Cheap drinks, foreigners or ‘bule,’ heat, and places to buy neat things you never needed are only part of the comparison of living in Depok, Indonesia versus Sanford, Florida. If you missed the first part of this article, please refer to the link below.
How you brush your teeth and critters are to follow in this ongoing comparison:
5. Water Quality
The water in Connecticut is almost always drinkable. In Indonesia if you were an American, you better suck down Cipro like a thrice-daily vitamin and start praying to the stomach gods. In Sanford there is an annual report that states the water is fairly drinkable. With a household of colitis and Celiac Diseasers, that is up for some serious debate. After three months there have been at least two boil water advisories posted and countless stomach aches. Similar to Indo, the water has a tint to it with its’ sulfuric, chlorinated smell and yellowish, grayish hue. That memory of laying on the bathroom floor begging for mercy back in Depok?! Yes, that can be recreated in Sanford. Brushing teeth with bottled water is the norm in both cities—at least for those of weaker stomachs. Or the ‘bule.’
6. Bugs
In Indonesia a tickle on the leg led to a hand swipe, thus causing the realization that a scorpion was crawling up aforementioned leg. Scorpions, however, cannot compete with the ants feasting off sweets in the kitchen or the great rates at Motel Cockroach in the laundry room. The bugs are quite similar to a Sanford apartment.
In Sanford sugar ants always seem to find their way in, even when the complex is sprayed every week. The ants only have their eyes on the prize: your homemade, chocolate chip cookies. The other day that all too familiar, scratchy, shell-on-box sound reverberated throughout the apartment. In Indonesia there was HIT; in Sanford, there is the fiancé. However, all cockroaches in Indonesia have the ability to fly. In Sanford those are called Palmetto bugs. There is no escape. Luckily, Sanford has a huge list of pest control companies online at sanfordpestcontrol.com.
7. Lizards
Ok, so the bugs have the ability to take over your space in both countries. This is why Mother Nature created the lizard. In Indonesia geckos are called ‘cicak.’ In Florida they are a little bigger, a little less cute, but they get the job done.
Indonesia is an amazing country to visit, not only for its beaches, volcanoes, cheap beer and goods, and warm weather. The students are eager to learn and everyone is welcoming and friendly, even if you are the ‘bule.’ The ants may eat your dinner and the scorpions may keep you up at night along with the gurgle, gurgle of the stomach. All of that does not matter because it is simply amazing.
Sanford, Florida is a new home and while the water is questionable, the drink specials are not. The weather is beautiful for those who bike ride in December on the Seminole Wekiva Trail. The people are friendly and the live music plentiful. Who would have thought that two completely different places on the opposite side of the world could have so much in common.
If you missed Part One of this article please click on the link below.
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