My Bahasa Indonesia has gotten so much better in the time being here. I am now comfortable carrying conversation with anyone even though there is still a whole lot I do not know. I was even complimented on my Indonesian at one point! Now thats what I call progress! In the hospital, I have been working in the lab doing things like blood work and checking for malaria, TB, etc. The workers have been super patient in teaching me everything, from Bahasa Indonesia to teaching me how to use the instruments and read the data and things like that. Them, along with everyone at the hospital has been really patient with me while I am still learning. Everyone has allowed me to ask questions and explain words that I don’t know. From barely knowing what to say, or how to say it, I am now almost able to understand conversations without having to ask what words mean, I can even tell stories myself, something that I was really uncomfortable just a week ago. It feels like the longest time since I have spoken English, but I guess that is what happens when you immerse yourself in a place where no one speaks it. From being terrified of not being able to speak English here just a week ago, I even find myself counting, thinking, and dreaming in Indonesian know. Weird… I know. Today though, I got to put my skills to the test. There was a Canadian couple that came into the UGD (emergency room) today with an infection. They hardly knew Indonesian and the people here have a difficult time with English so I acted as the translator. Good to know that I can still speak some English.
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