Interviewing locals in Kuta Bali

Ika and I have just done another session of interviewing locals about the bombing and listening to their comments We escaped a rainstorn as it decided to finish as she finished work and Endah took over at the desk.

I was sweating like a whore in church this afternoon with my plastic pants and hurriedly bought a new t-shirt and a pair of shorts from one of the many vendors along Poppies II. I came back to I/O, changed and felt much better.

I cooled off for 20 minutes by drinking a margarita in Kori restaurant next door while waiting for Ika. I chatted to Yuli who is half Chinese half Balinese and who celebrates both Hinduism and Buddhism, the religions of the mother and father.

She told me she is getting married in a month and had to ask her older brother if it was okay with him, as in Balinese culture a younger sibling cannot jump ahead of an older one. Traditionally, if this rule is broken the one getting married has to give things. She talked to her brother and he said he didn’t want anything. He told her just don’t forget your family, which made her cry. Her mother and father told her it’s okay for her to marry, but afterwards she is not to draw on her family when in times of need, now she’s independent, which she feels fine with.

I jokingly said her brother should stand up at the wedding and say ’sister I give you my blessing, but I want a new Jeep, a scooter and new suit,’ to which she responded ‘and I say to you, prepare for the hospital.’

Interesting person and she invited me to the Buddhist wedding which is an eating fest…yahoo!