Monday, February 11, 2008

New Age Surfers

Welcome to my world...

I live in South Jakarta,my house is very humble, yet warm and welcoming. I'm just a slop who has no taste in putting the stripy drapes on the right pink spots. It's not far from the highway,and public transportation is not to be worried about.

I live with my maid's daughter and one adorable cat.

I have 2 available guest rooms, a carpeted TV room with sofas surrounding half the place and two more sofas on the front living room.

I can show people around, seeing contented travellers with puppy eyes are one of my guilty pleasures.

I might gonna ask contributions for your food and car gas expenses if you want to use the car for your purposes, when i use the car with you we’ll split the bills. It's up to you to use those facilities or not. If you're in a tight budget just tell me, i can serve you free meals. No financial discussions are taboo.

In the end, for my future guests,as long as you behave nice and jolly i can manage to hold up my friendly face and bend my legs for your space and convenience a wee bit longer. I recommend you to read "People that i enjoy" section, not really about which surfers i'd like to have, just some things i'd like my guests to know. AND if there's a change of plan and you cancel your stay in my house do notify me as soon as possible, that way i know i won't have to expect your arrival.

People that I enjoy...

I like people who see human as human and not classify them in types whether it's races, gender, wealth,etc, i like a child's mind, i like people who are big but don't think they're big and people that are small but never think it will hold them back, well i like all sorts of people actually, as long as they are kind hearted and genuine. I'm trying not to classify people in stereotypes.

FOR MY FUTURE GUESTS: I know from my experience as a host and a traveller that travelling have it's ups and downs, and how travellers can be cranky at times. But still i think it's good to be nice and polite to your host, they've spared you their personal space for your stay for nothing but the advantage of meeting new people and new experience.

Indonesian people are nice and servicing ,and i know as an Indonesian, we'd suffer for the goodness of our guests, still, please respect them as you'd respect your fellow people, don't expect everyone will give you the same attention and services you get from most people here, since all of us are unique individuals.

It wouldn't also be wise to demand your host to be servicing, and for instance, as i've experienced before, demanded me to make a fix tour program, it sounds silly but that's the fact that sometimes we have the capability to do that. Life in third world countries are less than those who are privileged, yes i know, and sometimes it's so appalling that you unconsciously talking about it all the time.

But there's a fine line between sharing your mind about the world and constant nagging how you've suffered along your travel here. Pointing out a poorly conducted matters in Indonesia everytime is tiring for me who have to live here and except that. And also,a person's house is their pride and joy, hence, unnecessary comments are just heartbreaking, although from where you are you have a state of the art way of living.

Try not to make any mess, but if you must, please do clean it up. And last but not least, I believe people often treat surfing as a free hotel, i don't mind with that, but i also believe from the nice things you can get out of surfing, comes along things you must deal with that you dont have to do when staying at hotels.

Relation. Communicate with me, look me in the eye, it's sad to be in my own house and there are guests that make their own zone. I know travellers have their own busy schedule, but a quick conversation, light jokes, a warm sincere smile, it would be nice :) Please dont take this the wrong way, i know in CS we are challenged to except diversities and different things in life, but some values are just universal, i only hope for my future guests, i'd like to call them my future friends, that the meetings we'd have are fulfilling and maybe, even eye opening. Cheers :)

FOR MY FUTURE HOSTS: i would do the same as what i expected from my guests :)

Learning and Sharing...

One guy i haven't met before said something that he got from another surfer. That to become a better host you have to be a surfer, and to be a better surfer you have to be a host.

In a way, i think that's very true, that we have to put ourselves on other people's shoe in any aspect. Especially in surfing, the main idea of having it in your life, besides the unquestionable advantage of free accommodation, is sharing. It amazes me that people that travels aren't necessarily open for changes, differences and lessons in life. That actually human are capable of carrying a bulb with them and conceil it in their backpack, as an icon of open minds and freedom of will. And actually, maybe i even do that.

So i guess what i want to say, as the title said above, learning and sharing is, i think we can learn on how to be a better person, in this case through the idea of surfing, teach ourselves to embrace new possibilities and differences, and then share it to other people. Cheers :)

by SS

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