Ms. Mitchell sings about experiencing the good and the bad, but somehow remembering what she calls illusions - I believe that refers to the good part. I was just thinking of the song as I have spent the last few months dealing with the Indonesian bureaucracy.
I've seen the good here. The kindness of people, the beauty of the surroundings, and the enjoyment found in everyday living.
But I have also experienced the bad. Ranging from corruption to government officials blatantly lying in print and on television to reading news reports of extremist religious groups killing their neighbors and burning churches while police watched.
In the almost three months I have been here I have dealt with bureaucratic inefficiencies, stood in lines for hours just to be told no, and filled out form after form after meaningless form.
It feels like I have been bashing my body against an impenetrable surface. Each time I think I have moved forward, I run into another block. One of my fellow researchers here told me that when she finishes here, she is done with Indonesia. Other countries are much more hospitable (not to mention cost less money).
In the end, though, I seem to remember the pleasant things about Indonesia best. I wonder if that is actually a good thing.
1 comment:
It is a good thing. Because no matter where you are in life, if you're looking for the bad, it's what you'll find. But if, instead, you choose to focus on the good, and there is always good, you will find happiness no matter the situation. So it's good that you remember the good and not so much the bad.
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