Gettin Poked

That sounded bad. Sorry. Today I got jabbed with a needle twice – once for the flu vaccine and once for a typhoid update. A doctor from Global Doctors was kind enough to come to work to offer vaccines for whoever wanted them. I know what you’re thinking – the flu vaccine has nothing to do with protecting against avian flu. True, however, I’ve heard from a number of ‘professionals’ (in a calm, yet warning tone) that if you’ve hadRead more

Bus Ride From Hell

I had a chance today to wander around some of Jakarta’s more “gritty” areas. Raw, visceral, and brimming with textures, I rarely tire of simply hitting the streets with my camera. I do, however, grow increasingly annoyed with the act of getting to these places. Since I don’t use a driver, I punish myself with the traffic on a daily basis. There’s hardly a day that passes when I truly believe my chances of getting hit and/or hitting someone elseRead more

In the Corner

Along one of my walks, I came across a housing development built upon stilts. They were raised 3 meters over the swamp below. The homes weaved intricately through a maze of wood and life. One hallway led to a gang of children playing and laughing in spirits light as helium. All but this one little girl. Clutching her belongings. Not laughing. Not smiling. Alone in the corner. Alone.Read more

Making an Ass of Myself

Well I may as well break up the seriousness of some of my writing by explaining how much of a jackass I can be. This is something that happened when I first arrived in Indonesia in August… but failed to tell many people. I had only been in Indonesia for a few days, and decided to finally venture out into the city… After an exhausting night in this crazy city, I took a shady looking taxi home. The driver didn’tRead more