more visits

Today we got to visit even more people. Our friendly neighbor lady (I have the feeling that I will be writing a lot about her so I will just call her Ibu S. from now on - Ibu is kind of the word for Mrs. or a respectful way to address a woman) came over to our house and told us that she wanted to take us to a few neighbors houses to visit them and wish them a happy holiday and, of course, to eat lots of food.

It was lots of fun (and a bit awkward because of our lack of language) to visit everybody.

we were very thankful that our co-workers, 

who already speak Indonesian joined us and translated a bit for us

When we went to the different houses we noticed that Ibu S. would go to the elderly people living there and bow down and hold their hands and whispering something, then the old people would whisper something back.

As far as we understand, this holiday has something to do with forgiving each other and so we think that Ibu S. always asked the hosts for their forgiveness for anything that they had done wrong to them.

It will be so nice when we understand a little bit more about this culture.

Tonight we were invited to a game night at a American co-workers house and after visiting so many people today it was nice to not have to think too much about cultural do's and don'ts. 

It can get really exhausting when you always have to check how you are sitting (for example, it is considered very rude to sit in a way that the sole of your foot is showing or you are not supposed to cross your arms in front of you body...). Of course actually being able to speak to your hosts is also always nice :-).