Lunch for $0.85?!?

Today I went to lunch with two other co-workers (Yohan and Tyas - both native Indonesians). I wanted to start to venture out and try some more native Indonesian food (easing my stomach into the transition) and at the Warteg I got a bowl of rice, tempe, tofu, and a celery mix along with a delicious sweet tea-like drink which was extremely tasty and filling for a whopping total of 8,500 Rp (or pretty close to $0.85) Depending on how my stomach reacts (and so far, so good), I may have to become a regular at this Warteg :) Additionally, going to lunch with Yohan and Tyas at the Warteg provided a great opportunity to learn more Indonesia. So far my language skills leave a lot to be desired, but I'm trying to work on phrases I might need on a more regular basis as well as slowly building my vocabulary.

Finally, the picture I've attached at the bottom of this post is a view from the second floor hallway of the school. I took this picture because the towers being constructed in the background have served as a landmark for me and Ab as we've gotten to learn the neighborhood, but also because how this investment in creating apartment buildings as nice, if not nicer, than what were going up in NYC compares with the structures in the middle ground of the picture. The disparity in wealth is overwhelming and disconcerting and causes me to question the sustainability of the current economic climate in Jakarta. There is a crisis in urban planning here, and with the rate of growth in the city, it is foreseeable that inadequate infrastructure and crumbling facilities for the majority will ultimately cripple the city. As I get to know co-workers at Sekolah Mentari and my language skills get better, I will be interested in what native Indonesians think about the current economic climate.

And a little bit of George: (thanks to my examination of Indonesian, George's examination of common phrases in English is awesome)

"legally drunk" well if it's legal, what's the problem?!? Leave my friend alone officer! He's legally drunk!

"lock 'im up and throw away the key" Where are you going to throw it?? Right in front of the jail so his friends can find it?! And how far can you throw a key anyway? 50-60 feet the most, even if you lay it flat and scale it. This is a stupid idea and needs to be completely re-thought :)