I am an American living in the United States but at times my heart still longs for Indonesia.
My amily and I have had the honor of hosting two international students since the beginning of the fall semester. One lady is from Indonesia and the other lady is from East Timor, which shares many similarities to the Indonesian culture.
These ladies have been in our home many, many times. We have enjoyed sharing meals together, especially nasi goreng (fried rice). We visited different attractions in our city together. We have played games together. These ladies have become like adik-adik (younger sisters). And they have loved my daughters well.
The Indonesian lady's parents came to visit her, and they ate dinner at our house on Thursday. It was nice to be able to speak in the Indonesian language together. It was nice to talk about where we lived in Indonesia. It was nice to have people in our United States home just like we did so many times while living overseas.
What a blessing! My heart is filled. As is the tradition in Indonesia, our guests brought oleh-oleh (souvenirs). My kiddos were super excited to see so many treats from Indonesia.
Some of the items included:
No matter where you live, it is nice to have a taste of home. I have been blessed to live in two countries that I have called home. In Indonesia, I was a bule (a foreigner). But it was hard to leave because even though I was different, I felt like I belonged. Aku rindu Indonesia!
Let's continue the conversation.
I am excited to read your responses.
Image Source: Both photos are mine.
