Blizzard

This week I had a ton more Indonesian words thrown at me. Some of them sound really similar! I guess it doesn't help that a lot of verbs begin with the same prefix "ber-". I figured out how to enter words into this computer application that is like flash cards but drills me on them in all sorts of different ways until I get them. When I miss a word it shows up more often. It is great. I really have a hard time stopping or putting it down when it's time to quit. I have words that will just pop into my head and I want to remind myself what they mean. I dream about some of the words sometimes all night long and have to look them up as soon as I can after I wake up. It's like a blizzard of words going on in my head.

On Friday night it started snowing and during the night got really heavy. It snowed a ton all day Saturday and didn't stop until Sunday morning early. When it was all done, it turned out to be the 7th biggest snowstorm to hit the area since they started keeping track almost 140 years ago. Usually here the snow comes in January and February, not December so much. This was officially the biggest snowstorm in December ever in the DC area. We had at least 18 inches of snow here, likely more. With the large population, the rarity of big storms like this, the skinny streets, the lack of much equipment to clear things fast, and people from all over who aren't necessarily used to driving and being in the snow, made it a little crazy. We had fun playing in it yesterday and taking a walk today. They cancelled everything that was scheduled on Saturday, including our ward temple trip, and even the temple! Our church meetings were cancelled today and tomorrow work for Federal Government employees in the area, which includes me, is cancelled, and school for my children is cancelled. It will take a few days to clean everything up and dig out. It was kind of funny watching people here, who are here temporarily for training, all using the same black dust pans from our apartments as shovels to try to clear snow off of their cars and from around their cars. It's kind of funny that we are getting such interesting winter weather when we thought we would not see much snow. I am enjoying it, though. I love snow. I will also love having summer-like weather for a couple of years! It is exciting to experience a history-making blizzard.

"Comprehension Phase 1"

Sekarang saya belajar bhasa Indonesia. I am now studying Indonesian.
This week I started the first week of what they describe as "Indonesian Comprehension Phase 1". It's pretty intense, but I love it. I have dreamed for many years about the idea of being able to study a language full time and get paid for it. Well now I'm living it. It's still a lot of work and it's hard, but I love it because it's living a dream. They have thrown a ton of words at us and some of them have even stuck! Indonesian has very little in common with the other language I know well, Russian. In some ways that is difficult because I have to learn everything new, but in some ways that is easier because I don't have as much interference. There are some similarities to Spanish, of which I know very little, but that helps. There are little things like the adjective comes after the noun and sepatu, like Spanish zapato, for shoe or pesta, like Spanish fiesta, for party. That makes it a little easier. I am good at figuring out patterns and grammar and such, but memorizing is a little more difficult for me. That will be my challenge. I'm excited for the challenge, though. It's sometimes hard to stop doing some kind of studying and do something else. At the end of this week we gave a presentation about a fictitious family, their home and car and where they live and we also created a dialogue with a partner using things we've learned like where we're going, eating, family, etc. Wish me luck going into my second week! I'll need it.
Sampai nanti!

Paper

The theme this week is paper: paper that I write, paper that I read, paper-back books, paper decorations, paper in my wallet, and paper puzzles.

I spent the week working in an office and helping review and draft and just reading "papers," some interesting, some not as interesting. It makes for long days, especially when I am by far the first one to leave at 5:15 p.m. It was a good experience. I am glad that I feel I was able to contribute in a few ways during the short time I was there and for what I learned from different experiences there. I am also glad that I get to start language training on Monday.

I was tired after the commute every day since it involved walking for 10-15 minutes to the metro, standing on the metro for 20 minutes, and walking another 15-20 to the office. I finished reading a book, Book 2 of the Lord of the Rings, in part during the commute. I regained my speed-walking skills. And I got a little exercise too, just enough for someone recovering from the flu. Oh, my book was made of paper.

There was more tissue paper this week, but I am feeling much better than last week and not sick any more.

In honor of the coming winter and the new snow we had on Saturday, my girls put up paper snowflakes and other winter and holiday pictures up all over the house.

I can't believe how fast our paper money, our cash, goes. This is especially true when I pay for 3 haircuts with it! The haircuts are fine, if not just a little short. It is tough to go to a different person every time I get my hair cut and have to explain how to do it and wonder how it will turn out. I have been spoiled having the same person cut my hair every time before moving here.

Some of the money disappeared for another really good reason; I went on a date with my wife! It was great. It has been a while because of sickness and other reasons. She is great. I love spending time with her. We had fun and got to eat some really good ice cream together.

I also had fun putting together a couple of puzzles this week with my wife and most of my children. I have never done much of that, but it's pretty fun! The one we did over the last couple of days was pretty tough!