Balikpapan, First Photos

New construction -- very common. Fresh air -- the norm!






Well, our adventures continue! There is no comparison between Nigeria and Indonesia and to try to list the contrasts would be too time-consuming. However, this region of Indonesia (and pretty much anything outside of Jakarta or Bali) is still in the "developing" world. So the typical city things are missing. But a new mall looks almost ready to open and there's a Starbucks' "Brewing Soon!" sign. I hope that's still true (based on the fact that Jeri lost "her" Starbucks in Ubon Ratchathani, it's a bit scary!) Of course, I still don't drink coffee and I'm not a big fan of Tazo Teas but, hey, ya gotta love the ambiance!!!

Many of the photos were taken from our 8th floor hotel window. We've not been able to venture out much, yet. Security is not a problem but getting a driver who speaks even 5 words of English is!

So, I've started on my own online Bahasa Indonesian crash course! It's got to be about the easiest language in the whole world! It uses the same alphabet as English, minus a few of our letters. Get this -- each consonant that they use makes only one sound! Sheesh! And the only vowel to make two sounds is "e" -- it's usually an /uh/ sound with an occasional /ay/ when at the end of words or an open syllable.

(These last two photos were taken at a fabulous new beach-side restaurant!)


We'll be in this hotel for the rest of this week. Then, we hope to be into temporary housing by the weekend. Our assigned housing won't be ready until near the end of July. Either way, temp house or perm house, the compounds are right along the beach. I'm not crying!!! ;-)

However, the adjustments in leaving Nigeria are still pretty strong. (Okay, definitely worse for me than for Jim!) I miss some of the rare and precious people and I miss the certainty of the known. Here everything, though lovely, is unfamiliar. And many of the expats have made their summer "exodus" (their label) so we might feel more on our own here, for a time! But, all in all, we're all smiles!