I guess it's a sign of how long I've been in Indonesia that occasionally I hear snippets of Indonesian in my dreams. A couple of nights ago, I awakened with the word "rohani" ringing in my ears. Now "rohani" in Indonesian means "spiritual" and in the dream, I was with a small group of white-clad Moslem men. This is the fasting month of course and the focus is supposed to be firmly on spiritual matters. I'm not fasting but nonetheless maybe I was being reminded that this is a good time (with holidays almost upon me) to focus on "batin" or inner matters.
In an interesting instance of synchronicity, I opened Skype tonight and noticed that somebody called Rohani had tried to make contact with me back in May. I usually ignore these sorts of random contacts and the request had just been sitting there all that time. When I looked at Rohani's details it turns out that she is a 49 year old female living in Singapore who provides these details about herself: "EEG Neurofeedback Practioner, helping children to improve their school performance. Especially good for the hyperactive, lack focus and concentration and reading challenges. I have a proven record."
I've recently done a Tarot card reading for myself and one of the cards indicated that a person who could help me is close at hand. This was a week or so ago and since then I've been watching my dreams and the external world for signs as to who this person might be. In my mind, the help I need relates to how to stay on in Indonesia after I turn 60. At the moment, I'll be given my marching orders in June of 2009 unless I can figure some way around the fact that expatriate teachers who have turned 60 do not have their visas renewed.
It's still a way off yet but I can't afford to procrastinate. I remember my English teaching back in high school asking the class one day to complete the proverb "procrastination is ... " and while the rest of the class were still absorbing his words, I spat out " ... the thief of time". Heads turned, I remember it well. Even at that young age, I knew all about procrastination and life would later expose me as a champion procrastinator. So I've belatedly accepted Rohani's request to chat and maybe she'll make contact. Who knows? She may be the one who can give me a clue as to what to do.
I'm thinking of course that if I can't stay, then Singapore is not too bad a location. Flights between Jakarta and the island state are quick and cheap. Of course, the Singaporeans may have a similar veto on ageing expats. Ageism is alive and well and living in Asia, despite a supposed respect for the elderly.
In an interesting instance of synchronicity, I opened Skype tonight and noticed that somebody called Rohani had tried to make contact with me back in May. I usually ignore these sorts of random contacts and the request had just been sitting there all that time. When I looked at Rohani's details it turns out that she is a 49 year old female living in Singapore who provides these details about herself: "EEG Neurofeedback Practioner, helping children to improve their school performance. Especially good for the hyperactive, lack focus and concentration and reading challenges. I have a proven record."
I've recently done a Tarot card reading for myself and one of the cards indicated that a person who could help me is close at hand. This was a week or so ago and since then I've been watching my dreams and the external world for signs as to who this person might be. In my mind, the help I need relates to how to stay on in Indonesia after I turn 60. At the moment, I'll be given my marching orders in June of 2009 unless I can figure some way around the fact that expatriate teachers who have turned 60 do not have their visas renewed.
It's still a way off yet but I can't afford to procrastinate. I remember my English teaching back in high school asking the class one day to complete the proverb "procrastination is ... " and while the rest of the class were still absorbing his words, I spat out " ... the thief of time". Heads turned, I remember it well. Even at that young age, I knew all about procrastination and life would later expose me as a champion procrastinator. So I've belatedly accepted Rohani's request to chat and maybe she'll make contact. Who knows? She may be the one who can give me a clue as to what to do.
I'm thinking of course that if I can't stay, then Singapore is not too bad a location. Flights between Jakarta and the island state are quick and cheap. Of course, the Singaporeans may have a similar veto on ageing expats. Ageism is alive and well and living in Asia, despite a supposed respect for the elderly.
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