grabbed a bad one, and at the other one. Same bad aftertaste. No problem, I have my vanilla ice cream to wash it down. I take a scoop, bring the spoon to my mouth - and then I notice it. The small of garbage. The distinct, unmistakable smell of that uniquely Indonesian, banned in 35 countries dessert: DURIAN!

Have you ever walked by the dumpster of a restaurant? Especially in summer. Bees are buzzing around attracted by the sweet yet pungent aroma of fermenting food. Then you've smelled Durian. It's called the "king of fruits", but I think that's only because they would feed it to their jesters as a joke.

I decided I would take this opportunity to sample it. Eating what I can only assume was a frozen, iced version of the fruit is not quite the same thing as eating the fruit itself, but I wasn't about to ask for the real deal when the frozen version was making my lips pull back and my eyes water. I had to try it, though. I've heard from everyone that no one likes the smell but many love the taste. Don't count me as a member of the group that loves the taste. It tastes like is smells.

I left shortly after tasting it so I could return to my office and the comforting taste of my cinnamon gum. Interesting morning.

If Momma Doesn't Mind

One of the rituals of my day is to spend time at the park with my daughter. This is why I leave for work at 5:30 AM. If I leave the office at 4 PM, I can usually be home by 4:45, which gives me about 30-45 minutes to take her to the park before it gets dark, or I need to go to the gym.

She likes to entertain me with stories of her day, what she wants to do tomorrow (almost always "go to the zoo"), and her ideas for the evening. Sometimes, it only takes a phrase to set off the creativity in my mind. This time it was my daughter saying: "If Momma Doesn't Mind".

If Momma Doesn't Mind a poem, inspired by and for my daughter
When I wake up in the morning I yawn and stretch the night away I sit up in my bed and wonder “What should I do today?” I’ll start by having candy for breakfast I’ll sample one of every kind Cover all of them with maple syrup That is, of course, if momma doesn’t mind After breakfast, it’d be so much fun If we all went to the zoo We’ll growl “Hello!” to the lions And hop along with kangaroos We’ll find our way to the petting farm And feed hay to all the goats Hopefully they’ll have a horse again Because I’ll bring him a bag of oats Once I’ve warmed up with feeding those I’ll give the bears some milk to drink I’ll go in their cage, and pat their head I wonder what momma will think? After such a busy morning I’m sure mom will need a break So for lunch we’ll have a picnic And I’ll feed the ducks out on the lake They come right up to the dock: They love my tasty snacks! And when they get close enough I’ll jump right on their backs We’ll swim and quack around the lake Laughing as we go I asked momma if I could last time She just said “maybe so”		When lunch is through we’ll have to go To the park that is nearby There's a tree they say is too tall to climb But I’ve always wanted to try I’ll scurry up the tree real fast Just like a little squirrel Everyone will stare and wonder “Is that a little girl?” I’ll keep climbing ‘til I reach the sky Or at least until the top The other kids will cheer me on Calling after me: “Don’t stop!” When I reach the top I’ll wave and shout And hang there by my knees I’ll sway back and forth just like a leaf Waving in the breeze Momma will smile up at me I know she’ll feel so proud At least I think that’s how she’ll act If I am allowed For dinner we’ll have root beer floats With cherries and whip cream Mom may think it’s too much sweets But it isn’t as sweet as it seems When we get home it’s story time And I’ll get to stay up late I’ll be up way past nine Even though my bedtime’s eight If it doesn’t bother momma, This is how I’ll spend my day I’ll hurry down and ask her I only hope she says “Okay”.