Join me for a walk down Nostalgia Boulevard, will you?
Yesterday, my brother sent me these photos of his recent trip to Indonesia. Our family lived in Jakarta for four years. Here’s my elementary school. Inviting, yes?
I haven’t returned to Jakarta since we moved to Moscow in 1995. My big brother and two of his best buddies from our schooldays in Jakarta made a pilgrimage of the sentimental sort back to the land of Gamelan and geckos. I had already seen some of the photos on Facebook, but seeing this last batch of images taken specially for our family, showing our old house being transformed into an art gallery and my beloved (and barricaded!) elementary school, made me . . . nostalgic. Wistful. Cry like a baby. When people ask me what it was like to live in Jakarta, it’s impossible to convey the unique sights and sounds that color my childhood. And any attempt to contain my love for Jakarta in this little post would be overambitious. Nevertheless, here is home away from home. One of them.
This is where I played with dolls, danced with friends, wrote in my Micky Mouse journal, listened to my first CD (Aladdin, because that’s how we roll at The Red Velvet Life), built massive pillow forts, annoyed sister and brother, hosted Halloween-themed birthday parties, and gave little chee chaks fitting titles like Richard and Bob. Oh, yes this happened. Even better, in Norway, I named my fish Olaf and Fluffy and talked to them. Hmmm?
This is where my parents interrupted our monopoly game to introduce us to Pepper, our first puppy, a miniature schnauzer. Sweet, angelic Pepper. This is where one ornery little schnauzer gnawed on our dining room rug. I’ll chew up another corner if I don’t get a treat tonight. Mark my bark. Feisty little thing. This is where I memorized spelling words of my choice, because my school was cool like that: S-C-H-N-A-U-Z-E-R.
This is where I returned home one night from soccer practice in fifth grade and listened to Daddy take Jakarta away from me, just as quickly as he had given it: “We’re moving to Moscow.” Gulp. Just like that, I swapped friends. Houses. Mascots–I was forced to trade down from Dragon to menacing Penguin. And all this reminds me that what initially tastes bitter can end up sweet. Because Moscow became home away from home, too. You might notice I use the term “home away from home” to describe some of places we lived; it was always important to me for Texas to be my anchoring place, my forever home, as it were.
Dear Big Brother: I’m so insanely jealous that glad you got to go back! Here is one of my favorite brother pictures, ever.
Hooray America, my forever home!
What does home mean to you?
Note: If you spent a significant time period outside of your parents’ culture, you might want to check out TCKID: A Home for Third Culture Kids.
Wow that is so cool you lived there! You should make a trip back there soon! Luck that your brother got to go! He should of brought you with him!!!
I agree Katie; I’ll have to let him know that I’ll be accompanying him on any future trips. Surely he won’t mind his little sister tagging along. haha!
What an amazing experience at such a young age! I grew up in NY, but my parent’s home down here in NC really feels more like home to me now.
Believe it or not, I’ve actually never been to NY! Crazy, I know. I went to NC last year for the first time for a friend’s wedding at Duke Chapel, and I adored everything about NC! 🙂
I have two homes my permanent home in Melbourne but my other home is Adelaide, it’s where I went to school (well some of my schooling was done in New Zealand) and where I had my family, my friends even my first boyfriend, lol, I did a lot of firsts in Adelaide and always get pretty emotional when I’m Flying in, My heart is there and even though I miss my family and friends I don’t think I could ever move back, I just love Melbourne!
I’ve never been to Melbourne, but it looks amazing from pictures I’ve seen! Now I feel like reading more about where you live! And as for NZ, one of my favorite teachers in Jakarta was from New Zealand! I think you have some amazing places to call home!
Go Pattimura Pigs!!!
Oh my goodness, we weren’t the pigs!! Daddy just made that up! 🙂
Haha! Well, it sure stuck in the cutest way. I love thinking about that. What a great post… washes away all those years in an instant.
Aw, thank you. But I certainly don’t mean to wash away the years. I want to remember them, honor them, and make sense of it all. I have a feeling it can only all make sense when we go back for ourselves! Roadtrip . . . er, wait, that won’t work. 🙂
I meant wash away the years between. I feel like it was yesterday.
p.s. LOVE YOU!
Oh, I see what you mean. Yeah, seeing those pictures brought back so many memories to the forefront of my mind. Memories that in a sense, we had to push it away in order to start over from scratch in Moscow. It was easier to start over and create a new life when we didn’t think about Jakarta so often.
Yeah, Moscow really took over my brain. Jakarta’s making a come-back now!
haha! Yeah, Jakarta’s on its big comeback tour, just like Britney. I’m back, b*tches!
Kristen, it sounds like you really lived all over! It’s so lovely that you were able to catch glimpses of your former home. My oldest brother actually just got back from traveling all around Asia including Indonesia. I have never been but would love to go!
Home definitely means wherever my family is! 🙂
That’s so neat that your big brother was also just in Indonesia–small world! 🙂 And I hear ya on home being where family is! Happy Birthday to your hubby and his bro, by the way!
WOW. Cool experiences!
Home means family, love, and good food to me 🙂
Thanks, Annette! Home is always where family and love is, isn’t it? Hope you have a fabulous day!!
What a terrific group of cities you’ve lived in! I may have to include you in my select International Women of Mystery club (of which I am by far the least well traveled, but since I’m starting the club, I’m including myself).