This weekend I'm going down to Ames, for En2's Wedding...
From my journey I realize and learn once more that God is so loving to this creature named Neny because I meet so many kind-hearted people in US. Good "Mom" and "Dad" like Tom and Joyce Hertz and Bob and Barb Shreve, who are willing to take me into their family and help me a lot through many of my difficulties. People like En2 and Iin who are willing to let me be in their wedding and be part of their special day. Of course, my friends in Ames who are so friendly and ease my days of missing my own family. I'm trully blessed.
Well, recap of the journey.
Friday, Barb took me to the Greyhound bus station. Many people warned me of how awful Greyhound bus can be, how unreliable their service, but my journey was not bad at all. It took two hours to Ames and the trip was smooth and the bus arrived on time at 5.05 PM. Juve was waiting for me in Ames bus station, thanks to him because I brought a heavy suitcase. I decided to bring back my stuffs so that I will not have problems with my luggage next time. And of course then I headed straight to Tyas' apartment, chit chat, keep up with the latest happenings in our life. Tyas is one of my dearest bestfriend and being with her is always wonderful. And we hung out at the North Grand Mall, got a pair of earrings for me! Yup, I'm into my feminine mode for this weekend!
I left messages for Anne and Alan, who knows they're out for the night and I was eager to hang out after such a long time being absorbed so much in my job in Cedar Rapids. And Anne invited me to chat in the Stomping Ground, a coffee house in Welch Avenue, with some of our classmates. Alan, returned my message, invited me to Boheme to chill out. So off I went to the Stomping Ground. Again, I was in my feminine mode, put on my best jeans and a new blouse that I purchased from the Salvation Army (this is a very cheap store and stationed in all over US) and some makeup on my face and the new earrings. So I received my compliments of being beautiful, hahahahah.... I met Anne and Patrick (her husband), Katie, Silke, and Brenda, giving updates of our activities over summer. And when the 45 minutes was over, I was off to Boheme to meet my crazy best buddy, Alan Hertz.
Alan was all dressed up with tie, surprisingly good looking! hahaahaha... He's like my own little brother and sometimes me and Joyce (his mom and my "Mom") are wondering why our handsome Alan is with no beautiful girlfriend beside him! Oh, well, he's apparently always on the look, but no success so far. I would love to see him hanging out with his girlfriend and me, rather than with me and his friends. Oh well, that day will come in one of these days, cross my fingers on it! He was just back from his duty in the animal clinic of small animals. Oh, I forget to mention, he's in the ISU Vet school now so he's doing his residency for this summer. He was awfully tired, being up at 5 AM and worked until 9 PM everyday, so we just chatted with his friend Don and some other friends and of course drank a bit. No dancing for tonight, buddy! But he promised that we will hang out again in July 10 before I leave for Indonesia. Meanwhile, he told me that he's going to Germany next week for a conference. Well, good Alan! Go chase German girls *grins*
The next day, I was up at 4.30 because Tom, Joyce and I were going to Kansas City for En2 and Iin's wedding at 5.30. And of course my trip with them is always fun and very enriching. We were discussing history, archeology, books, films, and culture. They're particularly interested in customs of marriage in Indonesia, as Jana, their daughter, is getting married to an Indonesian, Pieter, and they're nervous because they want to be able to do everything correctly according to our customs.
We arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, and headed to the Unity church. Met some friends there and surprisingly I met Ko Sam and Cik Ina. Somehow, the world is so small! I met them a year ago in Salatiga because I was doing volunteer job in Pondok Penuai, the Christian organization that they run and they're good friends of En2's family. And Ko Sam was the priest who was going to marry En2 and Iin! So...the ceremony was very beautiful. We're all touched during the dedication to parents. Even Joyce who didn't understand Indonesian language was crying too! And the reception! Oh my, I was joking a lot as the MC! And everyone was enjoying the event and the food.
After the wedding, we're heading to Tim Dickson's place, Tom and Joyce's nephew, in Lawrence, Kansas. I met Tim and his whole family once in the Hertz's place during the Hawkeyes and Cyclones football game. He's doing his PhD in Ecology in University of Kansas. We had great conversation, talking about his study and everybody in his family (Matt, his brother, who's doing Medical School in University of Iowa, and Mike, his other brother, who once was hanging out with me and Alan).
After that, Tim took us to tour his campus and had dinner in The Free State Brewery Company in downtown Lawrence. The campus was so beautiful and hilly. If they had a good TESL program, I would have just gone there! And the restaurant which is a brewery was really cozy and comfortable. After that, we went to Tim's field station, where he's doing his research in prairie restoration. The station was just superb and beautiful, with all the grassy area and wood. Tom had great fun driving the small John Deere wagon. The weather was just perfect, with the sun still up although it's 8 PM. The station has a lake and I suggested Tim to bring Jenny, his girlfriend, for a camp out in their first year anniversary (coming in 29 June), and he loved the idea. Tim was so fun to talk with and by the end of our visit I knew that we're friends already. What a pleasant evening!
Sunday, had a lunch with the Hyland gang in Mbak Ika and John Wood's place. It was a birthday celebration of John and boy, it was fun. I especially missed the gang so much! It's been a long time I didn't hang out with them, Yierick, Yiendra, Mike, Kariman, Sylvi, Inneke, Elaine, Pius, Filbert, Andres... Yiendra, my buddy, seemed to miss me so much, hahahah, we had great laugh joking around with everyone! Yierick, my bro, we talked about our band of course! Inneke and Mike, we were talking about En2's wedding and the possibility of their weddings. Well, I certainly love to MC in Inneke and Andres' wedding or Mike and Sylvi's, at no charge at all!
Barb and Bob, so kind to pick me up from Ames! We went for an early dinner in Thai Kitchen, gave them a tour of ISU campus and off we went back to Cedar Rapids....
So much fun, so many good people, I'm feeling better in this country....
