WELCOME TO BANDA ACEH

I have survived my first weekend in Banda Aceh. It was very memorable, although not in the ways I had imagined. I had envisioned touring the city, walking through the fruit and vegetable markets, bartering with vendors, enjoying a few laughs along the way.

None of that happened though, because instead, I was lying flat on my back, in bed, staring at four walls, for four straight days. You see, somehow, despite all of my precautions, a bug managed to get hold of me and it laid me out flat. The last time I felt this bad, was in Sudan, when I alternated between goose bumps and a high fever, suffering from food poisoning.

My housemates, bless their souls, popped their heads in every once in a while, to make sure I was still alive. They picked me up some crackers and ginger ale, the two things I could manage to keep down.

And then, while lying all curled up one afternoon, the bed started shaking. Alarms started going off. Was it an earthquake? What did the security guy tell me to do? Why hadn’t I yet packed that emergency bag he had told me to have prepared? Outside I ran. Yes, it was an earthquake. A small one. My first Indonesian one, but undoubtedly not my last. On the positive side, at least I know the earthquake sensors on the house do work.

As for the parasite, it’s still lingering, but just barely.

Sights, Sounds and Smells

Kathy Mueller
Information & Community Outreach Delegate
Banda Aceh, Indonesia

It was a welcome I was unprepared for. Spectacular mountain ranges, stretching as far as the eye can see, on one side. Look the opposite way, and it’s a calm, vast expanse of water that greets you. It was that same expanse of water that became deadly almost four years ago, when a massive tsunami devastated shoreline communities. Reminders remain. One of my drivers lost his sister in the watery rage. Trees throughout the city are painted, much higher than my 5’9” stature, with a mark indicating how high the water got. I have been told about a freighter that still remains beached, several kilometers inland, picked up and carried by the monstrous wave. It will definitely be on my things-to-see list.

I am now into my second full day here in Banda Aceh. Still getting acclimatized, but meeting tons of wonderful people, both locals and ex-pats. And my Indonesian is already progressing. Though full of mistakes, it’s a great way to break the ice, and often results in lots of laughter.

I look forward to this being my home for the next nine months. There will be many things to get used to. Having roommates for the first time since my college days, a new culture, the tropical climate so unlike what we experience in Canada. But if the welcome I have received so far is an indication of what I can expect over the next few months, this posting will not only be memorable, but pleasurable.

Make sure you check back for regular updates!