“What has been the most challenging aspect of living there?”
Laurel says that the most challenging part of living here is missing her friends back in the States, especially those that she made during our time living at the Seminary. Her second thought is not having access to a library with English books.
Eleanor says that there is no snow at Christmas time. On other occasions when I have asked her what is difficult about living here she has told me that she wishes she had the freedom to run around outside more. She’s specifically thinking about our time at the Seminary when she could roam around the Seminary grounds to find friends to play with. She would wake up, eat breakfast, find some friends outside and we’d see her again around dinner. Those were her perfect days.
Caroline didn’t seem to have an answer for this question, but as I’ve heard her talk about missing her friends from the Seminary, I think that might be her challenge.
Kali: I think finding my place in this new culture has been a challenge. I will always be an American, but now I’m an American who isn’t very connected to America. I live here in Indonesia but I’m not Indonesian. Even if I learned everything there is to know about Indonesian culture, I will always be seen as a "bule” here. It’s difficult knowing you’ll never quite fit in inside any culture anymore.
Matt: The annual work visa renewal process is the most challenging thing about living here. We have to essentially ask the government for permission to live and work here for another year. There’s always added stress around that time of year (now) when we anxiously await the approval.